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Urban.com.au today takes a closer look at the penultimate entry in the <a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-designs-revealed-at-future-cities-symposium">"Southbank by Beulah"</a> design competition - Beulah Propeller City - by Coop Himmelb(l)au and Architectus.

According to the architects, The Propeller City has been designed as a recognisable architectural landmark which attempts to redefine the residential, commercial, retail and public open-space environments of Melbourne via a new high-rise typology.

As part of this strategy, the design boasts a dramatic silhouette and formal composition unlike the typical extruded podium-tower typology prevalent throughout Melbourne's Southbank.

The public space is shared between an outdoor cinema and a huge public space which is called the "Red Carpet Area", which functions programatically as the reception area for the building.

The Red Carpet Area has been designed in the round with an access ramp which leading visitors along a double cone to reach the reception hall. Each of the two areas are capped with monumental roofs - the largest measuring 60 x 120m and cantilevering 85m.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/cooparchitectus_hero.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Beulah Propeller City proposal as viewed from City Road. Image: Coop Himmel(b)lau + Architectus"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="773" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/cooparchitectus_hero.jpg?itok=Ykwbeftw" title="The Beulah Propeller City proposal as viewed from City Road. Image: Coop Himmel(b)lau + Architectus" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Beulah Propeller City proposal as viewed from City Road. Image: Coop Himmelb(l)au + Architectus</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Our vision for BEULAH PROPELLER CITY is the creation of a vertical city composed of multiple functions intertwined in a fluid gesture of vertically linked public spaces. The “Gestalt” of the structural, material and functional components of the design will create a memorable and unmistakable icon in the city-scape.

The concept of “public benefits”, which in the traditional sense generates the creation of a multifunctional building, is further developed and expanded: we create real public spaces within a multifunctional structure.

More than a tower. Its time to design a new typology for a highrise. 

- Coop Himmelb(l)au
</blockquote>

The design team approached the building form in the same manner an artist would a sculpture;  Beginning with the maximum possible building envelope, the client’s brief, planning regulations, the existing urban form, climate and views to and from site were all considered and informed the specific 'carvings' and manipulations which collectively resulted in the dynamic urban form.

The Propeller City is characterised by different districts which reflect their respective programmatic functions, with interfaces created  between these areas to promote and facilitate connections and shared spaces, which provides legibility and an identifiable trait.

Atria, terraces, community facilities and amenity spaces such as recreational and public areas for leisure, pleasure and circulation are all accommodated with the building envelope.

These spaces provide points of orientation or landmarks for visitors and residents within the building, encouraging interactions to assist in promoting the concept of community. 

The result of this approach is a unified composition of identifiable building elements comprising low, mid an high-rise volumes created by dividing the program of the building into its four main functional parts; public podium, office, hotel and apartment tower.

Through the design of the external primary structure, the internal construction elements are optimised and reduced to enable maximum flexibility for current uses as well as allowing for potential adaptability in the future.

This structure for future adaptability is a primary expression of the architectural design and one of the identifiable features of the building.

At its summit the tower is crowned with a propeller like structure accommodating the building's communal facilities, providing a unique visual element on Melbourne's skyline and representing a departure from the traditionally flat roof forms found throughout the city.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/coop_architectus_street_level.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Propeller City at street level. Image: Coop Himmel(b)lau + Architectus"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="773" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/coop_architectus_street_level.jpg?itok=Px20jcdH" title="The Propeller City at street level. Image: Coop Himmel(b)lau + Architectus" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Propeller City at street level. Image: Coop Himmelb(l)au + Architectus</figcaption></figure><h2>PROJECT DETAILS:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Value: AUD 2 billion</li>
	<li>GFA/ Area: 248,410 sqm</li>
	<li>Height: 92-storeys / 335m</li>
</ul>
<h2>CONSULTANT TEAM:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Structural Engineering: B+G Ingenieure, Bollinger und Grohmann GmbH​​</li>
	<li>Urban Planning: Ethos Urban</li>
	<li>Engineering/Structural Design/MEP: ARUP</li>
	<li>Energy Design: Brian Cody</li>
	<li>Placemaking: Village Well</li>
	<li>Landscape: TCL</li>
	<li>Retail: Benoy</li>
	<li>Cultural Consultant: Timmah Ball</li>
	<li>Urban Art: UAP</li>
	<li>Wayfinding: Büro North</li>
	<li>Cost Management: Rider Levett Bucknall</li>
	<li>Building Surveyor: du Chateau Chun</li>
</ul>
The winning design for the “Southbank by Beulah” competition will be announced on August 8th, 2018.

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Laurence Dragomir

Southbank by Beulah: Coop Himmelb(l)au & Architectus - The Beulah Propeller City

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As Apartments.com.au's series looking at each entry in the <a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-designs-revealed-at-future-cities-symposium">"Southbank by Beulah"</a> design competition draws to a close, the announcement of the winning design is expected to be imminent.

With that in mind let's take a look at OMA and Conrad Gargett's entry - The Base. As the name suggests the design has avoided the temptation of other designs in providing the tower with a crowning feature, instead opting to focus attention at its base.

According to the architects, The Base has been designed to function as a 24/7 mixed-use vertical city accommodating cultural, commercial, educational and social programmes supported by retail, and food and beverage tenancies. 

The Base follows the the site footprint and then tapers inwards to a slab 100m above the city. Within this volume, different programs are distributed strategically to create dynamic vertical movement, and are rendered distinguishable from both inside and outside through façade elements.

Open arches at street level, provide a contemporary re-interpretation of Melbourne's arcades, inviting the public into a sheltered extension of both the street life surrounding the building, and of Melbourne itself.

<blockquote>
The Base of the building is a 24/7 mixed-use vertical city in which many cultural, commercial, educational and social program elements have their unique spot bound together by the more generic program of retail and food &amp; beverage. In this vertical city, there are highways of movement through the large express escalators, shortcuts by elevators, and laneways to wander on through the normal escalators, stairs, and voids. The planning of the Base builds on the principle of large scale public invitation and open arcades after which a vertical wonderland of discovery awaits. It is a vertical sheltered extension of both the streetscape surrounding the building, and Melbourne itself.

The Base is the foundation of the project, giving it its 24/7 livelihood. It represents the urban experiment Melbourne is looking for – an urban living lab. We have deployed a strategy to stretch the boundaries of current policies in the Base for the benefit of the public good. The Base starts as the site and tapers back to a slab 100m above the city. In this tapered volume, the different program elements, clearly readable behind the facade, are distributed strategically to create large vertical movement.

- OMA
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/oma_conrad_gargett_01.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Base would rise to a height of 345m. Image: OMA + Conrad Gargett"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/oma_conrad_gargett_01.jpg?itok=GygnQi7h" title="The Base would rise to a height of 345m. Image: OMA + Conrad Gargett" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Base would rise to a height of 345m. Image: OMA + Conrad Gargett</figcaption></figure>The Base also includes the BMW Experience Centre which has been positioned on the corner of Southbank and City Road to mark the corner and due to its high visibility.

