6 Glimpses during Open Melbourne

Melbourne City has an annual open day. The number of open buildings grows every year., more than 40 now. There was a wide range of buildings open but having experienced some queues in previous years, we headed in early and focussed on buildings in and out of the centre of the city.

Mission to Seafarers

This is the Mission to Seafarers, the oldest Spanish-style building of its type in Melbourne (I think I’ve got that right). It’s a building that I’ve long been fascinated by and was very keen to see. The idea of the mission was interesting too, although they no longer have the number of sailors sleeping there that once they did. The chapel had this wonderful ship-type pulpit……and stained-glass window. An organ was tucked in a corner. Not sure it gets much of an airing these days. Beautiful though.

Donkey Wheel House

The front door of Donkey Wheel House. This building was used to house the administration headquarters of Melbourne’s first tramworks, cable tramworks. I was a tad disappointed as I was keen to see where the wheels and the like were. Donkey Wheel is the name of the organisation that now owns the building.

Third Floor, Donkey Wheel House. Great name for a building! I liked the two different door sizes. The one on the right led into a fireproof, semi-circular room that was used to store documents.

And in the Basement

These basement windows had grates above to let in light and air, but just look odd, like someone tiled out the view.

Installation art in the one of the basement window/vents

CH2

roof top sculpture melbourne They, whoever ‘they’ are, underestimated the interest and queues for some buildings were hours long. We only stood in one queue, to see CH2 – a ‘green’ office block partially designed and occupied by Melbourne City Council. Tower showers, passive cooling, rolling concrete ceilings, vertical shade panels that move with the sun. Just a few of the innovations in this building which boasts decreased sick days and other people benefits.

They also are a net provider of water into the ‘system’ – taking black water and producing drinking quality water which is used in cooling systems, toilets and sent to other buildings for toilets and the like. Quite staggering really what’s possible.

And the roof top garden was a tranquil place with great views.

The Regent Theatre

The Regent Theatre basement ballroom was a sight to behold. Part village square, part theatre, part ballroom. Art deco and more. I’ve included a few photos from this amazing room, because to describe it would be to miss something…

Apparently, before renovations, the ballroom was for a time an accidental swimming pool, part filled with water from the leaking water feature in the neighbouring City Square.