Alkira House is widely regarded as one of Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

's most stunning examples of Jazz Moderne Art Deco architecture. Built in 1936 by architect, James Wardrop

James Wardrop

James Wardrop FRCSEd FRCS was a Scottish surgeon.Wardrop was born the youngest son of James and Marjorie Wardrop in Torbane Hill, Linlithgowshire but at four years of age moved with the family to live in Edinburgh where he attended Edinburgh High School...

, Alkira House is located at 18 Queen Street

Queen Street, Melbourne

Queen Street is a street in the Melbourne central business district, forming part of the famous Hoddle Grid. It runs roughly from north to south. The northern end of Queen Street intersects with Victoria Street, while its southern end intersects with Flinders Street...

.

James Wardrop

James Wardrop

James Wardrop FRCSEd FRCS was a Scottish surgeon.Wardrop was born the youngest son of James and Marjorie Wardrop in Torbane Hill, Linlithgowshire but at four years of age moved with the family to live in Edinburgh where he attended Edinburgh High School...

 is also the architect responsible for designing Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance. One of the most striking features of the building is the use of Glazed architectural terra-cotta

Glazed architectural terra-cotta

Glazed architectural terra-cotta is a ceramic masonry building material popular in the United States from the late 19th century until the 1930s, and still one of the most common building materials found in U.S. urban environments...

 and glass brick

Glass brick

Glass brick, also known as glass block, is an architectural element made from glass. Glass bricks provide visual obscuration while admitting light...

. It was, in fact, the first building in Australia to use glass bricks in its construction. Cleverly designed, the black and white vertical terracotta tiles on the façade take the eye on a journey over six levels to the 'empire-state-like' steeple on top, forming an architectural spine through the centre of the building.

Alkira House is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register

Victorian Heritage Register

The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...

and has at least one apartment available for short term stays on the 2nd floor at Apartment Alkira.