Although elevated above the ground to fit within the Base concept of providing a permeable and public street level, the BMW Experience Centre boasts an iconic feature – a cylindrical glass car lift – piercing through the ground and connecting the 1400 sqm basement storage and the mezzanine experience.

As one of the “special volumes” in the design team's concept, the experience centre is clad in a special façade – a dichroic glazing in the iconic BMW blue shade. The BMW logo appears in the moving lift platform that shuttles between basement and mezzanine levels. 

Moving upwards, the tower has been divided into three sections - office, hotel and residential. The office block comprises a variety of flexible floorplates that range between 1800-2200sqm  and sits right above the Base so that a significant number of lift banks are no longer required for the vertical transport in the hotel and apartments. The floor plates provide views of Southbank and City Road and include green areas on each floor on the corners facing the east and west ends which also act as visual buffers to future development at Hanover House.

The hotel block sits just above the office block and is the first upper tower programmatic segment twisting around the core. It consists of 17 floors including two amenity levels at the top and bottom of the block.

Two amenity levels at the top and bottom of the hotel block offer a variety of wellness, food and beverage, and recreational facilities, and the lower one also houses the check-in. Hotel guests can arrive at the drop off at ground level, be quickly escorted to the hotel lift bank in the central core in order to get to the calm and spacious atmosphere of the lower amenities/sky lobby for checking in. 

The residential portion of the tower has been strategically located at the top to maximise outlook and natural daylight. The gentle twist at the top of the residential component not only provides the tower with an iconic and elegant silhouette but also enhances the quality of the residences with views towards Port Philip Bay and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

The residential segment of the tower boasts particularly efficient floorplates due to the compact core layout – the efficiency of this part of the tower is 81%. Smaller units are fitted with winter gardens as extra amenity and daylight.

In response to the ambitious brief, the residential component is complemented by amenities ranging from fine dining, private party rooms, VIP movie theater, fitness, recreation, a wellness center, creche, gardens, and a pool at the base of the residential block.

An iconic feature for the entire tower, the side cuts in the residential block reveal double curved facades through the two glazed triangular skylights above the swimming pool and the gardens in the bottom amenity level. 

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/oma_conrad_gargett_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Base at street level. Image: OMA + Conrad Gargett"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="385" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/oma_conrad_gargett_0.jpg?itok=8Inyuffz" title="The Base at street level. Image: OMA + Conrad Gargett" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Base at street level with its sweeping arches. Image: OMA + Conrad Gargett</figcaption></figure><h2>PROJECT DETAILS:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Value: AUD 2 billion</li>
	<li>GFA/ Area: 255,000 sqm</li>
	<li>Height: 345m</li>
</ul>
<h2>CONSULTANT TEAM:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Engineering Consultant:  ARUP</li>
	<li>Traffic Engineer: AECOM</li>
	<li>Quantity Surveyor:  Rider levett Bucknail</li>
	<li>Visualisations:  MR.P</li>
</ul>
The winning design for the “Southbank by Beulah” competition will be announced on August 8th, 2018.
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Southbank by Beulah: OMA & Conrad Gargett - The Base

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As the announcement of the winning design in the <a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-designs-revealed-at-future-cities-symposium">"Southbank by Beulah"</a> design competition draws closer, Apartments.com.au is continuing its series looking at each entry, and today it's BIG and Fender Katsalidis turn with the aptly names 'Lanescraper'.

The design of the Lanescraper has been conceived as an evolution of the skyscraper beyond the notion of simply a vertical village by imbuing it with a local context and something uniquely Melburnian.

According to the design team, the high aspect ratio of the site indicated a dual core strategy would provide the greatest efficiency in terms of layout and reduce travel distances from the core to apartments - particularly at the upper floors.

The other benefit of splitting the cores is the opportunity for a finer-grained vertical subdivision of the programme, creating new possibilities for programmatic relationships within a single tower.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/lanescraper_hero.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Lanescraper takes the idea of a vertical village one step further. Image: BIG + FK"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="580" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/lanescraper_hero.jpg?itok=jTwmddp0" title="The Lanescraper takes the idea of a vertical village one step further. Image: BIG + FK" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Lanescraper takes the idea of a vertical village one step further. Image: BIG + FK</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Our proposal is borne from a series of pragmatic responses to programmatic needs and constraints of context – and the opportunity to give form to a potential game changing building and experience in Southbank. We propose architecture as social infrastructure, a framework for the life and experiences that happen within and without.

- Bjarke Ingels, BIG
</blockquote>

The stacked blocks between the cores extend upwards and interlock to provide connectivity and structural rigidity, while allowing for shared spaces and relationships between various programmes. The result is a built form which appears as a zipper of diverse programmatic functions that setback from Southbank Boulevard and Power Street.

The tower tapers inwards and negotiates the space between the surrounding buildings, minimising adjacencies at the top and overshadowing of the public realm below.

As the name suggests, a series of laneways are distributed up the building between the two cores, each with a unique identity and experience based on its specific role and function, providing a continuous three-dimensional promenade of interconnected and multi-tiered public and social spaces for exploration and discovery.

The Lanescraper has been designed based on BIG &amp; FK's desire an architectural outcome that provides social infrastructure to the city both within the building and without.  

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/06_big_fender_katsalidis_sbank_streetview_image_by_big-bjarke_in.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Lanescraper along the City Road streetscape. Image: BIG + FK"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="399" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/06_big_fender_katsalidis_sbank_streetview_image_by_big-bjarke_in.jpg?itok=7Haz6ew_" title="The Lanescraper along the City Road streetscape. Image: BIG + FK" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Lanescraper along the City Road streetscape. Image: BIG + FK</figcaption></figure><h2>PROJECT DETAILS:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Value: AUD 2 billion</li>
	<li>GFA/ Area: 238,000 sqm</li>
	<li>Height: 356m</li>
</ul>
<h2>CONSULTANT TEAM:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Jan Gehl</li>
	<li>ARUP</li>
	<li>GTA Consultants</li>
	<li>Bloomimages</li>
	<li>Brick Visual</li>
</ul>
The winning design for the “Southbank by Beulah” competition will be announced on August 8th, 2018.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/282865992" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>

<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://vimeo.com/282865992">BIG &amp; Fender Katsalidis, 'The Lanescraper', Southbank, Melbourne</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user1395824">BIG</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.
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Southbank by Beulah: BIG & FK - The Lanescraper

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With the dust settling on Pembroke's extensive upgrade of the T&amp;G Building at 161 Collins Street, Apartments.com.au thought it would be an opportune time to gain some insight from some of the brains behind the project.

Pembroke engaged architects Bates Smart to bring the property into the 21st Century, in response to the changing demands of the modern workforce, while maintaining the charm of one of Melbourne’s best-loved heritage buildings. Originally constructed in 1928, the 43,000 sqm building located on the corner of Collins and Russell Streets has been carefully restored and sensitively adapted to provide a more flexible, collaborative office experience.

Now fully leased, the T&amp;G Building provides office accommodation for the likes of Google and co-working group SPACES, who join longer term tenants VMIA, Accenture and IOOF across ten levels of A-Grade office space. 

