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Melbourne’s Rooftop Bar &amp; Cinema has been relaunched following a major revamp by Technē Architecture + Interior Design, which has given the space a more permanent feel and a consistent architectural language.

Technē's brief for the popular CBD venue was to raise the design standard, including the quality of materials and finishes to attract a "more discerning, sophisticated audience" via an architectural response which delivered a consistent and cohesive summit to Curtin House.

When it first opened in 2006, Rooftop Bar &amp; Cinema was the first of its kind in Melbourne, with its location along Swanston Street offering movie-goers and bar flys 360-degree views of the city skyline.

Following the success of its first decade, Technē set to work redesigning the venue with a view towards the next decade and beyond. They started by looking at how the Rooftop audience had matured and effectively outgrown what had, in its original state been a somewhat provisional design so they sought to provide a degree of permanence to the design of the refit.

The practice’s design response for the space features a series of overlapping ‘halo’ roofs that unite the service zones with each other and with the historic external form of Curtin House, providing a cohesive visual identity across the hospitality and cinema areas.

<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/rooftop-6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The curved forms draw on the Art Deco Curtin House. Image: Image: Tom Blachford"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/rooftop-6.jpg?itok=ulYpsolx" title="The curved forms draw on the Art Deco Curtin House. Image: Image: Tom Blachford" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The curved forms draw on the Art Deco Curtin House. Image: Image: Tom Blachford</figcaption></figure>The ‘halos’ have been designed as down-lit curvilinear planes that provide both operable and fixed roofing, and appear to float above the various areas of the rooftop bar. The halos’ curves draw on elements of the Art Deco Curtin House in addition to classic American drive-in cinemas.

Part of the rationale behind the halos was to allow the Rooftop Bar and Cinema to operate as an all-season venue, while also providing a visual marker from surrounding buildings and passersby on Swanston Street.

Across the rooftop itself, Technē has enlarged the bar and changed its orientation to maximise the space. Further a revamped cinema grandstand made of hardwood bleachers has been included, while the cinema screen area's design has been improved to accommodate an expanded burger shack and ice cream concession.

<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/rooftop-16.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Technē's revamp of the Rooftop Bar &amp; Cinema builds on the venue's success. Image: Tom Blachford"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/rooftop-16.jpg?itok=sgUUJ4Gx" title="Technē's revamp of the Rooftop Bar &amp; Cinema builds on the venue's success. Image: Tom Blachford" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Technē's revamp of the Rooftop Bar &amp; Cinema builds on the venue's success. Image: Tom Blachford</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
We’ve reimagined the whole design experience so the bar and cinema can stand as a first-rate attraction for many years to come.

We wanted to create a stand-out design worthy of crowning Curtin House and its vertical laneway of creative, cultural and hospitality tenants.

It is a complete reinvigoration but, in our choice of materiality, we haven’t turned our backs on the humble, grassroots hospitality culture that the original bar championed. We’ve honoured that history by choosing materials such as hardwood timber, galvanized metals, and synthetic grass.

Melbourne’s hospitality culture has undergone a complete transformation over the same period Rooftop has been open. It was important to retain the 
soul of the original bar and cinema but look to the future, with a more sophisticated offering worthy of this incredible skyline location,.

We believe the redevelopment will allow for a varied clientele to enjoy the iconic location and views for many years to come.

- Steve McKeag, Technē Director
</blockquote>

The relaunch of Rooftop Bar and Cinema comes at a time when, according to Technē, Melbourne’s bar culture is undergoing a period of maturation, transitioning away from the temporal ‘milk-crate’ styling of recent years towards a more sophisticated design approach that seeks to ensure the city’s laneway bars have a sense of permanence and resilience.

<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/rooftop-13.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The next stage in Rooftop Bar and Cinema's evolution. Image: Tom Blachford"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/rooftop-13.jpg?itok=1FoqgBQs" title="The next stage in Rooftop Bar and Cinema's evolution. Image: Tom Blachford" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rooftop Bar and Cinema's evolution has seen a re-imagining of the spaces. Image: Tom Blachford</figcaption></figure>
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Laurence Dragomir

Raising the bar - Technē revamps Rooftop Bar and Cinema

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The names of the five new stations that together form the Melbourne Metro Rail Project have been revealed following an extensive public submission process that attracted over 50,000 suggestions.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan visited the CBD North work-site to announce the new station names at what will eventually be known as State Library Station.

State Library Station will have an underground connection to Melbourne Central Station's concourse and its primary entry on the corner of LaTrobe and Swanston Streets with the existing buildings on site currently being demolished.

<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/state_library_station.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Concept for State Library Station's Franklin Street entry. Image: MMRA"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="405" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/state_library_station.jpg?itok=LWPI2_Mv" title="Concept for State Library Station's Franklin Street entry. Image: MMRA" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Concept for State Library Station's Franklin Street entry. Image: MMRA</figcaption></figure>Further south along Swanston Street will be Town Hall Station (previously CBD South) with entries located within City Square, Federation Square and between Young &amp; Jacksons and the Nicholas Building in addition to an underground connection to Flinders Street Station.

The underground station under St Kilda Road will be named Anzac Station with a direct interchange to the tram network and station entries either side of St Kilda Road. The name was chosen to reflect its location adjacent to the Shrine of Remembrance.

Parkville, the new station servicing the Melbourne University Education and hospital and research precinct is the only station which retains its working name.

The existing North Melbourne Station will be renamed West Melbourne to better reflect its location which will allow the new station located within the Arden Renewal Precinct to adopt North Melbourne Station name.

The majority of the 50,000 entries for the new station names indicated that Victorians wanted names which reflected the station’s locations although there were the occasional references to The Simpsons and Game of Thrones.

Each new station will adopt world-class urban design principles which will revitalise vital open space above ground for the hundreds of thousands of people who use them each day.

<blockquote>
We’re getting the Metro Tunnel done – to run more trains, more often across Melbourne and Victoria, finally giving our state the transport system it deserves. Victoria has embraced this project and the naming process – with more than 50,000 suggestions for what these state-of-the-art stations should be called.

- Premier Daniel Andrews
</blockquote>

The Melbourne Metro Rail Authority has also released the development plans for the five stations prepared by Cross Yarra Partnership (CYP) comprising of Lendlease Engineering, John Holland and Capella Capital with designs by HASSELL in conjunction with Rogers Stirk + Harbour and Weston Williamson + Partners.

