OUR tour explores the fabulous architecture of Melbourne story from early lanes to the goldrush boom to inter-war to the modern era to the ‘carbon-neutral’ architecture of the future. We also have some online tour 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 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 more.
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 – Our many other SCHOOL PROGRAMS. Including Explorer, Federation, Aboriginal, Early Melbourne, Lanes, Literature, ‘Runner’, Street Art and more…
‘Thanks again for a highly educational and enjoyable tour for all our visitors, not just the range of building but the architectural evolution of the city over time’.
Tina 2017
‘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.
OUR ROUTE can vary depending on building accessibility, weather, construction, time of the week and public holidays but usually includes a mix of the buildings and designs below:
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
- Webb Bridge (2003) – Robert Owen, Denton Corker Marshall; (connecting Yarra’s Edge and Docklands Park)
- ANZ Headquarters – Hassell; 5-star green energy building.
- NAB Headquarters (2005) – Bligh Voller Neild.
- Digital Harbour Port 1010 (2006) – Ashton Raggat McDougall.
- Tower 5 at Yarra’s Edge – (2000) Wood Marsh Architects
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 (retrofit)
- 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 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.
