Block Court, Melbourne

This is the entrance to the Block Court, off Collins Street, in Melbourne.

In the photo on the right you can see terrazzo floor of the arcade with the Block Court name incorporated into the the flooring. Notice also the windows of the shops in the arcade and the vent below each window.

The photo above shows the lettering above the entrance to the arcade and the ornate ceiling beyond. You can also catch a glimpse of the style of the building above street level.

Originally it was build at the Athenaeum Club in 1890, then in 1930 it was remodelled from designs by Harry Norris. The building was renamed Block Court and the shopping arcade was added at street level.

The arcade oozes Art Deco elements. The copper frames of the shop windows bear a zig-zag pattern. The stained glass above the doorways have side panels with chevrons and an elaborate deco centrepiece.

The ceiling decoration includes stepped geometric shapes and stylished floral motifs.

Then, finally, there is the floor with its mulit-colured terrazzo border.

Reference:
Block Court, National Trust Database

Cinema One, Devonport

I seem to have captured the Cinema One in Stewart St, Devonport, Tasmania in its death throes in April 2006. The Cinema One signage is still there but the glass in the doors has been papered over and there is no sign of any film promotions or marquee.

There is not much else I can tell you about this cinema. It doesn't seem to be listed on cinematreasures.org and while it is listed in the Tasmanian section of Cinema History Around the World, all its says is that the capacity was 288 and it is closed.

Thomas Ryan wrote about this building on his Art Deco & Modernism Architecture Tasmania blog posting a photo from 2008 with the former cinema sporting a new paint job and operating as a furniture and giftware store.

Surely someone from the Apple Isle can fill me in on the history of this significant Devonport building!

References:
Cinema History Around the World
former Cinema, Devonport, Art Deco & Modernism Architecture Tasmania

former Horn & Hardart Automat, New York

I snapped Shelly's Restaurant at 104 W57th Street in June 2005 with no inkling that before the end of the following year it would be demolished to make way for a residential tower.

The building was originally constructed as a Horn & Hardart Automat in 1938 and an on-line petition directed to the NY Landmarks Preservation Commission and Manhatten Councilmembers failed to save the Automat.

Reference:
This condo evicts another cherished landmark, by Jim in Time Square on Flickr.com
Save the Former 1938 NYC Automat From Demolition!!!, www.petitiononline.com

Astor Theatre, Mt Lawley

The Astor Theatre in the Perth suburb of Mt Lawley started life in 1919 as The Lyceum. At the time, architect, builder and owner, Simon Bremner, claimed it was the coolest building in Western Australia due to the ventilation installed in the theatre. The current operators claim it is still one of the coolest buildings in WA in a less physical meaning of the word.

By 1930, the venus had become the State Theatre and State Summer Gardens with extensive renovations coking later in the 1930s. The gardens survived until 1970 but the State lost it's name in 1941 due to a State Givernment decree that private enterprises couldn't use that name. The Astor was born.

Over time the building has been split in two showing Adult films and Italian language films, hosted bingo and karate lessons before being Heritage Listed in 1988 when threatened with demolition.

The theatre was refurnbished in 1991 and currently is used for both films and live concerts.

Reference:
Astor Theatre website

Merry Christmas from Melbourne

I had a plan when I set out on my walk this morning, Christmas morning, with Oscar, our Briard. The plan was to walk into the City Square and take a picture of him with his Christmas bow in front of the Christmas tree with the Manchester Unity building in the background.

Despite the many admiring glances (at Oscar) we easily made it to the City Square so I pulled my Canon IXUS 60 out of my back pocket to frame up the shot.

Now, the Canon IXUS 60 does not have a battery life indicator and knowing this I switched it on before I left home and the last picture I had taken flashed onto the display.

However, this morning, Christmas morning, in the City Square when I switched it to 'capture' mode, I was confronted with the dreaded black screen and the message 'Change the battery pack'. You see, there was enough charge left in the battery to view a picture but not enough to take one. Obviously it is my fault for not making sure the battery was charged but it would be nice if the Canon IXUS range had an on screen battery life indicator because, in just about all other aspects, it is a great little camera.

So instead here is a picture of the Manchester Unity building that I took earlier and Oscar in front of our Christmas tree at home with his Christmas bow.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Flats, South Yarra

These flats at 67 Bromby St, South Yarra, were built in 1937. The Sands and McDougall directory of 1938 lists them under the name Yarrum Flats but the building doesn't appear to have a name anymore.

The flats are dominated by the glassed stairwell and I really like that the profile of the stairs is visble through the windows.

They are a striking block of flats in an inner suburban street.

Reference:
South Yarra Walk Booklet, Art Deco & Modernist Society

Apartments in Massawa

This is an interesting apartment block of indeterminate age in Massawa.

I find it unusual that the upper floors overhang the ground floor providing shade and shelter for the footpath. The columns on the open balconies are the same as the columns between the windows. The windows are shuttered so they may, in fact, not have any glass.

Decoration takes the form of a row of diamonds above the second storey windows and a more complex combination of repeating geometric shapes above the top floor windows. There is also the squares on the balcony walls and the 'union jack' panel in the centre of each balcony.

5 Peterleigh Grove, Essendon

The houses in Peterleigh Grove, Essendon were mostly built between 1939 and 1943.

This is number 5.

I don't think there is much to distinguish the house from many Australian suburban houses but the low brick wall and metal gates are a fantastic.

Reference:
Art Deco in the Western Suburbs tour booklet, Art Deco and Modernism Society