A little bit of Europe in Australia: Jews, immigrants, flats and urban and cultural change in Melbourne, c.1935-1975

In common with most Australian cities, Melbourne experienced a rapid build-up in flat and apartment numbers in the second third of the Twentieth Century. This article traces the involvement of immigrant communities, especially the Jewish community, in this process as architects, developers and residents of these new flats. It goes on to argue that along with other immigrant communities in this period, the Jewish community was part of a broader economic, social and cultural change that saw parts of the city move away from its British-derived suburban dwelling and cultural traditions towards a more high-density European-inspired sensibility. The article argues that like the cafes, restaurants and other sites that are increasingly recognised as symbols of the emergent multicultural city, these flats and apartments should be recognised as an important part of this process of economic, social and cultural change.