<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/state_library_station_interior.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Concept for the interior of State Library Station's LaTrobe Street entry. Image: MMRA"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="405" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/state_library_station_interior.jpg?itok=97NREinq" title="Concept for the interior of State Library Station's LaTrobe Street entry. Image: MMRA" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Concept for the interior of State Library Station's LaTrobe Street entry. Image: MMRA</figcaption></figure>As part of the process individuals, businesses and the greater community are encouraged to have their say on draft Development Plans and a draft Early Works Plan for the Metro Tunnel Project. Submissions can be made until 5pm Friday 15 December 2017 and the MMRA will be running as series of information sessions at the locations listed below:

<ul>
<li>Thursday 30 November, 11am – 2pm, Seasons Botanic Gardens, 348 St Kilda Road, Melbourne</li>
	<li>Thursday 30 November, 5:30pm – 8:30pm, Seasons Botanic Gardens, 348 St Kilda Road, Melbourne</li>
	<li>Monday 4 December, 5:30pm – 8:30pm, Meat Market, 5 Blackwood Street, North Melbourne</li>
	<li>Tuesday 5 December, 11am – 2pm, Melbourne Town Hall, 90-130 Swanston Street, Melbourne</li>
	<li>Tuesday 5 December, 5:30pm – 8:30pm, Melbourne Town Hall, 90-130 Swanston Street, Melbourne</li>
	<li>Saturday 9 December, 11am – 2pm, North Melbourne Football Club, 204-206 Arden Street, North Melbourne</li>
	<li>Tuesday 12 December, 5:30pm – 8:30pm, Melbourne Town Hall, 90-130 Swanston Street, Melbourne</li>
</ul>
CYP’s designs have incorporated feedback from a range of stakeholders including those identified in the Incorporated Document; the Office of the Victorian Government Architect, City of Melbourne, Heritage Victoria, Transport for Victoria, VicRoads, Public Transport Victoria and Melbourne Water. Additional consultation with community and stakeholders has also occurred as part of the preparation of the Development Plans.

<h2>North Melbourne Station</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/north_melbourne_station_site_plan.png" rel="gallery-all" title="North Melbourne Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="293" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/north_melbourne_station_site_plan.png?itok=t6G1Jozt" title="North Melbourne Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>North Melbourne Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership</figcaption></figure>The Arden precinct is to become a new destination and community of Melbourne – a place to work, live and visit. The station will be the catalyst for the urban renewal of this precinct and will be the heart of its economic, social and civic intensity. It will also have a direct influence on the site’s eventual configuration.

North Melbourne Station will set the tone for this important urban renewal project. The Day 1 entrance to the station at Laurens Street and the surrounding public realm will seed the character and benchmark Arden’s identity.

<h2>Parkville Station </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/parkville_station_site_plan.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Parkville Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="366" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/parkville_station_site_plan.png?itok=-viZXzDi" title="Parkville Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Parkville Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership</figcaption></figure>The metro and public realm have a direct interface with the evolving master plan of University of Melbourne, which is redeveloping some of its buildings and precincts along Grattan Street and Royal Parade as well as developing more intensively to the south of Grattan Street. The metro station will provide a major new entry point for the campus on Grattan Street and change its movement circulation patterns and orientation more north-south.

CYP have reduced station structure encroachment into University land, compared to the reference design, integrating the station entrance within the existing

<h2>State Library Station</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/state_library_station.png" rel="gallery-all" title="State Library Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="297" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/state_library_station.png?itok=0-C9H_zD" title="State Library Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>State Library Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership</figcaption></figure>The public domain associated with the State Library Station will effectively become the base for the next stage of evolution for this fast growing part of the Melbourne CBD. State Library Station will act as a catalyst for the ongoing development of the areas public realm, which is capable of being supported by the growing and energetic population moving into this area.

By encouraging greater amenity and encouraging people to linger longer in the precinct, it is envisaged that this part of the city will change to become more vibrant, where local residents are part of a community. In turn, new activities, businesses, and services will develop to meet growing demands, bringing direct and indirect benefits to the community.

Another significant change occurring within the CBD North precinct is RMIT University’s reconfiguration of its ‘blank buildings’ on Swanston and Franklin streets with the New Academic Street project which was completed in 2017. The aim of this project has been to encourage more ‘outward’ facing buildings that engage with the surrounding streets, including the new Franklin Street promenade.

<h2>Town Hall Station </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/town_hall_station.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Town Hall Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="425" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/town_hall_station.png?itok=jzedddQw" title="Town Hall Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Town Hall Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership</figcaption></figure>The Town Hall Station precinct is the centre of the transport network containing trams, cars, bicycles and pedestrians being a vibrant cultural and civic heart of Melbourne. There will be future pressures on Flinders Street and Swanston Street (south) which will need to prioritise pedestrian, tram and bicycle movements to allow more efficient and safe movement within this public realm.

The City of Melbourne has various staged plans to manage this transition. The City of Melbourne Walking Plan 2014-2017 will facilitate key actions including addressing pedestrian crowding around train, tram and bus stops, creating attractive, connected walking networks and reducing pedestrian delays at signalised crossings.

The City of Melbourne Bicycle Plan 2016-2020 will provide for more bicycle parking spaces and maintenance stations and improving connections into and out of the city centre. In 2015, the City of Melbourne produced an integrated water cycle management plan for sustainable water management in this catchment.

The station precinct also falls within the Elizabeth Street stormwater catchment area. The project, which will provide more efficient, convenient and enjoyable access the city, will give impetus to these plans.

<h2>Anzac Station</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/anzac_station.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Anzac Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="399" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/anzac_station.png?itok=8e7kaBCF" title="Anzac Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Anzac Station Site Plan. Image: Cross Yarra Partnership</figcaption></figure>The Domain precinct falls within two Melbourne municipalities; the City of Melbourne is the Authority responsible for Domain Road and the City of Port Phillip is the Authority responsible for Albert Road.

Other key land managers are VicRoads, responsible for St Kilda Road, and the Shrine Board of Trustees (for the Shrine of Remembrance Reserve). The 2015 St Kilda Road North Precinct Plan (City of Port Phillip) recommends more intensive development and increased population in the precinct surrounding the proposed station.

