THE MOORS HEAD

2/774 High St, Thornbury

Visited:  8th September 2013

Design: As I approached this door I had Jacob Dylan singing, "Gotta good woman by side" in my head. How could you not with such an amazing entry image? A touch of romance before you even enter, brilliant. There seems to be a bit of trend going on, once again we have the black steel square frame, yet I never get tired of this. The thing I like about this version is that the framing extends off to the left as part of the wall. Surrounded by black, the door acts as a frame for the interior and the picture behind. The entrance gives a you a sneak peak of the interior, yet doesn't reveal too much. It's minimal, the aqua olive tins that act as planter boxes work well with the black and the gold coloured ornate handle instantly curves to the palm of the hand upon grasping it to open. The industrial feel of the door design compliments the interior and the history of the building. I found the opening to be smooth with a nice closure. 

Door resistance: 2

Closure mechanism: Hydraulic arm

Draft: 0

Squeak level: 0

Change return time: 21sec

ST ALI (North)

815 Nicholson St, Carlton North

Visited: 6th September 2013

Design:  "Perfection comes when the eye and the hand are unified in sensation"
Charles D. Hebbick

I went for breakfast unaware of the beauty I was about to experience. The combination of Art Deco influences blended with Modernist aspects, flowed together like poetry through simplicity and symmetry. You couldn't ask for a more elegant entrance, I would have to say that the combined materials in this door are close to perfection. The white brick, the balance created by the two circular lights, the strength of the black steel frame doors, the slightly worn brass handle, a small touch of dark stained vertical timber and the grey banded trimming on the roof, I simply can not fault this door. The six glass panels appear to float lightly above the two steel panels at the base, grounding the entire design. To stand in front of this door is equivalent to watching the launch of The Royal Yacht Britannia, sheer beauty at its finest. As they say, "Less is more" and in this instance with no signage and no numbering, not even the opening hours are displayed. Jonathan Ive would lose his shit if he was to stand in front of this door. This is pure design that speaks for itself.

Door resistance: 3.5 

Closure mechanism: Hydraulic arm

Draft: Minimal

Squeak level: 0

Change return time: 34sec

NAKED FOR SATAN

285 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

Visited: 1st September 2013

Design: If there was ever a doorway where you felt like you were about to walk into Willy Wonkers factory, this is it. (More the interior view than the door itself) The door on the other hand is a beautiful black powder coated Art Deco inspired steel frame that gives a sturdy industrial feel, yet minimal enough to achieve a sleekness. The square windows and door panels create balance and provide a full wrap around effect of the interior before you even enter. With a polished stone floor, you know you are about to experience a door of sophistication and quality. The resistance on this baby was heavy and the return swing to close was fast and furious with a decent fucken BANG!!! as it closed. This only added to the feeling you could be visiting the big horned red fella in the pits. There was no way in the world a draft was getting into this bad boy. There were only two things that let this door down;

1. The address numbering (a little Tim Burton)

2. The hand written dining hours, this is not a Vietnamese restaurant in Victoria St. This     

    does not go down here. Why put this on such a beautiful door?    

Door resistance: 4

Closure mechanism: Hydraulic arm

Draft: Minimal

Squeak level: 0

Change return time: 21 sec

ST ALI (South)

12-18 Yarra Pl, South Melbourne

Visited: 28th August 2013

Design: Set in off the street behind a black accordion style security gate that has seen a few days of business you are greeted with a well worn, "WELCOME HOME HONEY" that looked amazing when this place first opened. However, now with the popularity of this place the sign has worn to represent a tired relationship. The red, black and white colour combination always works together well and I love the numbering. The overall feeling as you come into this door is a strange one as you come from the brightness of the street and the white wall into this dark enclosure to enter the door. Being one of the first warm days after a long winter the doors were latched open, so I didn't get to experience the full sensation of the doors. I didn't mind the red tiling on the side walls, I would have liked a cleaner tiling job though, they seemed to be thrown up in a hurry. The timber framing of the doors were nice along with the full length glass and minimal signage on the doors. Two classic stainless steel handles supported by rectangle plating create the hint of modernist symmetry. Even the latch hooks above seem to work in this aspect. This door clearly displays the popularity of this cafe with the grease marks of endless customers in the middle and the rubber stoppers hitting the door at the base when opened. I'm still in two worlds how I feel about this door. Parts of me likes the industrial elements and the mystery as you enter, yet there is another part of me that doesn't like the feeling as you enter, something about being enclosed in what feels like an elevator shaft that attacks the senses. I think this space would have held dignity in its first few weeks of opening, but it now feels run down and in need of some love. I don't feel it has aged well, almost like a $9 bottle of wine.

Door resistance: 2

Closure mechanism: Manual

Draft: ?

Squeak level: 0

Change return time: 16 sec