John Sage Developer | To those new to property development, it may all seem quite uninspiring. Sure, they can appreciate that it’s profitable, but they’re bored to tears by buildings and construction.

1. Timeless Beauty: Favourite John Sage Melbourne
Architecture
To those new to property development, it may all seem quite uninspiring. Sure, they can
appreciate that it’s profitable, but they’re bored to tears by buildings and construction.
Not me.
I enjoy being involved in the building process, excited by construction, and more than
anything, I’m an avid fan of beautiful architecture. I’ve travelled much of the world, to
large and small cities, and am captivated by the diversity and beauty of different
buildings and their styles. The way they interact and adds to their surroundings, the way
they shape the feel of a vicinity, and the way they influence how people interact with
them.
In Australia, my favourite city in which to indulge my love for architecture is
Melbourne. It’s hard to pick a favourite, and the best way I know how to explain why
I’ve come to this conclusion is to share my favourite John Sage Melbourne buildings.

2. Timeless Beauty: Favourite John Sage Melbourne
Architecture
Shrine of Remembrance
From as far back as I can recall visiting Melbourne, the Shrine of Remembrance has
been on my itinerary of must-see buildings. It’s so much more than a building, however.
It has been opened since 1934 to honour the service and sacrifice of Australian men and
women in war and peacekeeping. It was renovated in 2014, and it is both a shrine and a
building. It’s a wonderful mix of architectural ideas, meshing references to Egypt’s
pyramids and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus in Turkey. I enjoy looking at the
surrounding Shrine Reserve from the balcony of the Shrine – it’s a perfect place for
reflection.

3. Timeless Beauty: Favourite John Sage Melbourne
Architecture
St Paul’s Cathedral
Designed by distinguished English revival architect William Butterfield, the Cathedral
is built in the neo-Gothic transitional style. The plan of St Paul’s is a traditional Latin
cross, with a long nave, side aisles, short transepts, a tower at the crossing, with choir
below, sanctuary and altar beyond, and a pair of towers framing the ceremonial main
entrance.
The interior stonework is a mixture of sandstone from the Barrabool Hills and Waurn
Ponds limestone, with contrasting stripes of Victorian bluestone, which gives the
cathedral a warm colouring. Because the spires are built from Sydney sandstone and are
40 years newer, they are a different, darker colour than the older parts of the building.
Maybe it’s finding a refuge from the bustle of the city, but I enjoy visiting the Cathedral
and always feel a great sense of calm within.

4. Timeless Beauty: Favourite John Sage Melbourne
Architecture
State Library of Victoria
A well-stocked library was
always going to be in my
good books (pun intended),
but the design of this one
makes it particularly special.
Give me an afternoon in the
Domed Reading Room in
one of those rickety wooden
chairs and I’m a happy man.

5. Timeless Beauty: Favourite John Sage Melbourne
Architecture
Old Treasury Building
What were you doing at 19? In 1857, a 19-year-old architect, John James ‘JJ’ Clark was
creating the first drawings for one of Melbourne’s finest 19th century buildings – the
Old Treasury Building. His design is in the Renaissance Revival style, derived from the
‘Italian palazzo’ form popular in the nineteenth century.
The exterior was constructed with Bacchus March sandstone (or freestone) from the
Bald Hills quarry, approximately 50 kilometres west of Melbourne. The bluestone
foundations were mined from Footscray, and the floor above the barrel-vaulted
basement is one metre thick. I always think it gives buildings a sense of place when
they’re constructed from local materials.

6. Timeless Beauty: Favourite John Sage Melbourne
Architecture
Royal Exhibition Building
Did you know that the Royal Exhibition Building was the first building in the country
to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage status? Completed in 1880, it was built to host
the first official World’s Fair in the Southern Hemisphere. Though smaller sections have
been lost to fire or other damage, the Great Hall has survived. Few things say
‘Melbourne’ to me as much as seeing the great dome!

7. Timeless Beauty: Favourite John Sage Melbourne
Architecture
Curtin House
Similar to the Old Treasury Building, Curtin House is based on the Commercial Palazzo
style, and adorns Melbourne’s city centre on Swanston Street. In recent years it’s
become known as a ‘vertical lane’, and I enjoy this modern interaction with this
beautiful building. Its six storeys are occupied with a range of specialist retailing,
dining, and entertainment spaces. The rooftop cinema is particularly charming.

8. Timeless Beauty: Favourite John Sage Melbourne
Architecture
John Sage Loves Melbourne Architecture!
It is a thoroughly rewarding and enjoyable experience to look up and admire the grand,
elegant architecture of Melbourne’s heritage buildings and their bold, striking
contemporary neighbours. The decisions that are made about buildings and architecture
have a special significance – it’s what our lived environment will look like for years to
come. I can only feel gratitude towards those who designed, approved, and constructed
these and many other buildings which make Melbourne an amazing place to appreciate
architecture.

9. Timeless Beauty: Favourite John Sage Melbourne
Architecture
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