Curiocity: Open House Melbourne

Melbourne’s Cityscape

Sydney Road, Brunswick
Wedding dresses in shops along Sydney Road, Brunswick.

My first impression of Melbourne: old. I am expecting new, modern buildings, lots of green, clean-cut grass, blue sky, lots of space. What I observe is vintage – Victorian-style housing, restaurants that are narrow, the old tram system, and Flinder Street Station. Maybe it is the warm, yellow, rustic tones of the cityscape that contributes to the worn look.

What does impress me, though, is the architecture. In every corner and suburb, what would be commonplace, such as a grammar school, has a touch of an architect who made it un-commonplace.

Camberwell City Town Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre, building at Docklands, State Library interior.
Architecture that catches my eye (from top left, clockwise): Camberwell City Town Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre, a building at Docklands, and State Library interior.

I’ve been collecting photos for this post on architecture, and coincidentally, Open House Melbourne happened.

This post is dedicated to Dad, because I’m proud to say you built the house we live in. The perfectionist in you makes me appreciate the effort involved in erecting a building. Not an easy job, but you make it seem easy, like that garden of yours :)

Open House Melbourne

Curiocity Guidebook
Curated + City = Curiosity = Curiocity. Not sure if that is intentional, but if it is, ingenious!

Melbourne opens its doors once a year for one weekend to the public – underground tunnels in hospitals, substations, office spaces, residential housing, town halls, libraries, colleges, and more. In its seventh year, this is Open House Melbourne.

Ready for some photos? Here goes…

Electricity, a history on AC/DC

…that is, Alternating Current and Direct Current.

Russell Street Substation
Russell Street Substation
Mercury Arc Rectifier
Mercury Arc Rectifier

Every Breath is Fresh Air

Council House 2
The curvy concrete ceiling is designed to absorb energy and help with air conditioning, Council House 2

Mind-numbing or Mind-stimulating?

Boardroom at Slattery, Quantity Surveyors
Boardroom, Slattery, Quantity Surveyors
Reception area at Slattery, Quantity Surveyors
Reception area, Slattery, Quantity Surveyors
Office space at Slattery
Office space, Slattery. Boss versus Minions.
Chair at Slattery, with lights.
Chair, Slattery

Need a lemon?

Rooftop Garden
Rooftop Garden

Meeting adjourned!

Melbourne Town Hall
Melbourne Town Hall
Melbourne Town Hall
Massive organ, Melbourne Town Hall
Old piano with face of one key missing
Old piano, Melbourne Town Hall

A little reading

Aethaneum Library
Aethaneum Library, Aethaneum Theatre

“The brown pipe carries what you think it carries”

Royal Melbourne Hospital
Passageways and tunnels that lead to bunkers, Royal Melbourne Hospital

Built to complement

BHP Billiton Building
BHP Billiton building, 171 Collins Street. My favourite from the curation. Photos were not allowed. They kept the old facade of the building, built an atrium that connected to the new building, and did so with elegance. The panoramic views – amazing.
BHP Billiton Building on a cloudy and clear day.
The glass is designed to reflect the skies, making it visually compelling, and accentuating. It also allows St Paul’s Cathedral to remain the focal point of the city.

Can you hear me?

RMIT lecture halls
Lecture halls, RMIT. While the 171 Collins Street building is focused on visuals, these lecture halls are focused on the audibility.

Are we floating?

Dept. of Architecture, Melbourne University
Dept. of Architecture, Melbourne University. 3 classrooms sit in this hanging structure.
Dept. of Architecture, Melbourne University
Dept. of Architecture, Melbourne University. Construction still in progress.

Wine stain? No problem, it’s plywood. Let’s sand it.

Office space, Blackwood Bunker
Office space, Blackwood Bunker
Office space, Blackwood Bunker
Office space, Blackwood Bunker

Printed carpets that cost $100k

…or something ridiculous like that. All we (Fab and I ) remember is that they cost too much.

Block Arcade
Block Arcade
Staircase at Block Arcade
Staircase at Block Arcade

And that is why it took 2 weeks to prepare this post. Now I’m off to a holiday within a holiday!

Until next week!

Tiff

1 thought on “Curiocity: Open House Melbourne”

  1. Wow. The last week of July sure looks like a great time to visit Melbourne. Thanks for these beautiful pictures of the striking architecture.

    I feel like I could make a comment or ask a question on each and every one of these pictures. But perhaps I can do that in person.

    By the way, did you wipe up your coffee spill on that carpet?

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