Your guide to Open House Melbourne 2015

Larissa Gardner
4 min read

With more than 105 properties getting set to unlock their doors for Open House Melbourne (OHM) this weekend (July 25 and 26) it can be really tricky to plan out your time and decide which buildings to make a priority.

What are the best buildings of Open House Melbourne 2015?

For all our fellow design and architecture enthusiasts out there, we’ve created a short guide to some of our favourite must see gems of OHM 2015 to add to your itinerary.

1. The Argus Building

Steeped in history, construction of the Argus Building was completed in 1926 to house the Argus Newspaper offices. The building has undergone several transformations since the newspapers closure in the 1950s. For years the building even sat abandoned and crumbling occupied only by squatters and pigeons. In 2010 the Argus Building was purchased by the Melbourne Institute of Technology and has been redeveloped into a modern and spacious campus. You’ll be able to take self-guided tours of the main lobby and Student Lounge this weekend.

When: Sunday 10am-4pm

Where: 284 La Trobe Street, Melbourne

Building type: Educational

See more here.

2. The Meat Market

Completed in 1880 the Meat Market is a grade one heritage-listed building. Housing a number of versatile spaces, the Meat Market pavilions and meeting rooms current uses include live performances, conferences, presentations, workshops, auditions, seminars, rehearsals, community events and filming. Architectural highlights of this building are the original bluestone flooring and charming barrel ceiling. Guided tours will run hourly during OHM.

When: Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 10am-4pm

Where: 5 Blackwood Street, North Melbourne

Building type: Arts

See more here.

3. Myer Mural Hall

One of our favourite Art Deco interiors in the city, Myer Mural Hall is home to ten striking murals by neoclassical artist Napier Waller (1893-1972) paying homage to celebrated historical female figures renowned in their fields. Built in 1933 the hall features a decorative plaster ceiling, balconies, three large chandeliers and stately wall panels.

When: Sunday 10am-4pm

Where: Level 6, 314-336 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Building style: Streamline Moderne Style, Art Deco

See more here.

4. Library at the Dock

This impressive structure was completed in 2013 and boasts the title of Australia’s most sustainable community building. Primarily made from engineered timber and recycled hardwood it’s not difficult to see why the building has a six star green star rating. Other sustainable features include passive ventilation, solar panels on the roof and rain water collected from the roof and stored in a 55,000 litre tank and reused within the building. The Library at the Dock houses a traditional library collection, a recording studio, creative editing suites, a heritage gallery and performance venue.

When: Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 10am-4pm

Where: 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands

Building type: Educational

See more here.

5. Substation ‘J’

A quirky time capsule, Substation J is one of several electricity zone substations located in Melbourne’s CBD. Built in 1953 with the purpose to distribute electricity from the adjacent Spencer Street Power Station to the western end of the CBD. Some parts of the substation are still in use today. Guided tours are running every 30 minutes on Saturday and Sunday, on which you’ll see the ground level switch room, transformer bay, former Spencer Street Power Station facilities and the Star Trek-like former control room.

When: Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 10am-4pm

Where: Corner or Spencer Street and Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Building type: Industrial

See more here.

This year there will also be a number of interesting tours running all over the city as a part of the OHM weekend. There is a Rooftops of Melbourne tour, an Eat Street culinary tour of North Melbourne, MCG tours, a historical glimpse into Luna Park in St Kilda and a guided tour of the Sussan and Sportsgirl HQ in Cremorne, just to name a few.

The organisers of OHM remind us to expect long queues at the popular sights over the weekend, so it’s a good idea to arrive early with a packed lunch to make sure you don’t miss out.

What’s your favourite space featured in OHM? Let us know in the comments section below.

Have a great weekend!

Larissa Gardner
Larissa Gardner is the Marketing Manager at arguably Australia’s best looking real estate website homely.com.au. With a superb devotion to product innovation, user-centred design and innovative marketing platforms for real estate agents, homely.com.au helps millions of Australians find their next home.

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