The Kia-Ora Flats in Autumn - St Kilda Road, Melbourne

            Autumn in Melbourne is always beautiful, with many wonderful deciduous trees full of colour like these Japanese maples outside the "Kia-Ora" apartment complex on Melbourne's grand elm tree lined boulevard, St Kilda Road. 

Melbourne had a very good start to summer with not too many burning hot days and lots of rain, which means that the autumn display of leaves at present are simply glorious.

The Streamline Moderne "Kia-Ora" apartment complex was built in 1936.  Featuring a stained glass stairwell window executed in a geometric design, reeded half columns flanking the very stylised vestibule door and a small amount of geometric decoration along the roofline, "Kia-Ora" is everything chic and stylish about inner city apartment living as much today as it was when they were built.  Framed by manicured gardens, the U-shaped low-rise apartments feature distinctive curved Streamline Moderne balconies too.

The "Kia-Ora" apartment complex was commissioned by the Dixon family, who owned the "Kia-Ora" cordial factory, and designed by architect Lewis Levy (1890-1970). 

When first built, they boasted wall panel hydronic heating, walk-in closets and modern kitchens. 

After the Great War (1914 - 1918), higher costs of living and the "servant problem" made living in the grand mansions and villas built in the Victorian and Edwardian eras a far less practical and attractive option for both those looking for new housing, and those who lived in big houses.  It was around this time, in answer to these problems, that flats and apartments began to replace some larger houses, including those that had formerly lined Melbourne's grand boulevard of St Kilda Road, and became fashionable to live in. 

Flats like these would have suited those of comfortable means who could afford to live in such a prestigious and fashionable area, and dispense with the difficulties of keeping a large retinue of staff.  With clean lines and large windows, it mirrored the prevailing uncluttered lines of architecture that came out of England after the war.

Taken in: Australia / Victoria / Melbourne South (show map)

Taken on: June 6, 2020

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Camera: Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS, f/2.8, 1/400 sec, 6.2mm, ISO 125 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS
Aperture:	f/2.8
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/400)
Focal Length:	6.2mm
ISO:	125
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Show full info

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