Improved public realm and linkages across the Domain precinct resulting from the development of the station would support this recommendation. In addition to increased population, St Kilda Road is subject to change due to shifting transport priorities and long-term considerations such as the need to plan for the replacement of ageing Elm trees.

Major construction on the twin 9km tunnels and five new stations will commence next year once demolition and early works are completed, with the project to be completed by 2026.

View the draft development plans and have your say at: http://metrotunnel.vic.gov.au/planning/have-your-say/development-plans
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Melbourne Metro Station names revealed as Development Plans are released

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The City of Melbourne earlier this week agreed to provide conditional support for MAB Corporation's NewQuay West Development Plan via its Future Melbourne (Planning) Committee. The revised development plan prepared by DKO Architecture and Aspect Studios was driven by the development of the Ron Barassi Senior Park which necessitated a revisiting of the precinct layout and urban structure.

The area identified as NewQuay West is located to the west of the recently completed Marina Tower and encompasses Ron Barassi Snr Park while being bordered by Docklands Drive and the Docklands FIlm Studios to the north, Bolte Bridge to the west and Victoria Harbour to the south.

<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/20170721_135715_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The view from Ron Barassi Snr Park towards Marina Tower will change with the development of NewQuay West."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="437" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/20170721_135715_1.jpg?itok=c27W2i_w" title="The view from Ron Barassi Snr Park towards Marina Tower will change with the development of NewQuay West." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The view from Ron Barassi Snr Park towards Marina Tower will change with the development of NewQuay West.</figcaption></figure>The 2017 Development Plan has been reconfigured to address Ron Barassi Snr Park, with a series of design principles developed which provide clear direction to ensure a considered approach to the interface of built form to the public realm including the waterfront promenade. 

One of the biggest alterations to the Development Plan has been the layout and type of future built form within the precinct.  Initially proposed as a mix of low-rise linear buildings along the waterfront and high-rise to the rear along Docklands Drive, the new plan proposes five mid to high-rise apartment buildings atop podiums positioned either side of a proposed linear park and an extension of Docklands Drive.

The layout and location of public realm including public open space provision and the southern pedestrian promenade have also been amended with the linear park acting as an extension of the existing park delivered as part of The Merchant and Townhouse developments.

<blockquote>
The NewQuay West Development Plan will deliver an urban waterfront precinct that, while being an extension of existing development further to the east, will create a new and diverse character in the remaining parts of the NewQuay precinct.

The urban structure has been underpinned by the creation of public open space networks extending through the length of the precinct. The open space network is largely defined by the waterfront promenade and marinas and the Ron Barassi Senior Park and Linear Park corridor.

Subsequently, the built form typology, siting and design will be in a large part driven by ensuring an appropriate response to these public spaces and in particular the amenity of Ron Barassi Senior Park and Linear Park. 

- Urban Design Statement, NewQuay West Development Plan 2017
</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/nov17_fmc2_agenda_item_6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Indicative render of NewQuay West. Image: Development Plan 2017"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="247" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/nov17_fmc2_agenda_item_6.jpg?itok=c-mfAigI" title="Indicative render of NewQuay West. Image: Development Plan 2017" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Indicative render of NewQuay West. Image: Development Plan 2017</figcaption></figure>The revised Development Plan establishes a series of parameters for tower and podium heights which are listed below.

<ul>
<li>Lot B 120m</li>
	<li>Lot C 120m</li>
	<li>Lot D 95m</li>
	<li>Lot G 75m</li>
	<li>Lot H 75m</li>
</ul>
Podium Heights:

<ul>
<li>Linear Park 20m (4-6 Levels)</li>
	<li>Ron Barassi Senior Park 25m (6-8 Levels)</li>
	<li>Promenade 23m (5-7 Levels)</li>
	<li>Docklands Drive 25m (6-8 Levels)</li>
</ul>
In addition to the information above, the Development Plan also suggests potential options for tower footprints and forms to encourage and facilitate diversity in built form outcomes rather than a generic approach. Similar to DKO's master plan for NewQuay Central, the NewQuay West Development Plan suggests different architects for each building to further provide a visual distinction between each building.

<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/tower_types_nqw.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Suggested tower form options within NewQuay West. Image: Development Plan 2017"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="504" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/tower_types_nqw.png?itok=uQL0tFd6" title="Suggested tower form options within NewQuay West. Image: Development Plan 2017" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Suggested tower form options within NewQuay West. Image: Development Plan 2017</figcaption></figure>Pending Ministerial approval MAB Corporation will likely turn its attention to NewQuay West following completion of Elm and Stone, and the Six Degrees-designed Lot 5 at 375-381 Docklands Drive.

This will essentially complete the NewQuay precinct, save for a wedge of land which has not been included within the NewQuay West Development Plan, but is the likely landing area for a future bridge connection to Victoria Harbour.

 
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MAB Corporation's NewQuay West a step closer

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In recent weeks Lendlease signage has emerged across the site of Charter Hall's $600 million Wesley Place project at 130 Lonsdale Street. Ground works signify that official construction is underway on the premium grade office tower, post the completion of demolition.

According to the <a href="http://www.afr.com/real-estate/charter-hall-gets-going-on-600m-wesley-place-20171107-gzgsn7">AFR</a>, Charter Hall is pushing ahead with the development after securing pre-commitments within the 33-storey, COX Architecture-designed tower. Super funds Cbus and Telstra Super have elected to occupy the tower, as has investment services firm Vanguard.

The commitments account for approximately 30,000sqm within the 55,000sqm 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/wesley-130-lonsdale-2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Construction of Wesley Place Stage 1 is about to get into full swing. Image: COX Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/wesley-130-lonsdale-2.jpg?itok=0FdkfHUD" title="Construction of Wesley Place Stage 1 is about to get into full swing. Image: COX Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Wesley Place will make an impact on the CBD's east end. Image: COX Architecture</figcaption></figure>Charter Hall will also accommodate the Uniting Church onsite as part of the original deal to develop the church-owned land via a 125-year leasehold deal. Signage onsite has the exceptionally wide tower which spans Lonsdale Street to Little Lonsdale Street aiming for a completion date during 2019.

130 Lonsdale Street forms Stage One of Wesley Place, as Charter Hall pushes a second tower through planning that will effectively bookend the massive site.