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/google_melbourne.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Google's new office within 161 Collins Street. Image: Google"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/google_melbourne.jpg?itok=2YweAkOS" title="Google's new office within 161 Collins Street. Image: Google" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Google's new office within 161 Collins Street. Image: Google</figcaption></figure>Speaking to Apartments.com.au, <a href="/guides/weekly-podcast-episode-20-bates-smart-studio-director-tim-leslie-discusses-open-house-2018">Bates Smart Studio Director Tim Leslie</a> explained the design process, strategy and challenges associated with tackling such a high-profile, historically significant transformation.

He notes the building has had a long history of works to its fabric; built in 1928 it was extended in the 1930s and then doubled in depth during the '50s before Metier3 Architects doubled the footprint to 4,000 sqm and unified the floor plates in 1990.

According to Leslie, the brief presented to Bates Smart by Pembroke was for the design of a multipurpose office space to respond to the changing nature of workplace design with the atrium forming the 'heart' of the building. The adoption of a 'window wall' system in lieu of a curtain wall system to allow tenants the flexibility to create terraces that sit within the atrium but  are external to the workspaces. 

The other major challenge Bates Smart was tasked with was to untangle pedestrian and vehicular circulation through and around the site, says Leslie. The car park entry which previously dominated the Flinders Lane frontage - a remnant of a time before Melbourne's famed laneway culture took off - has been relocated to Russell Street, adjacent to the current exit ramp, exploiting the higher footfall on Flinders Lane. 

This has allowed for the creation of dual pedestrian entries - to Flinders Lane and Collins Street - each drawing on the character of their respective streets to provide a unique entry experience. The entry at Flinders Lane also provides improved north-south circulation through the site linking the site back to Hosier Lane and Flinders Street down to Fed Square.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/161_collins_may18_entries.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The building features two unique entry experiences to Collins Street and Flinders Lane. Image: Peter Clarke"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="192" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/161_collins_may18_entries.jpg?itok=PA5H7Lwl" title="The building features two unique entry experiences to Collins Street and Flinders Lane. Image: Peter Clarke" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The building features two unique entry experiences to Collins Street and Flinders Lane. Image: Peter Clarke</figcaption></figure>Apartments.com.au also spoke to Pembroke Vice President &amp; Head of Australia, Matthew Knight, about 161 Collins Street's revamp.

Apartments.com.au: The site could have quite easily accommodated a tower but Pembroke instead decided to work within the existing built fabric/envelope? What was the strategy there?

Matthew Knight: Circa 1928, the T&amp;G Building was the most prominent interwar office address in Melbourne – a place where Victorian business and commerce flourished, stamping its mark on the corporate landscape of the day. Once described as ‘Melbourne’s most beautiful building’ it was originally home to Temperance &amp; General, a Victorian-based life insurance company that amalgamated with National Mutual in 1983.

When Pembroke acquired the site in 2015, we wanted to carefully restore and adapt the original façade to provide a more flexible, collaborative office experience, whilst maintaining the charm of one of Melbourne’s best-loved heritage buildings. Together with the adjoining Richard Allen Building it remains one of Melbourne’s most significant business addresses.

U: What was your brief to Bates Smart? Particularly when the building accommodates such a variety of different tenants with specific requirements, but also with a view towards the future and flexibility for tenants?

MK: Our brief to Bates Smart was to transform the ground plane by creating a building with two addresses through the upgrade of the Flinders Lane entrance, create an amenity rich atrium, upgrade the office floors and build brand new end-of-trip facilities for the high-calibre tenants.

As part of this brief, our goal was to deliver a modern state-of-the-art office environment that actively promotes a sense of community, supports high performance and enriches the city of Melbourne.

U: How important was creating two distinct addresses/entry experiences into the building from Collins Street and from Flinders Lane?

MK: The T&amp;G Building has a unique location situated on an entire city block between Collins Street and Flinders Lane. Our vision for the T&amp;G Building was to celebrate this unique aspect by enhancing the dual entrances to the building.

The Collins Street outlook delivers the classic corporate experience characterised by premium office buildings and high end-luxury fashion boutiques. In contrast, the Flinders Lane outlook captures everything that is quintessentially Melbourne – laneways, artisan eateries and the all-important Melburnian coffee. Tenants now have the flexibility to represent their brand by using either the creative or corporate entrance to the building.

U: Can you discuss the role of the atrium within the building as well as the different retail experiences that the building provides not just to tenants but also to visitors/passer-by?

MK: For the T&amp;G Building, Pembroke has created more than just a workspace – the building combines intelligent design that incorporates imaginative shared spaces and carefully managed amenities. A key feature is the atrium, which acts as a communal meeting area for tenants to work in a more casual setting. Positioned as a tenant lounge, the atrium has an on-site management team to support tenant’s needs, creating a premium experience for tenants and their guests.

A refreshed retail mix is planned for the atrium with new food, beverage and luxury retailer options set to open soon. This will be open to the wider Melbourne community and will complement the high-quality location at the ‘Paris-end of Collins Street’.

The T&amp;G Building is also home to some of the most well regarded names in luxury fashion – Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Versace and Max Mara. Situated on the outer ground floor, these flagship stores are open to the public, allowing us to showcase and open up the beauty of the T&amp;G Building to locals and tourists alike.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/peter_clarke_m11859_n25.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The building's central atrium space. Image: Peter Clarke"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/peter_clarke_m11859_n25.jpg?itok=9w1oyiFu" title="The building's central atrium space. Image: Peter Clarke" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The building's central atrium space. Image: Peter Clarke</figcaption></figure>U: What do you believe has led to the building's success in retaining and attracting new tenants?

MK: The T&amp;G Building has retained and attracted some of Australia’s highest-calibre brands by showcasing iconic design, adaptable workplaces and heritage integration, in one of the most prestigious business districts in Melbourne.

Following an extensive refurbishment, new tenants were welcomed to the building including Google, Treasury Wine Estates and Bottega Veneta, who joined long-standing tenants Accenture, IOOF, Gucci and Versace. Office tenants were also attracted to the 4,000 square metre floorplates, among the largest in the CBD, which provide a versatile space for companies to embrace new levels of flexibility, productivity and connectivity.

The building’s location is also a draw card, situated at the ‘Paris-end of Collins Street.’ It is also seamlessly connected to Melbourne’s commuter network including tram, bus, rail and bicycle lanes.

U: Would you say the building's heritage elements were a point of distinction between other commercial projects around town but also a major attractor for tenants (both workplace and retail, food &amp; beverage etc.)?

MK: The revitalisation of the Collins Street precinct has seen more and more commercial developments pop up in the area. By offering A-grade facilities in a world-class heritage building we have been able to provide a point of distinction from these other developments. The heritage façade coupled with a modern office environment is unique to the T&amp;G Building and we believe these features were a major selling point for tenants.
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Behind the facade: 161 Collins Street

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The next entry in the <a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-designs-revealed-at-future-cities-symposium">"Southbank by Beulah"</a> design competition that Apartments.com.au will be putting under the spotlight is MAD Architects and Elenberg Fraser's "Urban Tree" proposal.

Rejecting the typical notion of the Melbourne skyscraper found within the central city, MAD and EF's design instead favours an organic design which introduces a silhouette of natural forms – mountain, tree and cloud – into a dense urban environment.

