OUR tour tells the fabulous Architectural of Melbourne story from early lanes to goldrush boom to inter-war to the modern era to the ‘carbon-neutral’ architecture of the future. We also have some tour online options.
VISIT landmark heritage, innovative and sustainable design architecture from many different styles and eras, walking north from Federation Square along Melbourne’s ‘civic spine’ via Swanston, Flinders, Collins and Bourke Streets.
THIS tour traces the story of a city’s revival from just 400 residents in the 1990s to a cultural mecca voted seven times ‘the most liveable city in the world’. Was it design or luck? Are there architectural lessons for other cities? What precious assets are under threat?
MELBOURNE has been a planned city since Robert Hoddle laid out the famous 1837 ‘Grid’ or ‘Golden Mile’ enabling us to see a wide variety of buildings by foot. Styles include art deco, modernist, Australian design’, Romanesque, Gothic revival, French Empire, Victorian, Neoclassical, Industrial and other.
SEE also our sustainable architecture and design tour.
TOURS are normally 2.5 hours – or two hours for student groups – but can be adjusted. on request. Tours normally start from the stage and big screen at Federation Square.
SEE – BOOKINGS AND PRICES – FOR INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND SCHOOLS.
SEE – Also our many OTHER SCHOOL PROGRAMS. – Explorer, Federation, Aboriginal, Early Melbourne, Lanes, Literature, ‘Runner’, Street Art and more…
‘Fantastic feedback from our staff who attended your tours and thought all three of your guides were very engaging for our Year Nine’s, which isn’t easy!!’ Pt Cook College, 2016.
‘I found the architectural tour to be most interesting, as we could apply our knowledge to and be inspired by real architecture designed for specific purposes.” Ministry of Mercy Education 2016.
SWANSTON STREET/ST KILDA ROAD
Federation Square Atrium (2002) – Lab Architecture Studio, Bates Smart.
Nearmnew, Paul Carter 2002.
New Metro Underground RSHP, HWW 2018-2026
Flinders Street Station (1910) – JW Fawcett, HPC Ashworth.
The Carbon Neutral Precinct 2016.
Bunjil’s world: Caring for Country Strategy.
Eureka Tower, 108 and Phoenix , Fender 
Katsilides.
Evan Walker’s Southbank.
Hoddle Grid 1837-2018, the walking city.
FLINDERS LANE
Phoenix, Flinders St, Fender Katsilides 2011
Nicholas Building (1926) – Harry Norris
Hosier: Architecture , art and design of lanes.
Adelphi Hotel (1993) – DCM
St Paul’s Cathedral (1891) – William Butterfield, Reed and Barnes.
171 Collins (BHP), Mayfair Theatre, Bates Smart 2014.
COLLINS STREET
Paris End: Churches, theatres, clubs
Regent Theatre, Cedric Ballantye 1930
Melbourne Town Hall (1867), Joseph Reed
Manchester Unity, Marcus Barlow 1932.
St Collins Lane, 2017, ARM Architects
Centreway 1911, Edwardian Baroque, Tompkins, Cocks Carmichael Whitford,
Kodak House 252 Collins St, Oakley/Parkes,1934.
Lyric House
Napier Waller, Newspaper House, 247 Collins, Stephenson, Renaissance Revival
Block Arcade, 1891, 280 Collins, Twentyman and Askew, Marvellous Melbourne
Royal Arcade 1869 Charles Webb,
Banking Chamber (1892, 1990) – Lloyd Tayler and Alfred Dunn (1892) and Nelson Architects International and Robert Peck von Hartel Trethowan Pty Ltd. (1990), Marvellous Melbourne
Coles Book Arcade 1890, Howey Place, Marvellous Melbourne
FOR INTEREST – OTHER MELBOURNE ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARKS
Buckley & Nunn 294-296 Bourke Street, Bates, Smart & McCutcheon in style, Jazz Modern 1934
Melbourne Post Office (1859-1907) A.E. Johnson, Walter Burley Griffin, Victorian
Myers, 314 Bourke, HW and FB Tompkins, Streamlined Moderne
Royal Arcade, 331 Bourke, 1869, Charles Webb, Victorian
Council House 2 (2006) – City of Melbourne, Design Inc.