<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/img_2567bb.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Wesley Place's initial tower is now under construction"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_2567bb.jpg?itok=YE6vrKzi" title="Wesley Place's initial tower is now under construction" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Wesley Place's initial tower is now under construction</figcaption></figure>Earlier this week City of Melbourne's Future Melbourne (Planning) Committee was urged to provide conditional support to Wesley Place's second stage at 150 Lonsdale Street. 

The site is located to the rear of an existing commercial 29-storey tower fronting Lonsdale Street, and is currently occupied by a multi-storey car park with dominant frontage to Little Lonsdale Street. The car park will be partially demolished to allow for construction of the 23-storey tower's core whilst the tower itself will sit atop the existing structure.

The proposal which has also been designed by COX Architecture presents in a similar architectural language to the first stage.

150 Lonsdale Street would rise to an overall height of 80m above street level and has a floor area ratio of 22.77:1, which exceeds the recommended 18:1 plot ratio. The proposed floor area uplift is supported by the delivery of commercial office space as the public benefit.

<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/wesley_leas.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Stage 2 of Wesley Place at 130 Lonsdale Street. Planning Image: COX Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="808" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/wesley_leas.png?itok=OZoiy4WV" title="Stage 2 of Wesley Place at 130 Lonsdale Street. Planning Image: COX Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Stage Two of Wesley Place at 150 Lonsdale Street. Planning Image: COX Architecture</figcaption></figure>The design has changed from earlier renders which depicted a similar curving form to the larger tower. Now a more rectilinear built form has been employed with a series of glazed blocks bisected by rebates which appear as visual cues to crucifixes, providing a subtle reference to the site's history and custodians.

The City of Melbourne's Urban Design team raised a number of issues with the application, including retention of car parking above ground, location of services and activation of Hayward Lane, while ensuring "the architectural expression of the building presents a clear and integrated design intent, with an emphasis on the design and detail of the podium."

<blockquote>
Acknowledging commerciality and timing of project, retention of the carpark impacts potential to contribute positive and active interfaces. While adaptive re-use in the city is generally supported, it’s recommended that the proposal excludes above ground parking and adapt the floorplates to other uses, or demolish the existing carpark. 

- City of Melbourne's Urban Design Team
</blockquote>

Approval from Planning Minister Richard Wynne would ultimately pave the way for the realisation of the full master plan for the site as illustrated below:

<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/wesley_place_stage_2_master_plan.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Wesley Place Master Plan. Planning Image: COX Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="393" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/wesley_place_stage_2_master_plan.png?itok=3eWCxlyq" title="Wesley Place Master Plan. Planning Image: COX Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Wesley Place Master Plan. Planning Image: COX Architecture</figcaption></figure><h2>150 Lonsdale Street At a Glance</h2>

<ul>
<li>Office NLA : 16,020 sqm</li>
	<li>Ground level retail NLA : 300 sqm</li>
	<li>Building height : 79.97m 22-storeys + plant (88m to plant)</li>
	<li>Podium height 29.27m existing 9-storey carpark.</li>
	<li>Plot ratio: 22.77:1</li>
	<li>Car parking spaces : 395 spaces (reduced from 643)</li>
	<li>Bicycle facilities and spaces:  122 spaces; 22 visitor spaces at ground level, 100 employee spaces</li>
</ul>
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Wesley Place begins construction as CoM planners endorse stage two of the project

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After a protracted legal battle with a Singaporean rival which ground demolition works on its Tower Melbourne project, developer CEL Australia has walked away from the project. Demolition of the existing building on the corner of Bourke and Queen Street ground to a halt in 2013 following a dispute about access to the property and damage to the adjoining buildings at140 Queen Street &amp; 27 McKillop Street.

Fellow developer Colonial Range, filed legal action in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal seeking to have the planning permit for the project revoked, which delayed the start of construction of the 226m Elenberg Fraser designed tower. With VCAT finding in its favour, CEL Australia was ready to recommence works onsite, however these plans were scuttled after Colonial Range decided to take the matter to the Supreme Court.

Colonial Range, then known as Ruby Group, originally owned both sites and had approval planning approval for a 27-storey serviced apartment tower designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects at 140 Queen Street which bridged across Penfold Place and featured a new laneway connecting Penfold Place and McKillop Street.

<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/queen_street_tower.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="140 Queen Street had approval for a 27-storey serviced apartment tower. Image: KTA"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="359" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/queen_street_tower.jpg?itok=YdzYVI-x" title="140 Queen Street had approval for a 27-storey serviced apartment tower. Image: KTA" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>140 Queen Street had approval for a 27-storey serviced apartment tower. Image: KTA</figcaption></figure>It curiously sold off 150 Queen Street to Charter Hall who then onsold it to Chip Eng Seng under its Australian subsidiary CEL Australia. They promptly engaged Elenberg Fraser to design a  71-storey tower comprising 555 apartments, but it would appear Tower Melbourne is set to join the long list of Melbourne Never Builts after requests by purchasers to cancel their contracts, resulting in CEL rescinding on the remainder.

<blockquote>
The protracted and complex nature of the legal proceedings have forced the cessation of any works on site since September 2013, and despite ongoing efforts to resolve these disputes, CEL Australia is still unable to proceed with any further demolition works on the existing building.

Consequently, the building of Tower Melbourne has been significantly delayed and the project is unable to be delivered within the Date of Registration stipulated in the contracts of sale.

CEL Australia’s first priority has always been to deliver Tower Melbourne in line with its vision for the project, and as such, has done everything within its legal power to try to reach a resolution. Regrettably, it has become increasingly apparent that there is still no resolution in sight, and with further proceedings still pending, Tower Melbourne in its current form is no longer viable for CEL Australia to develop.

Due to the delays, a number of purchasers have requested to cancel their contracts. In these instances, CEL Australia has granted their requests. Rather than waiting until the Registration Date has lapsed, CEL Australia will rescind the contracts of the remaining purchasers to release them from their contracts as soon as possible. CEL Australia is in the process of informing purchasers of this outcome.

CEL Australia has made this decision in order to ensure the best possible resolution for all stakeholders, and allow purchasers to move on.

- CEL Australia, November 2017
</blockquote>

Following from this decision it has since emerged that CEL and Colonial Range have agreed to collectively sell their respective sites. The landholdings are being marketed off market through Colliers International with both parties expecting $150 million for the combined blocks which now encompass 140-150 Queen Street and 27 McKillop Street, that combined form a 2,500 sqm development site.

