Toby Horrocks - Creative's Guide to Melbourne

Interiors and products have a limited life span. Do you design for longevity and hope your designs don’t prematurely end up in the bin? Or do go with the flow and accept that change is inevitable? Melbourne architect Toby Horrocks’ epiphany came in 2008 in an empty rental apartment that needed furniture. His Freefold 02, a flat-packed, re-assemblable shelving concept to hold paperbacks, art books and TVs won sustainable product category of the 2009 IDEA Awards. The 2010 sequel, a Flatform shelf made from recycled cardboard, was equally acclaimed.

TOBY'S TOP 5:

1 • THE IAN POTTER MUSEUM OF ART
Located in the Uni of Melbourne in Parkville, this museum features free exhibitions, great architecture, contemporary art plus classical antiquities.

2 • A1 LEBANESE BAKERY
Coffee = inspiration. I hit A1 almost every day. Morning tea? One Zaatar pizza and a short black. Cost? $3.50.

3 • THE CREEK UNDERNEATH ELIZABETH STREET
A literally underground aspect of Melbourne’s geography signifi ed by a prow-like beak of bluestone at the edge of the Yarra behind Flinders Street Station. Go there when it’s raining and watch the torrent pour into the Yarra River.

4 • DEGRAVES STREET SUBWAY
This subway hosts changing displays of contemporary art and leads to a quirky subterranean shopping arcade, and is a great shortcut between the Yarra and Degraves Street cafés, bars and diners.

5 • CENTRE WAY ARCADE
Refurbed in the 80s and now sad and faded, the design is a wonderful example of Melbourne post-modernism. PS: Read a subversive message from the level one walkway!

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