According to the architects, the Urban Tree provides a distinct and iconic scheme for the Melbourne skyline, and one which celebrates Melbourne's parks and gardens by allowing citizens to connect with nature.

The design was informed by carefully studying the tower’s site and composition, and rather than maxing out the planning envelope, instead proposes a single tower strategy to avoid over-crowding and to maintain and allow sightlines from the surrounding high-rises while also maximizing the views from the residential and hotel programs on the upper floors.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/06_mad_southbank-by-beulah.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The podium is envisaged as a 'mountain village'. Image: MAD Architects and Elenberg Fraser "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="583" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/06_mad_southbank-by-beulah.jpg?itok=JKAZU960" title="The podium is envisaged as a 'mountain village'. Image: MAD Architects and Elenberg Fraser " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The podium is envisaged as a 'mountain village'. Image: MAD Architects and Elenberg Fraser</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
The future of our cities needs to have an emotional connection between humanity and nature.

Urban Tree will feature small, green foothills that lead pedestrians up to the ‘mountain village’, with amenities along Southbank Boulevard including a children’s playground, public artwork and a water feature.

- Ma Yansong, Founder &amp; Principal Partner, MAD Architects
</blockquote>

The podium is envisaged as a ‘mountain village’, with the typical massing of a retail/mall space reduced and a more intimate human-scale introduced. 

The urban spaces are stacked vertically and landscaped with lush green walls and trees to give visitors and residents alike, the feeling that they are in nature, rather than in the middle of a dense urban environment.

The tower rises up out of the mountain village like a tree, to a maximum height of 360m - hence the Urban Tree moniker.

Clad in transparent glass, it employs an innovative Glulam timber façade structure that mimics tree roots twisting upwards, reinforcing the tower’s organic shape. Sky gardens are interspersed throughout that vertically extend the urban green up the height of the tower.

The pinnacle of the tower is ‘the cloud’ - a cantilevered structure that accommodates the public amenities for the hotel including lobby, restaurant, bar, and observation deck, and offering expansive and all-encompassing views of Melbourne.

Composed of an ETFE membrane façade, it is lightweight and features varying degrees of transparency. Towards the edges, ‘the cloud’ becomes translucent, emulating a real cloud so that it gives the sensation of air and lightness, becoming a blur as it blends into the sky.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/09_mad_southbank-by-beulah.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Urban Tree will be topped at its pinnacle with 'the cloud' housing public amenities. Image: MAD Architects and Elenberg Fraser"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="367" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/09_mad_southbank-by-beulah.jpg?itok=sEl4y_nn" title="The Urban Tree will be topped at its pinnacle with 'the cloud' housing public amenities. Image: MAD Architects and Elenberg Fraser" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Urban Tree will be topped at its pinnacle with 'the cloud' housing public amenities. Image: MAD Architects and Elenberg Fraser</figcaption></figure>At street level, the tower maintains a cohesive design language drawing on and responding to the Southbank Boulevard transformation project.

The design team have proposed an inviting plaza landscape that integrates urban activation spaces, and revitalizes the street level in a way that encourages people to gather and linger. Conceived as a series of small, green foothills that lead pedestrians up to the ‘mountain village’, the scheme seeks to link the ground plane to the building.

MAD and EF introduce nature into the urban context, by remodelling the typical high-rises typically found in cities.

Materializing as a ‘mountain in the city’, the design establishes open connections between the interior and exterior spaces in the form of large terraces, gardens, and public art zones.

The winning design for the “Southbank by Beulah” competition will be announced on August 8th, 2018.
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Southbank by Beulah: MAD Architects & Elenberg Fraser - The Urban Tree

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<a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-designs-revealed-at-future-cities-symposium">Following last Friday's big reveal</a> of the six competing designs for Southbank by Beulah at the 'Future Cities' Symposium, Apartments.com.au will this week focus on each individual entry.

First up is MVRDV and Woods Bagot who believe the competition represents a shakeup for development in cities which are under increasing pressure to deliver good higher density living.

For those unfamiliar with MVRDV, the practice was founded in 1993 by Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries in the Netherlands. 

For their entry in the Southbank by Beulah competition, the MVRDV and Woods Bagot team have proposed "The Stack"  which has been designed as "a new kind of skyscraper” for Southbank. 

Disregarding the traditional tower and podium typology prevalent throughout Southbank, the Stack instead proposes a confident prism with public interface on all sides, according to the design team.

The strength of the MVRDV and Woods Bagot partnership has been described by the team as the main factor in the innovation and design quality of the Stack.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/mvrdv_wb_sbb_media_image_02.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Stack's programme is expressed externally. Image: Woods Bagot + MVRDV"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="820" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mvrdv_wb_sbb_media_image_02.jpg?itok=eLjUHx4x" title="The Stack's programme is expressed externally. Image: Woods Bagot + MVRDV" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Stack's programme is expressed externally. Image: Woods Bagot + MVRDV</figcaption></figure>MVRDV and Woods Bagot assert that the “next” skyscraper should be beautiful, if not wonderful, with the Stack described by the team as “mind-blowing and elegant”.

From the edge of the Yarra River, Southbank Boulevard will be transformed into an urban promenade. A wide pedestrian area with greenery, cafes and terraces becomes the welcoming heart of the district. The new building, the Stack, is located right at the starting point of this urban promenade. Footpaths are wide so that people can walk, wait and sit on the terraces to become "....a nice street.”

From the street all the way to the seventy-sixth floor, the site will be developed as a lifestyle precinct, with apartments, offices, a hotel, entertainment centre, technological display centres, retail, cultural precinct and public green spaces.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/mvrdv_wb_sbb_media_image_04.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Sky high amenities with the Stack. Image: MVRDV + Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mvrdv_wb_sbb_media_image_04.jpg?itok=feWzHqjE" title="Sky high amenities with the Stack. Image: MVRDV + Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Sky high amenities with the Stack. Image: MVRDV + Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure><h2>What they say:</h2>

<blockquote>
Stacked neighbourhoods are connected from the bottom to the top and vice versa by lifts, stairs and escalators – these interconnections create a true vertical city. It’s diverse, mixed, green, sustainable, human, open. The Stack is a manifesto that shows that urban density is great and can contribute to our planet's survival.

The single mono typology towers that have plagued Southbank don’t offer the richness that Melbourne is known for. We’ve endeavoured to unlock that, infusing the public offering as an extension of our city to dramatically enhance and future proof high rise living.

-  Winy Maas, Co-Founder MVRDV
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
What makes our proposal different is how we’ve created a Melbourne-centric vertical urbanity. All of Melbourne’s great qualities and amenities are integrated through a sequence of interconnected public spaces, from the ground level all the way to its 359-metre peak.

- Will Hosikian, Woods Bagot Principal 
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
In another magnificent example of international collaboration, our studios have worked together with a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.