Which brings us to the subject of today's article - what is the development potential of this development site in light of the current planning regime and with a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 18:1 limiting the height should the new purchaser not act on the Tower Melbourne permit?

Below I've undertaken a quick study to investigate the development potential of the combined sites, with the intent to try and achieve height on the site while being within an allowed planning envelope. For the purposes of the study, I have gone with a residential tower floor to floor height but with a floorplate that could accommodate office use.

<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/diagram_01-01.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Tower Melbourne and the site developed with full site coverage. "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="294" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/diagram_01-01.png?itok=USBl5kOu" title="Tower Melbourne and the site developed with full site coverage. " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Tower Melbourne and the site developed with full site coverage.</figcaption></figure>Not surprisingly a FAR of 18:1 with full site coverage results in an 18 storey-building of 45,000 sqm GFA - a stark contrast to Tower Melbourne's 71-storeys.

<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/diagram_02-01.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Setbacks applied and Public Open Space introduced"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="294" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/diagram_02-01.png?itok=K1k6Thx5" title="Setbacks applied and Public Open Space introduced" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Setbacks applied and Public Open Space introduced</figcaption></figure>By applying setbacks above the 40m podium, the height of the tower can increase, resulting in a 28-storey building overall. The introduction of open space, decreases the site coverage allowing for a larger floorplate for the tower without an increase to the GFA. Commercial office space within the podium, combined with the open space as public benefits allow for additional floor area through a Floor Area Uplift (FAU). 

<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/diagram_03-01.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Final massing and comparison diagram."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="294" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/diagram_03-01.png?itok=PNSwa-44" title="Final massing and comparison diagram." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Final massing and comparison diagram.</figcaption></figure>The resulting building envelope allows that is achieved is based on the following:

<ul>
<li>27-storeys residential + 8-storey commercial podium</li>
	<li>Public Benefits: 1,000 sqm POS @ $15,000/sqm = $15m, 13,000 sqm of office space  </li>
	<li>Residential value of additional floor space within western core: $7,500/sqm</li>
	<li>FAU Value: 7,500 sqm x 10%</li>
	<li>Floor Area Uplift: 20,000 sqm / 17-storeys ($15m ÷ $750) + 1,300sqm office</li>
	<li>Total : 53-storeys / 180m</li>
</ul>
As you can see this is still almost 50m shorter than Tower Melbourne, so for whoever purchases the combined sites, the development potential of 140 Queen Street and 27 McKillop Street is limited if the new owners don't try to revive Tower Melbourne.

<div class="sketchfab-embed-wrapper">
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</div>
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Development Scenario: 140 & 150 Queen Street 

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Construction on the $1 billion M-City mixed-use development in Clayton officially got underway with the soil turning ceremony held last Friday on the massive 35,000 sqm site at the corner of Blackburn Road and Princess Highway.

In attendance was Premier Daniel Andrews, Tony Schiavello and Nick Saraceno, the JV development partners.

<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/073_m_city.1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Premier Daniel Andrews and the development team."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="347" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/073_m_city.1.jpg?itok=6siVLp4H" title="Premier Daniel Andrews and the development team." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Premier Daniel Andrews and the development team.</figcaption></figure>The <a href="/buildings/m-city-2107-dandenong-road-clayton">M-City development</a> has been conceived as a master-planned mini city comprising 3 residential towers, a 4.5 star Mantra hotel, offices, retail, a Village cinema complex and a K Mart, Woolworths and destination dining.

The development is located within walking distance to Monash Employment Cluster of research, education, medicine and science including Monash University's Clayton Campus.

M- City's third and final residential tower, M-2 was officially launched two weeks again following the earlier success of M-1 and M-3, with the first residential tower selling out within 2 weeks of launching.

The project is a joint venture between developers the Saraceno Group and Schiavello Group, and upon completion will deliver a total of 643 apartments, up to 60 specialty stores, 17,330 sqm of office space and 1905 car parks for a total of population of about 4,000 residents, workers and shoppers.

<h2>WHAT THEY SAY</h2>

<blockquote>
Both the Saraceno and Schiavello families, their joint venture partners, and the lead tenants should be very proud that after a lot of planning, and a lot of hard work, they’ve been able to get to this point, realise the dream, and create thousands of ongoing jobs.

M-City is the biggest public infrastructure the state has ever seen. It’s all about keeping our state strong. We’ve got the strongest economic growth in the nation; last year we created more jobs in Victoria than the rest of the nation combined.

- Hon. Daniel Andrews, Premier 
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
The M-City team is proud to be delivering a project that will breathe life into the growing community in the Monash area. The mixed-use amenity of M-City will provide living, working, and lifestyle solutions for the local community.

- Co-Developer, Tony Schiavello, Chairman of Schiavello Group
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
It’s fantastic to see the support the local community has lent to the M-City project. This is an important project not just for the Monash area, but for all of Victoria. We are pleased to be able to share this historic milestone for the project with the Honorable Daniel Andrews.

- Co-Developer, Nick Saraceno, JV partner
</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/img_1365xx.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The site is being cleared in preparation for construction. Image: Mark Baljak"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_1365xx.jpg?itok=Ho2ElSmZ" title="The site is being cleared in preparation for construction. Image: Mark Baljak" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The site is being cleared in preparation for construction. Image: Mark Baljak</figcaption></figure>
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Construction officially begins at M-City

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Last week the State Goverment released images of the initial designs for the new Docklands Primary School, which is being designed by COX Architecture in conjunction with McGregor Coxall. This follows on from a community engagement process earlier this year, in which the State Government invited submissions outlining aspirations and ideas for the school. 

The community engagement process gave local families and the greater community the opportunity to help inform the design of the school by contributing to the school’s educational philosophy. Community feedback received during this stage was collected and passed on to the design team to help inform the design of the Docklands Primary School's Master Plan.

Prior to this, the Department of Education and Training and some specialist consultants assessed the need for primary and secondary schools in Docklands.

The review covered the Docklands and the immediate surrounding suburbs of North Melbourne, West Melbourne, Melbourne, Parkville and Flemington, and firmly identified the need for a Primary School to service the area.

