What I really don’t like is Ashton Raggart McDougall being allowed to desecrate iconic modernist 80s architecture with their disrespectful, faddish refits. Melbourne was (I use the past tense) lucky to have one of the largest works of the eminent Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa – Melbourne Central. Melbourne Central now has giant multicolored spots spray painted on the side. And some kind of “playful” hoarding with the word “FLIP” on it in huge red letters. It’s B-grade postmodernism grafiitied onto a classic.

And now I see they’ve been awarded the commission for the refit of Roy Grounds’ masterpiece, the Melbourne Concert Hall (Hamer Hall). I think you would struggle to find a finer example of early 80s architecture in Australia than the Arts Centre precinct. The NGV refit (by Mario Bellini) was pretty sensitive, but sensitive is not really a word in ARM’s architectural vocabulary. Already the entire river facing promenade has been ripped from the building. The graphics on the hoardings show some twisted, curvy confection in its place. The site for the refit is here. If Melbourne Central is anything to go by, don’t expect any respect for Sir Roy Grounds’ vision.

If the Arts Centre was a Victorian terrace, there would be a rabid blue rinse set up in arms and interfering. But because we’re still negative about the 80s, there is barely a whisper in defense of our finest buildings from this period. Unfortunately, when we do come to appreciate them in years to come, they’ll have been defaced beyond recognition. Let’s hope the future likes ARM.

I love the Nicholas Building. It is dilapidated in the best possible way. I wish I were a jeweller or artist so I could have a studio there. Complete camera roll here.

Yes I am one of those suburban types who likes to pour scorn on anything beyond the perimeter of my usual traversal – i.e. anything much beyond, say, Camberwell in the East, Yarraville in the West, Brunswick in the North and Brighton in the South. And that’s being generous. But I had heard whispers that the new Donny Shoppo (hereinafter DS) was a bit swisho and frankly I wanted to disprove such notions. The last time I went to DS was probably more than 10 years ago, and short of tearing the whole thing down I couldn’t see how you could improve it.

To paraphrase something I read somewhere recently, consumerism is based on the idea that we can all live like kings. (If someone knows who I’m paraphrasing, please tell me! It’s killing me!) Anyway, this insight seems to have been taken to considerable lengths at DS. With its sweeping spiral staircases, grand promenades, spacious air-conditioned vistas and momentously over-capitalised shops, its Chesterfield-infested “loungerooms” interspersed along the corridors and its concierge-style services, DS is certainly consumer indulgence on a massive scale.

The ranges of shops is awe-inspiring… Coles and Safeway, Myer and David Jones, Target and Big W. Not to mention suburban unlikelies including Bally, Calibre, Alannah Hill, MaxMara, Sass & Bide, Mecca, Lacoste, That Shop, Christensen Copenhagen… this is city-centre shopping comes to the suburbs.

Like a good acolyte of pomo architectural theory I want to start yawning about place – how these shopping behemoths are somehow “placeless”, they lack the variegation and patina of the “real” city.
On the other hand though, what about both/and? Isn’t this architecture entirely appropriate for this time and this place? And doesn’t variegation, all-too-often synonymous with civic dilapidation yet embraced by social elites as “texture” – hasn’t that now been shown to breed crime? DS steps lightly around such ideas. The shops’ interior designers have done a good job of de-homogenisation on many shops – Mecca has an intriguingly decontextualised barrel roof, some shops have timber shopfronts a la 19th century. But in the best nature of self-convenient pomo adherence it’s STILL incredibly disorienting and good luck finding your way out. There aren’t nearly enough maps. Oh but of course, play, not purpose. Oops I forgot. Only the right kinds of play and the right kinds of purpose, i.e. the ones that make you spend the most money.

We had a very nice latte and a passable pizza. We wandered round and we nearly bought stuff. We marvelled at the state-of-the-art parking guidance system. (follow the green lights!) And the acres upon acres of shops. And the attractive food hall. And the (rather distant) views of the city through the enormous glass walls of the Food Court. I felt slightly dirty and slightly dirtier when I realised I might be
enjoying myself.

BTW My photos are here, but they’re not terribly representative. You can get a better idea on Flickr.

I went to Hobart. It’s nice, but there isn’t a convenience store in the CBD and everything looks seriously shut at 8pm. One thing I like about Hobart is it spiritedness. In parts it epitomises the “cool village” – and the determination of its community to punch above its weight in cool. Another thing I like is its patina – Hobart’s not quite prosperous enough that the quirky, daggy, humdrum and lowbrow have been bred out of the inner sanctum. This makes for vareity and authenticity. Same thing for architecture – a patchwork of old and new styles, functional and stylised buildings, makes for interesting flaneurship. There’s quite a few gorgeous Brutalist/New International-esque office buildings that are in mint condition. And a few horrible designs thrown in. Lovely town. Well worth a visit. Check out my pics here.