-  Ivan Turcinov, Woods Bagot Design Leader
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/mvrdv_wb_sbb_media_image_03.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Interior image of the public realm along City Road. Image: Woods Bagot + MVRDV"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mvrdv_wb_sbb_media_image_03.jpg?itok=pekffAxq" title="Interior image of the public realm along City Road. Image: Woods Bagot + MVRDV" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Interior image of the public realm along City Road. Image: Woods Bagot + MVRDV</figcaption></figure><h2>Project details:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Value: AUD 2 billion</li>
	<li>GFA/ Area: 265,000 sqm</li>
	<li>Height: 77-storeys / 359m</li>
</ul>
<h2>Consultant team:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Arup: Structures, Sustainability, Vertical Transportation, Traffic, Services, Fire Engineering, Wind, Geotechnical</li>
	<li>Ratio: Planning</li>
	<li>Slattery: Quantity Surveyor</li>
	<li>McGregor Coxall: Landscape Architect</li>
</ul>
The winning design for the “Southbank by Beulah” competition will be announced on August 8th, 2018.
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Southbank by Beulah: MVRDV & Woods Bagot - The Stack

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The second instalment in Apartments.com.au's Southbank by Beulah series highlights UN Studio and COX Architecture's entry dubbed "The Green Spine" which celebrates and contributes to Melbourne's parklands and gardens.

The collaborative design proposal aims to establish the site as a new destination within Southbank, which forms part of the linear part network being delivered via the Southbank Boulevard project, connecting the Botanical Gardens with the Yarra River.

The project is both characterised and organised around the ‘Green Spine’ of vertically networked of cascading platforms, terraces and verandas, which begin at street level and wind their way up the tower's extremities.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/uns_green-spine_view-cityroad.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="To maximise solar permeability to City Road, the scheme is split into two towers. Image: UN Studio and COX Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="822" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/uns_green-spine_view-cityroad.jpg?itok=Vrhg2ZlP" title="To maximise solar permeability to City Road, the scheme is split into two towers. Image: UN Studio and COX Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>To maximise solar permeability to City Road, the scheme is split into two towers. Image: UN Studio and COX Architecture</figcaption></figure>COX Architecture and UN Studio’s distinct design considers nature, culture and well-being within the urban framework and is the product of the two firms’ collaborative, conceptual thinking of future living.

In addition to being fully integrated within the existing Melbourne network of cultural, entertainment, leisure and commercial venues on offer, with its variety of programmes and connectivities, the design further proposes a mixed-use building that is a city in itself.

The Green Spine is conceived as an environmental tool, adding a distinctly contemporary, Australian vernacular and striking presence to Melbourne’s skyline.

The Green Spine is created by splitting a single mass of the planning envelope to create two separate towers of varying height, revealing the "almost geological strata of their core layers as they rise above a light-filled canyon."

The towers that result on either side benefit from city views, access to daylight, strong permeability and vastly improved contextual links. The orientation of the Green Spine enables an extension of the public realm from the podium, sweeping up the towers, oriented towards the CBD and the Botanical Gardens at the top of the towers.

A host of programmes, including recreation, retail, offices, residential, hotel and exhibition spaces are integrated into the vertically stepped public infrastructure – an infrastructure that is formed by indoor-outdoor spatial frames that embed nature, public space and culture.

On a local level, the aim of the design is to provide porousness at street level, whilst simultaneously connecting the upper floors with the streetscape by expanding the public realm.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/unstudiocox_corner.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Green Spine as viewed from City Road &amp; Southbank Boulevard. Image: UN Studio and COX"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/unstudiocox_corner.jpg?itok=tMrk8Qjz" title="The Green Spine as viewed from City Road &amp; Southbank Boulevard. Image: UN Studio and COX" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Green Spine as viewed from City Road &amp; Southbank Boulevard. Image: UN Studio and COX</figcaption></figure><h2>What they say:</h2>

<blockquote>
What I thought was so great about the location is that on one hand it is closely related to the botanical garden and inner city and will be seen from so many parts of the city, but also that it so nicely connects to all this liveliness of Melbourne.

- Ben van Berkel, Founder UN Studio
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
Everywhere really, you continuously see this green, and it's a lively green - it twists around.

- Caroline Bos, Co-Founder UN Studio
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
Through the exploration of a series of massing forms, we came to the realisation that a singular tower form was going to be a serious impediment on the precinct and the connections from Southbank to the CBD.

So we evolved the design to look at the idea of two towers, with a great separation between those two towers, creating a permeability of light and views through the Southbank precinct.

- Pete Sullivan, Director COX   
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
The other key component to this is the way we integrate the Southbank Boulevard and the importance, I think, within this precinct creating amenity for the area is key.

- Phillip Rowe, Director COX
</blockquote>

<h2>PROJECT DETAILS:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Value: AUD 2 billion</li>
	<li>GFA/ Area: 253,485 sqm</li>
	<li>Height: 360m + 246m</li>
</ul>
<h2>CONSULTANT TEAM:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Future City, London: Cultural Placemaking</li>
	<li>Studio Drift, Amsterdam: Lead Artist</li>
	<li>Atelier 10, Melbourne: Sustainability and Well-being</li>
	<li>Grant Associates: Landscape Architect</li>
	<li>GTA Consultants: Traffic &amp; Accessibility </li>
	<li>ARUP, Melbourne: Engineering</li>
</ul>
The winning design for the “Southbank by Beulah” competition will be announced on August 8th, 2018.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/281931532" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>

<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://vimeo.com/281931532">Southbank by Beulah, UNStudio, Green Spine</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/unstudio">UNStudio</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.
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Southbank by Beulah: UN Studio & COX Architecture - The Green Spine

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With its Southbank by Beulah ‘Future Cities’ Symposium sold out to a 1,000 strong crowd, <a href="/developers/beulah">Beulah International</a> handed over the stage to the 6 competing architectural teams to reveal their design responses for the <a href="/news">118 City Road</a> site.

Working to a maximum height of 360m above street level and accommodating a GFA of in excess of 250,000 sqm, each of the teams took a unique approach to site reflecting on its position adjacent to the soon to be greened Southbank Boulevard which links the Royal Botanical Gardens to <a href="/new-apartments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank's</a> promenade and the river beyond.

The teams initially pitched their respective designs for the site to Beulah International across two days at the recently installed Beulah Pavilion situated at Queensbridge Square, Southbank.

Designed by Samson Tiew from <a href="/architects/one-design-office">One Design Office</a>, the pavilion will act as an exhibition space for all of the design entries now that they have been publicly revealed.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/southbank_pop_up_pavilion.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Samson Tiew's pop-up pavilion for Beulah International. Image: Beulah"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="228" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/southbank_pop_up_pavilion.jpg?itok=LKHAchxh" title="Samson Tiew's pop-up pavilion for Beulah International. Image: Beulah" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Samson Tiew's pop-up pavilion for Beulah International. Image: Beulah</figcaption></figure>Below is a summary of each of the designs;

<h2><a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-big-fk-the-lanescraper">BIG + FK - 'The Lanescraper'</a></h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/54b6eb4e85df98fa8a5cf9a915846f0e.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Lanescraper by BIG + FKA. Images: BIG "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="580" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/54b6eb4e85df98fa8a5cf9a915846f0e.jpg?itok=PFnb8dRX" title="The Lanescraper by BIG + FKA. Images: BIG " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Lanescraper by BIG + FKA. Images: BIG</figcaption></figure>Celebrating <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic">Melbourne's laneways</a>, 'The Lanescraper' introduces a series of laneways rising up the height of the tower providing spaces for various programmatic uses and assisting in reducing the visual mass while also providing areas of respite.