<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/docklands_front.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="What the new Docklands Primary School might look like. Image: COX Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="155" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/docklands_front.jpg?itok=tm2VVw6e" title="What the new Docklands Primary School might look like. Image: COX Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>What the new Docklands Primary School might look like. Image: COX Architecture</figcaption></figure>The site of the Docklands Primary school is 259-269 Footscray Road, on the corner of Little Docklands Drive. Its choice was due to its good walking, cycling and public transport connections, whilst the site itself was also large enough to accommodate a modern primary school with outdoor spaces.

The new Docklands Primary School design includes outdoors learning and play terraces, a competition-size indoor court for basketball and netball, and a library and an art room. Its classrooms will be designed to be flexible and responsive, including spaces to support teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

<blockquote>
It is exciting to see the new Docklands Primary School start to take shape. The school’s design incorporates community feedback and the latest in architecture techniques to create a great local school that will support local families and the local community for decades to come.

We know our state is growing and that is why we are building new schools right across the state.

- Minister for Education James Merlino
</blockquote>

The COX Architecture + McGregor Coxall concept for the school is centred around a 'landscape for learning' concept that includes gardens and outdoor learning spaces that bring education out of the typical classroom environment. This concept is a departure from early concepts developed for a vertical school by Hayball architects which you can read about <a href="/news/a-discussion-on-vertical-modes-of-learning-with-hayballs-richard-leonard">here</a>.

<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/dps_axo.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Exploded axonometric of program requirements. Image: COX"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="432" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/dps_axo.png?itok=thVOMLp_" title="Exploded axonometric of program requirements. Image: COX" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Exploded axonometric of program requirements. Image: COX</figcaption></figure>Design work for the new school is progressing with detailed architectural design now under way to refine the school’s internal layout.

<h2>Docklands Community Engagement Participation</h2>

<ul>
<li>4 week engagement</li>
	<li>4 community workshops and focus groups</li>
	<li>50+ people attended the workshops and focus groups</li>
	<li>118 survey responses</li>
	<li>106 subscribers to the mailing list</li>
	<li>157 comment board votes</li>
	<li>1,445 unique website visits</li>
</ul>
The community engagement process found the following;

<ul>
<li>There is a high level of community support for the new primary school.</li>
	<li>
Architecture and landscape: People are seeking a sustainable school building. They would like to see strong natural elements incorporated, including trees and vegetation. Participants suggested making the best use of the available space through vertical design and innovative ideas such as rooftop gardens, terraces and integration with the surrounding environment.</li>
	<li>
Play and social: There is a desire for students to have play spaces that are open and connected to nature.</li>
	<li>
Community connection: The new school provides an opportunity to create and enhance a sense of community belonging and identity in Docklands. This could be achieved through community spaces at the school, and connecting students to local community facilities.</li>
	<li>
Accessibility: Safe and easy access to the school for pedestrians, cyclists, public transport users and vehicles is important.</li>
	<li>
Curriculum, learners and learning: There is support for an inclusive curriculum that offers a wide range of practical and specialist skills, including a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).</li>
	<li>Celebration of multiculturalism and social diversity is an important consideration.</li>
	<li>There is a high level of community interest in future secondary provision in the area.</li>
</ul>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zjnmPvZvKfM" width="560"></iframe>
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Docklands Primary School Concept revealed

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The City of Port Phillip's biennial Design &amp; Development Awards 2018 are entering their final weeks, with a number of projects already submitted for consideration.

The awards celebrate design excellence within the City of Port Phillip, and council are encouraging projects completed within Port Phillip between 1 July 2015 and 30 June 2017 to enter. Eligible projects should clearly demonstrate how they have contributed to the vibrancy of Port Phillip in the following areas: urban design, architecture, heritage, public space, sustainability, interior architecture and urban art.

A jury of highly esteemed industry representatives and Councillors from within Port Phillip will decide on a shortlist of projects. The winners will be announced at a free public presentation as part of NGV Melbourne Design Week on 20 March 2018, which all shortlisted entrants will be invited to. attend

All details regarding categories, key selection criteria and terms and conditions can be found in the guidelines at <a href="http://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/design_awards.htm">http://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/design_awards.htm</a>.

<blockquote>
To have both Professor Bates and Ms Penn lead the assessments is real coup and adds further lustre to what’s already a significant event for high achievers in the design industry.

Online nominations are open until 24 November, so don’t waste any time putting your best foot forward in one of the seven categories. These awards always attract a quality field of architects, urban designers, interior designers, artists and many other skilled practitioners vying for recognition within the private and public spheres.

- City of Port Phillip Mayor Cr Bernadene Voss
</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/screen-shot-2014-04-15-at-4.27.00-pm-1024x680.png" rel="gallery-all" title="2014 Best Sustainable Development: Paul Morgan Architects, South Melbourne Market Roof. Photo: Peter Bennetts"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="385" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/screen-shot-2014-04-15-at-4.27.00-pm-1024x680.png?itok=e-JIJjdB" title="2014 Best Sustainable Development: Paul Morgan Architects, South Melbourne Market Roof. Photo: Peter Bennetts" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>2014 Best Sustainable Development: Paul Morgan Architects, South Melbourne Market Roof. Photo: Peter Bennetts</figcaption></figure>The City of Port Phillip Design &amp; Development Awards 2018 Jury Panel will comprise the following five notable members;

<ul>
<li>
Professor Donald Bates - Panel Chair Chair. Donald is the Chair of Architectural Design within the Melbourne School of Design, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, at University of Melbourne. As well, he is a Founder and Director of the international architectural practice, LAB Architecture Studio.</li>
	<li>
Shelley Penn - Panel Member. Shelley is a Melbourne-based architect whose work includes strategic advice to government and the private sector on architecture and urban design at all scales. In addition to her award-winning projects, she has held a number of significant positions including Chair of the National Capital Authority, National President of the Australian Institute of Architects, Cochair of the 2011 ‘Barangaroo Review’, Deputy Chair of the Heritage Council of Victoria, Associate Victorian Government Architect, and most recently, Manager of the City Design Studio at the City of Melbourne.</li>
	<li>
Councillor David Brand, Lake Ward - Panel Member.  David is a City of Port Phillip Councillor, representing Lake Ward. He served as St Kilda Ward Councillor for two terms between 1999 and 2005. David is an architect, and has for many years taught architecture and architectural history at Melbourne University. </li>
	<li>
Councillor Katherine Copsey, Lake Ward - Panel Member. Katherine is a City of Port Phillip Councillor and Deputy Mayor, representing Lake Ward. Katherine is a former planning and environment lawyer with a love for sustainable urban design.</li>
	<li>
Councillor Dick Gross, Canal Ward - Panel Member. Dick is a long term council hack having served a dozen years from 1996 to 2008. He has been a three-time Mayor, President of the Municipal Association of Victoria and a Board member of ALGA and VLGA. He teaches climate change at the University of Melbourne and has written five published books and three performed musicals.</li>
</ul>
Nominations for the Design &amp; Development Awards close 5pm, 24 November 2017.  
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City of Port Phillip's Design & Development Awards 2018 now taking registrations

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<a href="/developers/cbus-property">Cbus Property's</a> office development for Medibank at <a href="/new-apartments/docklands-vic-3008">720 Bourke Street</a> in Docklands recently became the first Australian existing property to receive a WELL Certification, Gold Shell and Core rating. The WELL rating goes beyond sustainable building features with a greater focus on the health and well-being of a building's occupants.

