plottel enjoyed a very diverse architectural practice with commercial and residential commissions in a range of revival styles drawing on the american romanesque and arts and craft movement, as well as tudor revival and spanish mission. among his early commissions was the williamstown municipal buildings in 1914, in a simplified greek revival style, and several flat projects that were amongst the earliest in melbourne, such as garden court of 1918 in marne st south yarra and waverly at in grey street st. kilda, 1920, which were relatively severe designs in unadorned redbrick, with some arts crafts or tudor flavour. the prominent use of rain heads and down pipes in the composition is an interesting pointer to plottel's later work.