<h2><a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-coop-himmelblau-architectus-the-beulah-propeller-city">COOP HIMMELB(L)AU + architectus - 'The Propeller City'</a></h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/57cd5cc9f84cc869dfa9edc0747109ac.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="COOP Himmelb(l)au + Architectus' The Propeller City. Images: COOP Himmelb(l)au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/57cd5cc9f84cc869dfa9edc0747109ac.jpg?itok=peJzkIqL" title="COOP Himmelb(l)au + Architectus' The Propeller City. Images: COOP Himmelb(l)au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>COOP Himmelb(l)au + Architectus' The Propeller City. Images: COOP Himmelb(l)au</figcaption></figure>The Propeller City concept is named so because of its propeller-like element which crowns the building and can be programmed as penthouses, or potentially a restaurant or function space.

At ground level on the corner of Southbank Boulevard and City Road's the BMW Experience centre draws on COOP Himmelb(l)au's BMW Welt in Munich as an invitation for the public to enter and explore the building.

<h2><a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-mad-architects-elenberg-fraser-the-urban-tree">MAD Architects + elenberg fraser - 'The Urban Tree'</a></h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/03_mad_southbank-by-beulah-768x500.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Urban Tree by MAD Architects + Elenberg Fraser. Image: MAD Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="378" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/03_mad_southbank-by-beulah-768x500.jpg?itok=CHg1nBaW" title="The Urban Tree by MAD Architects + Elenberg Fraser. Image: MAD Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Urban Tree by MAD Architects + Elenberg Fraser. Image: MAD Architects</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Defying the typical glass, box-like buildings of Melbourne that appear detached from the city’s historic parks and natural local terrain, MAD’s organic design introduces a silhouette of natural forms – mountain, tree, cloud – into the dense city center, offering a distinct and iconic scheme for the skyline, that reconnects citizens with nature.

The pinnacle of the design is ‘the cloud’ – a cantilevered structure that houses the public amenities for the hotel (lobby, restaurant, bar, and observation deck), and offers 360° views of Melbourne. 

- MAD Architects
</blockquote>

 

<h2><a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-mvrdv-woods-bagot-the-stack">MVRDV + Woods Bagot - 'The Stack'</a></h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/mvrdv_wb_sbb_media_image_01.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Stack by MVRDV + Woods Bagot. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mvrdv_wb_sbb_media_image_01.jpg?itok=5QAuHCCs" title="The Stack by MVRDV + Woods Bagot. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Stack by MVRDV + Woods Bagot. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
MVRDV and Woods Bagot have proposed a “new kind of skyscraper” for a landmark mixed-use site in Melbourne’s Southbank. The Stack is one of six invited entries in an architectural competition organised by the site’s owners Beulah International, a Melbourne-based developer known for its commitment to excellence in local design.

Eschewing Southbank’s typical model of podium and tower – a typology that has always promised but seldom delivered – the Stack is a confident prism with public interface on all sides.

- Woods Bagot
</blockquote>

<h2><a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-oma-conrad-gargett-the-base">OMA + Conrad Gargett - The Base</a></h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/oma_conrad_gargett.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Base by OMA + Conrad Gargett. Image: Mr.P"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="549" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/oma_conrad_gargett.jpg?itok=60TfboMU" title="The Base by OMA + Conrad Gargett. Image: Mr.P" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Base by OMA + Conrad Gargett. Image: Mr.P</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
At a height of 345m and total GFA of 255,000 m2, the project would be the largest building that OMA designed after CCTV.  

OMA’s design proposes a tower stemming from a base that acts as a 24/7 mixed-use vertical city with cultural, commercial, educational and social program elements bound together with the more generic programs of retail, food and beverage.

In this vertical city, there are highways of movement through large express escalators, shortcuts by elevators, and laneways to wander on through normal escalators, stairs, and voids.

The Base follows the outline of the site and then tapers back to a slab 100m above the city

- OMA
</blockquote>

<h2><a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-un-studio-cox-architecture-the-green-spine">UN Studio + COX - 'The Green Spine'</a></h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/unstudio_cox.png" rel="gallery-all" title="The Green Spine by UN Studio + COX. Image: COX "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="517" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/unstudio_cox.png?itok=jUDyOmQC" title="The Green Spine by UN Studio + COX. Image: COX " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Green Spine by UN Studio + COX. Image: COX</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Cox Architecture and UN Studio have imagined ‘The Green Spine’ for International design competition ‘Southbank by Beulah’.

The distinct design is the product of the two firms’ collaborative, conceptual thinking of future living. Characterised by twisting cascades of greenery that appear to be cut out from the tower forms, Cox Architecture and UN Studio’s submission considers nature, culture and well-being within the urban framework.

- COX Architecture
</blockquote>

The Southbank by Beulah designs will be exhibited at the Beulah Pavilion until August 1, located in front of the Red Stair Amphitheatre in Southbank.

The winning design for the “Southbank by Beulah” competition will be announced on August 8th, 2018.

Editor's note 06/08/2018: Links have been added to each individual entry as they are published on the site. Click on the heading of each to open the corresponding article.
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Southbank by Beulah designs revealed at Future Cities Symposium

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As Open House Melbourne 2018 draws ever closer, a number of architectural practices will be throwing open the doors to their offices, allowing the public a glimpse at their working environments and providing them with a better understanding of the work architects do.

For the 2018 program the following architects are opening up their offices:

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.openhousemelbourne.org/melbourne/buildings/archier-studio-hardwick-building">Archier Studio</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.openhousemelbourne.org/melbourne/buildings/architects-warehouse">Idle Architecture Studio</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.openhousemelbourne.org/melbourne/buildings/building-no2">Wolveridge Architects</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.openhousemelbourne.org/melbourne/buildings/cox-architecture-studio">COX Architecture</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.openhousemelbourne.org/melbourne/buildings/fieldwork-studio">Fieldwork</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.openhousemelbourne.org/melbourne/buildings/phooey-architects-carpet-couch-and-office">PHOOEY Architects</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.openhousemelbourne.org/melbourne/buildings/orica-house">Bates Smart</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.openhousemelbourne.org/melbourne/buildings/techne-architecture-interior-design-office">Technē</a></li>
	<li>K2LD</li>
</ul>
But the focus for today's piece will be K2LD’s newly refurbished office space over three levels at <a href="https://maps.google.com/?q=49+Exhibition+Street,+Melbourne&amp;entry=gmail&amp;source=g">49 Exhibition Street, Melbourne</a>.

K2LD is an Architectural and Interior Design studio that has a wide range of expertise across a diverse portfolio of project types such as individual houses and community precincts, through to multi-unit developments, educational projects and large-scale commercial projects. K2LD believes that no built outcome is identical and their key focus is on the design journey and the establishment of ongoing client relationships.

In late 2017, K2LD moved from its humble office into a new larger studio space. The new studio not only caters for the practice’s growing team but is a showcase and exemplar of the work of K2LD Architects and Interiors.