The rating was awarded to 720 Bourke Street's design which enhances the health and well-being of workers via features such as increased natural air to the work environment, community gardens, ramp access for cyclists, bike-repair facilities and a new sustainability library. The <a href="/architects/hassell-studio">Hassell-designed</a> building already boasts a six-star Green Star rating.

The WELL standard was launched two years ago to recognise and encourage buildings that promote health, happiness, mindfulness and productivity based on scientific findings. Innovations in seven categories are measured - these include;

<ul>
<li>Air</li>
	<li>Water</li>
	<li>Nourishment</li>
	<li>Light</li>
	<li>Fitness</li>
	<li>Comfort</li>
	<li>Mind.</li>
</ul>
Under WELL’s ‘core and shell’ classification, building structure, window locations and glazing, building proportions, heating, cooling and ventilation systems and water quality are amongst the criteria considered for accreditation.

<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/160805_720_bourke_street_exterior_from_bourke.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="720 Bourke provides access to increased natural air and light to internally while community gardens allow workers to grow their own food. Images: Cbus Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="291" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/160805_720_bourke_street_exterior_from_bourke.jpg?itok=07QLN3-6" title="720 Bourke provides access to increased natural air and light to internally while community gardens allow workers to grow their own food. Images: Cbus Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>720 Bourke provides access to increased natural air and light to internally while community gardens allow workers to grow their own food. Images: Cbus Property</figcaption></figure>Cbus Property undertook a gap analysis to ensure the WELL rating’s 28 preconditions were achievable before embarking on measures to boost the well-being of the office building’s occupants.

An increasing number of commercial projects are embracing well-being as a fundamental principle in building design as they seek to boost their well-being credentials to lure top tenants and help them attract and retain the best employees.

The recent WELL achievement follows Cbus' recent commitment to becoming a global leader in sustainable urban development in launching its Green By Design brand which aims to put sustainability at the forefront of its approach to all existing commercial and future commercial developments investments.

The Green by Design Brand is based on 10 guiding principles including a people and place focused approach in addition to a requirement for innovation at all levels of the business.

Cbus Property plans to apply its Green By Design philosophy by continually seeking and adopting emerging technology and materials that boost the sustainable performance of both its new and existing commercial buildings. 
The company has already sought to exceed industry standards by pursuing Australian and international accreditations in green development and well-being, including the NABERs, Green Star and WELL ratings systems.

Victoria and Western Australia currently lead the nation in sustainable office space with 34 per cent of all offices achieving Green Star certification from the Green Building Council Australia.

Australia’s 1462 Green Star certified buildings produce 62 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions than average Australian buildings and use 66 per cent less electricity, 51 per cent less potable water and recycle 96 per cent of construction and demolition waste, according to the Green Building Council.

<blockquote>
We are very proud of 720 Bourke Street being recognised as one of the healthiest buildings in Australia for its workers. Our Green By Design brand is all about improving our cities for not only those that live and work in them today but also future generations.

We believe our company and the industry in general has an obligation to future generations to get this right. We understand the enormous impact that sustainable design, construction and building management has on improving the health and well-being of those who work or live in or around our investments.

We as an industry have to adopt a stronger focus on the future and do more to improve the built environment of our growing cities.

With more than half of the world’s population now living in cities, Australia has an opportunity to lead the world in creating urban environments that better the lives of all inhabitants.

- Adrian Pozzo, Cbus Property CEO
</blockquote>

Cbus Property's Collins Arch project, currently under construction is also targeting WELL Certification.

<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/collinsarch_rs.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Collins Arch is targeting a WELL rating. Image: Ryan Seychell"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="382" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/collinsarch_rs.png?itok=Yg7K--v1" title="Collins Arch is targeting a WELL rating. Image: Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Collins Arch is targeting a WELL rating. Image: Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure>
</body></html>

Cbus Property's 720 Bourke achieves WELL Certification with launch of Green by Design Brand 

<html><body>
Probuild has completed construction of the mixed-use Marina Tower development within the NewQuay precinct down at Docklands for developer Hiap Hoe.

Rising 43 and 36-storeys respectively the two conjoined buildings feature a distinctive leaning tower design, which the national contractor notess is a Melbourne first. Occupying a 3,795sqm site within what was once ING's Waterfront City, the 140m towers cantilever over low-rise buildings below, forming a focal point within Docklands as well as a distinctive addition to the Melbourne skyline.

Designed by DKO Architecture in tandem with structural engineering by Webber Design, the realisation of the façade and structure required a succesful collaboration between Probuild, the design team and subcontractors.

<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/20170721_135321_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Marina Tower's inclined towers. Image: Urban.com.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="329" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/20170721_135321_0.jpg?itok=Ubgv2384" title="Marina Tower's inclined towers. Image: Urban.com.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Marina Tower's inclined towers. Image: Apartments.com.au</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Our design team has collaborated with the client, architects, engineers and consultants to bring this Melbourne first to life. Marina Tower Melbourne is a truly iconic project. The structure ‘leans’ 280mm each level of the building - there’s nothing else like it in our city.

- Luke Stamboulis, Probuild Victorian Managing Director
</blockquote>

Other innovative features include an LED lighting installation to the new public laneway, that transitions from the external environment into the apartment lobby, as well as a space-age sliding roof with integrated solar panels, concealing the retractable Building Maintenance Unit (BMU). 

