[The Collector]

A couple of streetscapes we have lost.

Eastside of Swanston Street, between Flinders Lane and Collins Street, lost to make way for the City Square.

Southside of Collins Street between Elizabeth and Queen Streets, only the Former Mercantile Bank (345 Collins Street) remains mostly intact.

A render of the original CBA Bank (333 Collins Street) which has the magnificent interior dome intact, but not the original exterior.

 

[The Collector]

Treasury Place, Spring Street, another sad loss.
I think it was demolished in the early 1970s.

 

[The Collector]

The City of Melbourne bank that was at the south-east corner of Collins and Elizabeth Streets was a sad one to lose as well.

 

[The Collector]

St. Patrick’s Hall, Bourke Street, meeting place of the first Victorian Legislative Council.
Demolished a long time ago.

 

[Jack Daniel]

Worst thread ever. Really depressing. Do you know if any of the images are copyright protected? It would be great to get them up on wikipedia. I think that the vast majority of people have no idea that these building even existed. Public awareness might help protect the few buildings that are left.

 

[tayser]

Certain to ruffle a few feathers....:

Yeah it's depressing, but let's not lose sight of the fact that cities & people's views on architecture are organic and are not frozen in time, for every building that was lost, there were buildings that were saved - I support preservation in most cases, however rampant protectionism gives me the shits as it flies in the face of my earlier point.

 

[invincible]

Worst thread ever. Really depressing. Do you know if any of the images are copyright protected? It would be great to get them up on wikipedia. I think that the vast majority of people have no idea that these building even existed. Public awareness might help protect the few buildings that are left.

All pictures taken before 1 January 1952 are out of copyright, although Wikipedia does ask you to provide as much detail about the photos as possible (date of photo, photographer if known etc).

 

[The Collector]

The Geological Museum was built in 1909 and stood on Gisborne Street now Macarthur Street, Treasury Place, Melbourne.
The museum was demolished in 1964.

You can see it on the right of this Edwardian postcard as well.

 

[Blabbyboy]

Certain to ruffle a few feathers....:

Yeah it's depressing, but let's not lose sight of the fact that cities & people's views on architecture are organic and are not frozen in time, for every building that was lost, there were buildings that were saved - I support preservation in most cases, however rampant protectionism gives me the shits as it flies in the face of my earlier point.

^^Only tays can use "the shits" and "the face" in the same sentence! Blabby's thoughts exactly.

 

[The Collector]

St Kilda Road

Homeopathic Hospital replaced over time by Prince Henry’s Hospital, that in turn was demolished to make way for the Melburnian Apartments.

Illoura, built in 1889 was one of the grand mansions of St Kilda Road.
It had forty-six rooms and was in the Victorian Italianate style, two storeys high with the central square tower that was so popular at the time.
It was demolished and replaced by an office building (Illoura Plaza) in the mid-1960s.

 

[BleakCity]

Not really a building, but remember the blade:

Shame about the red 'rib' lights too

Docklands

 

[Aussie Steve]

That bridge won a design award and no sooner then it did, then it was gone!

Idiots!

 

[acc521]

It's amazing with all the old buildings and reputation that Melbourne has regarding them that there is still so much that was lost.

 

[The Collector]

A Wood Marsh classic, I would have much preferred this over the ordinary staircase/escalator we have there now. :bash:

 

[The Collector]

A couple of fountains we have lost.

Southgate Fountain, demolished to make way for Hamer Hall.

Grollo Fountain, removed to restore REB and create new forecourt.

 

[redbaron_012]

I miss the old City Squares waterwall and the staggered cascades from below the Burke and Wills statue. Ironic that they died from thirst. The last time I sat on the Water Wall when it was dry was at the announcment for the 1996 Olympic City, we lost to Atlanta USA and the party kind of fizzed.......PS I also remember the Southgate fountain.....I have a pic somewhere ( like where I have everything else!!! ) showing it reconstructed on the opposite side of St. Kilda Rd after the Concert Hall was announced to be located in this site when costs and construction difficulties canned it from beneath the Spire.

 

[Mandelbrot]

Thanks Collector, I've seen some pics, but never like the ones you've posted. I had no idea Southbank was so green before redevelopment. The fountain... not so much of a loss and well, would have trouble staying operational in these dry times. I wish they would bring back the water wall at City Square!

 

[redbaron_012]

I found that old pic of the model of the Arts Centre with the proposed Spire, Concert Hall and relocated Southgate Fountain.

 

[The Collector]

^^ Yeah, it was supposed to be relocated, but it never happened, the Robin Boyd designed Southgate Fountain is now part of history.

I'm old enough to have had the joy of experiencing the sight and sounds of this fountain, it was like no other we've had since in Melbourne.

 

[Shumway]

What happened to it though? Was it thrown away, sent to the tip? Or is it sitting in some basement somewhere...