That's One Cool Cat

This smiling cat was viewed out of a sixth floor window in the Myer Bourke Street building. It came as an unexpected and pleasant surprise. I did some research and found out that it was originally an advertisement for Mazda light globes and lamps, and that the other half of the ad was painted over during renovations on the Beehive Building (92-94 Elizabeth Street). I couldn't find a date for it, but judging from the colour pallet I would guess it was painted in the 1940s or 1950s. Here is a link to a picture of what the ad looked like before it was painted over.

Love
Mosey x

High Street, Kew

Here are some photos I took of the shopping strip along High Street, Kew. It is nice to see these local shops are still proudly standing and reminding us of a time before big shopping centres and malls dominated. Every local shopping strip is unique to its location, with each skyline having its own distinctive mosaic of different architectural styles, shapes and colours. Sometimes I think of it like a family patchwork or crochet quilt which has been mended and added to over the years, and reflects the different styles and influences over a significant period of time.

The medley of architectural styles seen along the High Street Kew shops are distinguishable if you look closely. The earliest architecture from the late 1800s features small intricate details including scroll work and columns. Buildings dating to the 1920s and 1930s feature cleaner lines and shapes without complicated details. Interestingly cartouches are utilised in both periods. Modern shopfronts tend to be very angular and box like with little to no details featured.

Kew has a long history of white settlement. The first sale of Crown land happened in 1845, and by 1853 the first retail shops were open in the area. There is over one hundred years of architecture represented in this area. This won't sound very significant to my international readers but I'm sure they can appreciate here in Australia that's a long time. 

If you are interested in doing your own research the Kew Historical Society has a useful website. Also here is a link to their blog which will take you to a historical timeline of Kew.

Love 

Mosey x

North side High Street, Kew

Clusters of the same design which were built together are very common

Many eras are represented in the architecture

To me this building evokes the image of a simplified castle

Dating to 1890 this is one of the oldest remaining buildings in the shopping strip

Although younger than the building next to it, this building still stands comfortably and proud

Interestingly it is mainly Inter-War period architecture that has been kept along this strip

Three building from different periods stand in harmony together

South side of High Street

My favourite building along this strip, its beauty lies in its clean lines and shapes

Art Deco in the city

Recently I visited the National Gallery of Victoria and saw the Edward Steichen and Art Deco Fashion exhibition. It is a wonderful exhibition and I would definitely recommend seeing it. Although it was a photography and fashion exhibition, it highlighted the connection between creative disciplines and social values. The relationship between architecture and interior design and decorating is an obvious one, but what many don't realise or forget is that other creative disciplines, are both influencing as well as being influenced by each other in a sort of continuous cycle of ideas and creativity; all of which is a reflection of the social atmosphere and sentiment of the time.

A fantastic example of this can be seen in a number of the beaded and sequinned dresses displayed. The patterns and compositions formed from the beads and sequins resembled or were influenced by the sky scraper. The Art Deco period was a proud, self assured period and one of great prosperity and creative output. The sky scraper was a symbol of this, and also a symbol of modernity and new technological advancements.

There are many beautiful examples of Art Deco architecture in Melbourne. My favourite building in Melbourne is the Manchester Unity Building, corner Collins Street and Swanston Street. I was very excited to see it was included in this exhibition. 

Here are a few photos I've taken of Art Deco architecture in Melbourne.

Manchester Unity 1932

Lyric House 1930, 250 Collins Street

Hardy Brothers Building 1933, 338 Collins Street

Beehive Building 1935, 92-94 Elizabeth Street

Love
Mosey x