A BMU provides workers with a platform to complete tasks such as cleaning or maintaining the facade – during construction and ongoing. It provides a support frame for maintenance workers to access the outside of the building in a safe environment. At Marina Tower, the BMU can extend up to 23 metres, meaning that workers are safely suspended at a maximum height of 163m when first extending out.

The complete unit weighs approximately 25 tonnes and is a considerable investment, taking into account the design and engineering challenges involved in this impressive feat.

Probuild this month handed over 461 apartments and all common areas, enabling early settlements. Construction on the unique design commenced in April 2015 and was originally scheduled for completion in 2018.

The first stage of the development which included the Four Points by Sheraton hotel, was completed in February, with opening occurring the following month in March. The hotel has been operating while construction on Marina Tower continued over the past six months.

<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/20170721_135715_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Marina Tower from Ron Barassi Snr Oval. Image: Urban.com.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="437" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/20170721_135715_0.jpg?itok=3-4907Ap" title="Marina Tower from Ron Barassi Snr Oval. Image: Urban.com.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Marina Tower from Ron Barassi Snr Oval. Image: Apartments.com.au</figcaption></figure><h2>MARINA TOWER PROJECT FACTS</h2>

<ul>
<li>Three towers: Two residential, one hotel</li>
	<li>Innovative design features, such as the slanting residential towers, sliding roof and the retractable Building Maintenance Unit</li>
	<li>43 and 36-storey  residential towers, 3,650m²</li>
	<li>7 storey hotel – Four Points by Sheraton</li>
	<li>461 apartments, 273 hotel rooms</li>
	<li>Six storey car park with 290 spaces</li>
	<li>Communal roof-deck, pool, spa, function rooms and BBQ areas</li>
</ul>
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Probuild delivers Marina Tower ahead of schedule

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sunland-group">Sunland Group</a> has officially lodged plans for its first Gold Coast apartment project since the departure of the Abedian family from the company three years ago, unveiling a new high-rise proposal for a prominent Broadbeach corner site on Old Burleigh Road.

The application was submitted by an entity directed by Tom Jamieson, stepson of longtime Sunland leader Soheil Abedian, and Riaz Rezvanipour, brother-in-law of Sahba Abedian, Soheil’s son.

Sunland acquired the 1,283 sqm site on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue for $9.5 million late last year and is now seeking approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">42-storey tower with 81 apartments</a>.

<img alt="First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fea2946d-90ee-4cfc-babe-2a8ad5db2cb6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers.png?VersionId=BV0fihJw31nDIQ8ozY_h3GbS8mxDyhnm" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/contreras-earl-architecture">Contreras Earl Architecture</a>, the proposed tower at 99-101 Old Burleigh Road would deliver a predominantly larger-format apartment mix aimed at the owner-occupier market. Plans include 17 two-bedroom apartments, 55 three-bedroom apartments, and nine four-bedroom residences across 35 residential levels.

The development also incorporates three basement levels, four podium parking levels, two levels of communal recreation facilities, and rooftop plant and equipment. A total of 189 car spaces are proposed, significantly exceeding the 90 spaces required under the planning scheme.

The architecture adopts a sculpted, curvilinear form, with deep wraparound balconies and integrated landscaping intended to soften the tower’s vertical expression. The planning report states the building’s “slender footprint/form provides a complimentary yet varied built form within the local streetscape” and contributes to “a varied, yet ordered skyline.”

Contreras Earl noted in its Architectural Statement that from the early stages, the project addressed a fundamental challenge: how to accommodate the required residential yield while avoiding the conventional model of a tower sitting on a rigid, fully resolved parking podium.

“The most direct response would have been to consolidate parking into a singular, flat podium and extrude a repetitive tower above,” the statement said. “While efficient, this approach would result in a consolidated built form with limited engagement with the surrounding landscape and public realm.”

Instead, the conventional podium model was “deliberately rejected”. The architects described the base of the building as “a landscaped architectural condition where structure, planting and circulation are integrated”.

“Rather than presenting a continuous built mass, the base of the building is articulated through a series of concrete planter elements that organise the podium into a fragmented system,” the statement said. “This approach reduces the perceived bulk of the lower levels while establishing a more permeable interface with the streetscape and adjacent open space.”

<img alt="Sunland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="923fad8d-c960-4527-8fbe-975cf1ddf88d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%2010.32.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pngwb0hYOIUpq9vDw6F2EsOiVuHF3DiX" />

&nbsp;

The site sits within the High Density Residential Zone and inside the City of Gold Coast’s unrestricted “HX” building height area, where the planning framework anticipates intensified residential development tied to the expanding light rail corridor. The planning report notes the area is undergoing “transition toward more intense development forms” given its proximity to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, and high-frequency public transport infrastructure.

Positioned directly opposite Broadbeach Park and within walking distance of Florida Gardens light rail station, the development would sit among a rapidly evolving stretch of Old Burleigh Road that has become one of the Gold Coast’s most active apartment development corridors.

The application joins a growing pipeline of luxury residential projects reshaping Broadbeach, including nearby developments by 5Point Projects, Polycell, and Graya.

The planning report argues the project contributes toward the Gold Coast’s long-term housing targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which forecasts the need for more than 100,000 additional high-rise dwellings across the city by 2046.

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-4" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" dir="auto">
The Abedian family departed Sunland Group in late 2023, ending a four-decade association with the company, and subsequently established the private development firm Abedian &amp; Co. The group is currently delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/greenmount-residences-cnr-hill-street-and-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Greenmount Residences</a> at Rainbow Bay and recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/18-mary-avenue-14-18-mary-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">18 Mary Avenue</a> in Broadbeach.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach new apartment market with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development&nbsp;of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.&nbsp;

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority,&nbsp;an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ed71eb9-d8e8-4fa7-b9d1-de4531dcf2f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%209.42.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IDryFIbped9SNDg72LEN_EecvhUsOPvp" />

The Minns Labor Government has also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name. This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just five minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

An early works program is taking shape, which&nbsp;includes the first stages of an international design competition.&nbsp;

The aim of the Bays West&nbsp;International&nbsp;Design Competition is to&nbsp;ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an&nbsp;urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of&nbsp;this&nbsp;former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential&nbsp;neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.&nbsp;

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that&nbsp;will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said the establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”&nbsp;

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

Bays West Delivery Authority established to "turbocharge" Sydney’s newest suburb

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.

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.

Laurence Dragomir

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