The new studio also sees some of K2LD’s closest business partners and companies come together and share the space, bringing together a melting pot of creativity, skills, and ideas.

The design of the office focused on the theme of integration, collaboration, functionality and intimate creativity, coupled with an aesthetic vision around the use of strong dark lines against a neutral palette and splashes of greenery.

This has resulted in a large hub with central kitchen-and-dining space, where staff gather at lunch or after work for various events and celebrations.

Additionally, concepts of fluidity, seamlessness and personalisation are optimised in this new space inspired by the works of Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier.

Alongside the hub are a variety of different sized meeting rooms, designed to promote engaging design critiques and client meetings of varying sizes.

The expansive boardroom dismisses notions of sterility in such formal environments and is softened via its materiality in the form of boomerang lights, plush carpeting, sheer linen drapes and timber ceilings.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/k2ld2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="K2LD's newly refurbihsed space"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/k2ld2.jpg?itok=X0GmBQtI" title="K2LD's newly refurbihsed space" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>K2LD's newly refurbished space. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
As designers, we have the ability to greatly influence how a person experiences and moves through space, and as such we deliberately set the tone of the boardroom to debunk the traditional corporate ambience that would be expected,says

- Tisha Lee, K2LD Director
</blockquote>

The neutral background and supportive materiality, continues through the entirety of the office, allowing for different stories to be created while bespoke furnishing and objects complement the space. 

The transparent and inclusive environment of the office allows for activity-based working through formal and informal break-out areas, large open-plan zones and a central kitchen and dining hub which acts as the Studio’s focal point, much like a kitchen in the heart of the home.

A unique gallery space on level one also allows for gatherings and talks, and offers an opportunity for artists to exhibit their work, promoting multiple layers of creativity within the organisation.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/k2ld1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="K2LD's office will open its doors Saturday as part of OHM 2018. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="835" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/k2ld1.jpg?itok=DCJPYAIu" title="K2LD's office will open its doors Saturday as part of OHM 2018. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>K2LD's office will open its doors Saturday as part of OHM 2018. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure><h2>Open House Melbourne 2018 Program:</h2>

Photography Restricted: Yes

Open: Sat 10am - 4pm

What's Open: Level 2 hub, office space and board room. Level 1 meeting rooms and gallery space

Tour Details: Tours at 10am, 10:30am, 11am, 11:30am, 12pm, 12:30pm, 1pm, 1:30pm, 2pm, 2:30pm, 3pm, 3:30pm, running for 20minutes, in groups of 10

Special Programming: Hands on activity for kids including colouring and take home materials.

Building Type: Workplace

Access: Pram accessible, Fully accessible

Tour Type: Guided, queue
</body></html>

Open House Melbourne 2018: K2LD's 49 Exhibition Street offices

<html><body>
The Victorian State Government has today released the<a href="https://vpa-web.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/ARDEN-VISION_2018_WEB.pdf"> final Vision for the Arden urban renewal precinct</a>, which represents the first step in establishing the Arden precinct.

The Arden precinct currently occupies 50 hectares of former industrial land bound by Macaulay Road, Dryburgh Street and the Moonee Ponds Creek, which is set to become a mixed-use precinct providing housing and employment opportunities.

Minister for Planning Richard Wynne, Minister for Major Projects Jacinta Allan and Lord Mayor Sally Capp were on hand at the site of North Melbourne Station to release the Vision.

Arden is envisaged as a new jobs hub supported by affordable housing and directly serviced by the new North Melbourne Station (formerly Arden Station) which is currently underway as part of the $11 billion Metro Tunnel project.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/fogarty_street_arden.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Artists impression of the Fogarty Street boulevard. Image: Arden Vision"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="409" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fogarty_street_arden.jpg?itok=2mq3y1rp" title="Artists impression of the Fogarty Street boulevard. Image: Arden Vision" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Artists impression of the Fogarty Street boulevard. Image: Arden Vision</figcaption></figure>The new North Melbourne Station will connect Arden which is situated on the doorstep of the city to Parkville, the CBD and Melbourne’s booming western suburbs.

The Vision outlines a plan to transform Arden into a major employment and residential destination accommodating up to 34,000 jobs and housing options for up to 15,000 people.

<blockquote>
Arden will be a new destination for Melbourne, setting the standard for urban renewal. It will contribute to a future Melbourne that is not only the world's most liveable city, but also one of the most forward-looking.  

...

The precinct will have its own civic heart and character. It will remain connected to its Aboriginal and industrial heritage as it changes to support a diverse resident and worker population. It will become a new neighbourhood of Melbourne with quality and affordable housing, a thriving network of open spaces, active transport links, and adaptable community facilities, schools and work spaces.

Arden will be at the forefront of sustainable development, embracing new ways to live, learn, work and travel in an energy efficient district.  Water will be safely managed to become a visible feature in the landscape, while green spaces, trees and water will help the precinct become a cooler, greener version of the city.

The Moonee Ponds Creek corridor will be revitalised as a new green spine for Melbourne. It will be a celebrated waterway with a valued environmental and cultural heritage, serving recreational, biodiversity habitat and active transport functions. The creek corridor will be an essential link for Arden and neighbouring urban renewal precincts.

- The Vision for Arden excerpt
</blockquote>

The Vision is the result of the extensive community consultation undertaken since 2016, and provides a set of actions to guide the redevelopment of Arden.

Actions include providing an accessible precinct for young and old, facilitating the change from an industrial precinct to an innovation precinct and delivering a strong investment in community infrastructure.

A future Arden will be environmentally sustainable with well-connected open spaces, and cycling and walking paths, for the local community to enjoy.

The State Government and City of Melbourne will now work together to prepare detailed planning for the precinct. Local community members and businesses will have the opportunity to have their say as planning for this vital project for Melbourne continues.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/arden-precinct-civic-heart-680x450.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Artist's Impression of Arden Precinct's Civic Heart. Image: Victorian Planning Authority"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="384" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/arden-precinct-civic-heart-680x450.jpg?itok=x0RhmngV" title="Artist's Impression of Arden Precinct's Civic Heart. Image: Victorian Planning Authority" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Artist's Impression of Arden Precinct's Civic Heart. Image: Victorian Planning Authority</figcaption></figure><h2>Arden Vision at a Glance:</h2>

Arden will:

<ul>
<li>Create a new destination for Melbourne that is a great place to live, learn, work and visit</li>
	<li>Accommodate more than 34,000 jobs and 15,000 residents by 2051</li>
	<li>Deliver a major transport hub around the new North Melbourne Station</li>
	<li>Enhance the Moonee Ponds Creek corridor to become a valued asset for existing and new communities and the natural environment</li>
	<li>Create two new urban boulevards which will create a civic heart for Arden</li>
	<li>Build on Parkville’s growing role as a technology, life sciences, health and education precinct</li>
	<li>Provide at least 6 per cent of all new housing in the precinct as affordable for low to moderate income households</li>
	<li>Reinforce natural and built heritage to create a new character for the precinct</li>
	<li>Be developed under urban design guidelines that build on Arden’s evolving character</li>
	<li>Be protected by innovative solutions to manage flooding, make better use of water and expand spaces for recreation and biodiversity</li>
	<li>Deliver innovative community hubs and two to four new schools.</li>
</ul>
<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/northmelbourne_laurenstreet_1024x576.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="North Melbourne Station will be a catalyst project for the Arden Precinct. Image: Metro Tunnel"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/northmelbourne_laurenstreet_1024x576.jpg?itok=_Gm4xp0p" title="North Melbourne Station will be a catalyst project for the Arden Precinct. Image: Metro Tunnel" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>North Melbourne Station will be a catalyst project for the Arden Precinct. Image: Metro Tunnel</figcaption></figure><h2>What they say...</h2>

<blockquote>
We’re getting on with growing Arden to be a great place to live and an exciting place to work and visit. Matthew Guy botched inner city planning. We’re getting it right to create jobs, and deliver the public transport, homes and services Victorians need.

