The Nicholas Building, completed in nineteen twenty-six, is recognizable by its imposing, chalky-white terracotta facade that rises ten stories above the corner of Swanston Street and Flinders Lane. Designed by architect Harry Norris for…
Melbourne's Historic Arcades
This walk takes you through Melbourne's most stunning 19th-century and Art Deco shopping corridors, showcasing the grand architecture, mosaic floors, and historic charm of the city's golden age.
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1. Nicholas Building
2. Manchester Unity Building
The Manchester Unity Building is defined by its soaring, turreted tower that projects above the corner of Collins and Swanston Streets, clad in distinctive, light-colored terracotta tiles. Completed in nineteen thirty-two during the depths…
3. The Block Arcade
The Block Arcade is an L-shaped shopping hall defined by its soaring glass canopy and intricate mosaic-tiled floors. Built between eighteen ninety-one and eighteen ninety-three, the arcade was designed by architect David C. Askew to…
4. Block Place
Block Place is a narrow, partially covered pedestrian laneway identifiable by the tight cluster of alfresco cafes and shops occupying its pre-war buildings. It runs south from Little Collins Street, tucked between Elizabeth Street and…
5. Royal Arcade
The Royal Arcade is the oldest surviving shopping arcade in Australia, easily recognized by its soaring glass roof and a distinct, black-and-white checkered floor. Designed by architect Charles Webb after a competition in eighteen…
6. Melbourne's GPO
The General Post Office in Melbourne is identifiable by its elaborate Renaissance Revival facade, which wraps around the prominent corner of Bourke and Elizabeth Streets with three distinct tiers of classical columns. Each level features a…