Melbourne Central (1988-2005) – Kisho Kurokawa, Bates Smart and McCutcheon and Hassell/Ashton Raggat McDougall
Storey Hall (1887/1995) – Tappin Gilbert & Dennehy /Ashton Raggatt McDougall.
RMIT Building 8 (1993) – Edmond and Corrigan
Building 80, Lyons Architects
Design Hub, 23 Cardigan St, Carlton, Sean Godsell.
Portrait Building – William Barak Apartments, Swanston Street, Ashton Raggat McDougall
Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (2002) – Wood Marsh Architects
School of Drama, Victorian College of the Arts (2002) – Edmond & Corrigan
Centre for Ideas, Victorian College of the Arts (2004) – Minifie Nixon
Melbourne Theatre Company & Melbourne Recital Centre (2008) – Ashton Raggat McDougall
Eureka Tower (2006) – Fender Katsalidis
Queensbridge Square (2006) – City of Melbourne
Australian Histories and The Travellers (2006) – City of Melbourne and Nadim Karam
Royal Exhibition Building (1880) – Joseph Reed
Melbourne Museum (2000) – Denton Corker Marshall.
Melbourne University School of Design John Wardle Architects
DOCKLANDS
Tower 5 at Yarra’s Edge – (2000) Wood Marsh Architects. .
Webb Bridge (2003) – Robert Owen, Denton Corker Marshall; (connecting Yarra’s Edge and Docklands Park)
ANZ Headquarters – Hassell; 5-star green star energy building.
NAB Headquarters (2005) – Bligh Voller Neild.
Digital Harbour Port 1010 (2006) – Ashton Raggat McDougall.
SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
Federation Square Atrium
Council House 2 (CH2) 218-242 Little Collins St- 6 Star Green Star – DesignInc Melbourne Pty Ltd
Hero Apartments former Russell Street Telephone Exchange and Post Office.
Ross House, Flinders Lane (retrofit)
55 Swanston (rerofit)
Coramandel Green Lane
Urban Workshop, 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 4 Star Green – John Wardle Architects, Hassell and NH Architecture
ANZ Headquarters – Hassell; 5-star green star energy building.
500 Bourke Street Melbourne 5 Star Green Star – John Wardles Architects; Peddle Thorp Architects
181 William Street 5 Star Green Star –:Bates Smart and SJB joint venture
550 Bourke Street (Extension) 5 Star Green Star – Bates Smart and SJB joint venture
See Victorian Architecture Awards
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Design City Melbourne. Leon Van Schaik. Wiley Press.
Melbourne Architecture by Phillip Goad. Watermark Press.
A Pictorial Guide to Australian Architecture, Styles and terms from 1788 to the present by Richard Appleby, Robert Irving. Peter Reynolds, Angus and Robertson.
Walking Melbourne, A National Trust guide to the historic and architectural landmarks of central Melbourne by Rohan Storey.
Melbourne: The City’s History and Development Lewis, Miles, City of Melbourne, 1995
150 Years of Australian Architecture, Philip Goad, ‘Bates Smart: Fishermans Bend, 2004.
Melbourne by Sophie Cunningham 2011.
Characters: Cultural Stories Revealed Through Typography by Stephen Banham 2011.
The Place for a Village. How Nature has shaped the city of Melbourne. Gary Presland.
Essential but Unplanned: the story of Melbourne’s Lanes, Bate, Weston, Main Ridge: Loch Haven Books 1994
Melbourne Remade. Seamus O’Hanlon. The Inner city Since the 1970s. Arcade Publications 2010.