-  Richard Wynne, Minister for Planning
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
The Metro Tunnel will be in the heart of the Arden precinct – making it a great place to live and work, and connecting it to the rest of our city and state.

- Jacinta Allan, Minister for Major Projects 
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
We’re looking forward to partnering with the Victorian Government, together with our community, to put in place the right planning, infrastructure and community needs to deliver the Arden Vision.

- City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Cr Sally Capp
</blockquote>
</body></html>

Final Vision for the Arden Precinct released

Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

Joel Robinson

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Fitzroy apartments

The Gold Coast Planning Committee has supported the preliminary approval for the Benowa Gardens Urban Village project following an extensive community consultation and assessment process.

The proposal will now proceed to a full council vote on June 2.

The application sought approval for a masterplanned urban village on the existing Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre site, combining new housing, retail, dining, health and lifestyle amenities within a walkable, integrated precinct.&nbsp;

The proposed redevelopment includes around 413 apartments integrated above a revitalised mixed-use centre featuring a full-line supermarket of 4,000 sqm, 6,000 sqm of specialty retail and dining space across around 30 retailers, a 7,000 sqm health and wellness precinct, and roughly 9,630 sqm of office and medical suites.&nbsp;

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fb36ae47-80bc-45f0-9914-31b0c7b6007d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C4%201121%20FI.jpg?VersionId=6mRKk2uU4r67TmTt39DKGUlvFRbTVqWa" />

The broader masterplan also includes very significant traffic and transport improvements, wide pedestrian walkways, upgraded pedestrian and cycle connections, and enhanced public areas designed to create a more connected and walkable community environment.&nbsp;

Centre owner Patrick Lu said the milestone reflected months of detailed planning, technical assessment and ongoing communication with local residents, businesses, schools and stakeholders.

“We appreciate the time, consideration and care Council officers and the Planning Committee have given this proposal throughout the assessment process,” Lu said.

“We also sincerely thank the local community for engaging with us, sharing feedback and participating in the consultation process over many months.

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32fd1fc3-d0e6-485f-ac57-9916c9bcb818" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C5%201121%20FI_2.jpg?VersionId=fz8qQKDBLQ7MyFRc856Zccfbh9nFwLOe" />

“We understand projects of this scale bring questions and concerns, which is why we have worked hard to listen carefully, provide information transparently and continue refining elements of the proposal where possible.

“Our vision has always been to create a well-designed, community-focused urban village that responds to the changing needs of the Gold Coast, while delivering improved amenity, housing diversity, healthcare access and local lifestyle benefits.

“This proposal is about creating a genuine live-work-play environment where residents can access everyday services, schools, healthcare, dining, shopping and green space within walking distance, while also supporting local jobs and economic activity.”

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50dfbd04-590e-4fc6-983b-766880947867" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Dining%20Day%20Time%20-%20High%20Resolution.jpg?VersionId=BP7ZoKJ0DdL_8iRkkC8VVx99moICV6kg" />

Lu said the proposal had evolved significantly through consultation and technical review, particularly around traffic, pedestrian and student safety and neighbourhood connectivity.&nbsp;

Melissa Griffin, Director at Urbis, said the recommendation recognised the strategic importance of delivering more housing and services within established urban areas already supported by infrastructure.

“This proposal represents the type of thoughtful, integrated growth that planning frameworks across South-East Queensland are encouraging,” Ms Griffin said.

“The project seeks to place housing, retail, healthcare and employment opportunities together in a highly accessible location close to schools, transport and existing services.

“Importantly, the process has involved significant technical assessment and community engagement to ensure local issues and feedback were properly considered throughout the planning pathway.”

$1 billion Benowa Gardens Urban Village heads to council vote following Planning Committee support

Surfers Paradise is officially set for its first new residential development with a 45-storey skybridge connecting the two towers.

John Camilleri’s Celestino Developments has been given the green light by the Gold Coast City Council to develop its major beachfront precinct across its huge 4,000 sqm oceanfront site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/63-79-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">63–79 Garfield Terrace</a>, just five months after its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-exclusive-billionaire-winx-breeder-s-bold-two-tower-surfers-paradise-play-with-45th-storey-skybridge">submission in late 2025</a>.

The approved scheme will deliver two towers rising 55 and 48 storeys, connected by a skybridge positioned on level 45 that will house a range of resident-only wellness and entertainment spaces.

In its notice of approval, the Gold Coast City Council said the&nbsp;proposed overall built form has been designed to complement the scale, intensity and protect the adjacent amenity and surrounding streets through the use of varied setbacks, site cover and architectural elements.

<img alt="First look exclusive: Billionaire Winx breeder’s bold two-tower Surfers Paradise play with 45th-storey skybridge" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-30%20at%209.53.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ADyPJ_TFbJvSU9wZFOiCBnlPtgF7VWqW" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dbi">DBI</a>, the development will comprise 275 apartments across the two towers, including a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences, as well as several penthouses. The apartments will sit above a landscaped podium featuring more than 90 metres of beachfront pool frontage, private resident lawns, lounges, and wellness spaces.

DBI said the design draws heavily from the movement and form of the coastal environment, with curving balcony lines and sculpted façades intended to soften the scale of the towers while maximising ocean outlooks and passive shading outcomes.

“The project occupies a rare, uninterrupted oceanfront site and has been shaped by a design philosophy that merges architectural elegance with environmental responsiveness and a carefully curated lifestyle experience,” DBI said in planning documents submitted to the Gold Coast City Council.

The most distinctive element of the approved project is the skybridge linking the two towers at level 45. The elevated communal space is planned to include executive lounges, formal dining areas, wellness facilities, and panoramic ocean-facing outlooks.

“The skybridge enhances the identity of the development, promotes social interaction, and delivers a lifestyle experience not found elsewhere on the Gold Coast,” DBI said.

At podium level, residents will have access to a suite of resort-style amenities, including resident lounges, private dining rooms, a yoga lawn, gymnasium, plunge pools, and treatment spaces. The beachfront pool has been designed with separate lap, lounge, and children’s areas extending across the width of the site.

The project will also introduce new food and beverage offerings along the Enderley Avenue and Oceanway frontages, contributing additional activation to the beachfront precinct.

Laurence Dragomir

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