The Nicholas Building on the corner of Swanston St and Flinders Lane. Designed by Harry Norris for Alfred Nicholas, the 'Aspro' king. Dates to 1925-26 and is Norris's most classicising Melbourne building, his other designs include Majorca House just down Flinders Lane and the Coles (now David Jones) building in Bourke St. His career captures the essence of early 20th century architecture, jumping from classicism to art deco and moderne and finally even to the stripped back modernism of the 1950s. This building was actually clad in Wunderlich Granitex, a very modern material that was supposed to wash clean in the rain. Either the drought has got the better of it or that was a slight furphy. Nonetheless one of my favourite buidlings in the CBD, the interior is well worth having a wonder around as well.
I think the Majorca building is much more interesting, and one can get a good view of it lunching in Degraves St. I find the inside of the Nicholas building more interesting than the outside. The arcade at ground level is just fantastic and you can wander around the different floors with individual offices. There's a local community in there and I've found myself in conversation with residents, taking photos from time to time. And the manned lift, what a blast!
ReplyDeleteThe Majorca building is great, I agree. I agree the inside has lts going on, I love the original interiors on some levels, they aren't big and flash, but that makes them more interesting really.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I find the interior of the Nicholas building so interesting is that it is largely unrenovated. So much of the original fittings, plumbing, switches, etc are still intacts. Even the toilets are fascinating.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I have a photo blog that I don't add to, which has a pic of an interesting city toilet.
http://melbphotoblog.blogspot.com/