I love Art Deco. The grace and elegance of its clean lines, the brashness of it's bold shapes. Art deco jewelry is stunning and deco ceramics, glassware and bakelite is often quite spectacular, but for me Art Deco as a style, is at her sparkly best in architecture. Last year the National Gallery of Victoria hosted a blockbuster exhibition - 'Art Deco 1910-1939' with a 'local heroes' wing, reminding many Melbournians that while many of the 'swish' items on display were European, we're not too shabby in the Art Deco architecture stakes ourselves. Here are a few of my favourite examples of Art Deco architecture in Melbourne.
The Astor Theatre
Cnr Chapel St & Dandenong Rd
St Kilda
The grand old maam of Melbourne's cinemas, The Astor is one of this city's few art deco theatres to have resisted the ugly trend towards "multiplexing" these historical gems. Featuring a sweeping terrrazo foyer, a staircase with her own sense of occasion, and multiple comfy club lounges, it's worth a tram ride alone to sight this splendid old lady. Still functioning as an operating cinema, the Astor specialises in double features (two films for the price of one entry ticket) and screens a mix of recent releases and nostalgic movies.
My favourite Astor experience is a Sunday night double-barrel Hitchcock thriller with a mega box of Maltesers purchased at intermission. Yes - they still have intermission.
Alkira House18 Queen Street
Melbourne
As the old guys says in the Gilette ad 'I liked it so much - I bought the company'. Well I didn't buy quite the whole building - just a gorgeous apartment on the second floor, which is now available for short term or weekend accommodation (www.apartmentalkira.com.au).The interior has had a recent renovation and has quite a contemporary feel, but the façade is heritage listed and a truly stunning example of a unique form of Art Deco called 'Jazz Moderne'. Designed by James Waldrop, the architect of Melbourne's 'Shrine', Alkira House was completed in the 30s.
The most distinctive feature is the black and white vertical tiles on the façade that take the eye on a journey over six levels to the 'empire-state-like' steeple on top. The reinforced concrete building was a first for its time and included Australia's first use of glass tiles. The bank of tiles form an architectural spine through the centre of the building. Divine. You can see why I bought it.
The Manchester Unity Building
Cnr Swanston St & Collins St.
Melbourne
This is the sort of building you expect to see Clark Kent paragliding down in his Superman tights. The bell tower was inspired by the Chicago Tribune bell tower and features terracotta-clad leaves stretching upward in a series of raked levels. Upon completion, it was the tallest building in Melbourne. The project was commissioned during the depression, and was a well received 'jobs' project'. Three eight-hour shifts worked around the clock to complete it.
Cnr Swanston St & Collins St.
Melbourne
This is the sort of building you expect to see Clark Kent paragliding down in his Superman tights. The bell tower was inspired by the Chicago Tribune bell tower and features terracotta-clad leaves stretching upward in a series of raked levels. Upon completion, it was the tallest building in Melbourne. The project was commissioned during the depression, and was a well received 'jobs' project'. Three eight-hour shifts worked around the clock to complete it.
247 Collins Street
Melbourne
While the building itself isn't really deco, the stunning mosaic stretching across the width of it definitely is. And it's gorgeous. Designed by renowned artist of the time, Napier Waller, it was commissioned to refurbish the 1884 building and is titled "I'll put a girdle round about the earth". The bold, graphic figures are rendered in a particularly distinctive art deco form. Well worth stopping by for a look - just across the road from the Manchester Unity building.
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