Newburn Flats, Heritage-listed apartment building in Queens Road, Melbourne, Australia.
Newburn Flats is a residential complex on Queens Road in Melbourne featuring bare concrete construction on its exterior walls with contrasting blue and yellow accents at windows and garage doors. The building contains 25 units positioned to face Albert Park and sits in a central location near public transport.
Architect Frederick Romberg designed this residential complex in 1939 and completed it in 1941 during material shortages caused by World War II restrictions. The construction occurred when supplies were difficult to obtain, which shaped the building's final design and methods.
The apartments originally featured individual Aboriginal motifs created by artist Gert Sellheim, representing an early effort to bring Indigenous art into modern residential design. This collaboration between artist and architect made the building a notable place where Indigenous expression found its way into the city's architecture.
The building is located in a central area of Melbourne with good access to public transport and proximity to Albert Park. Visitors can explore the surrounding streets to appreciate the exterior fully from different vantage points.
The building marked the first application of European Modernist principles in Australian multi-unit housing and used exposed concrete throughout its exterior construction. This approach was innovative at the time and helped shape future residential projects in Australia.
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