The Minns Labor Government will deliver Sydney’s first new heavy rail station in more than a decade – enabling up to 10,000 new homes by rezoning land around Woollahra and Edgecliff stations, right next to the CBD, to tackle the housing crisis and rebalance growth across the city.

Recent reports by the NSW Productivity Commission have warned that Sydney is losing twice as many young people as it is gaining, while also finding that Woollahra is the most feasible Local Government Area (LGA) in New South Wales to build new housing.

Despite this, housing approvals in Woollahra consistently lag well behind other LGAs, and the population has declined by 11 per cent over the past 50 years while Greater Sydney as a whole has grown by 74 per cent.

The new station that will be an eight-minute trip from Sydney CBD, will be located on the Eastern Suburbs train line in Woollahra, where a station build was started in the 1970s but never completed.

To enable the delivery of new homes the NSW Government will lead a rezoning of Woollahra and Edgecliff stations similar to other state led rezonings to allow additional homes to be built around the stations.

Affordable housing will also make up a proportion of development on the site with the final amount of affordable housing required, to be determined as part of the rezoning process.

The area surrounding the new station is within walking distance of major green and recreational space including Cooper, Trumper, Rushcutters Bay and Centennial Parks.

The Eastern Suburbs train line between Bondi Junction and Sydney CBD also has the lowest passenger usage rates during the AM peak of any line on the Sydney network, with only 43 per cent of operating capacity during the AM peak currently being utilised by passengers.

Sydney Water and Infrastructure NSW have confirmed there is capacity in the water and wastewater systems to accommodate the proposed 10,000 dwellings without major upgrades.

The rezoning is expected to take around two years and will further support the Government’s housing targets that rebalance the delivery of new homes around existing infrastructure.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Next stop Woollahra train station - delivering up to 10,000 new homes in the heart of Sydney

<section data-element_type="section" data-id="b086848">
Fresh off completing its mixed-use Malvern project Malvern Collective, Kokoda Property Group has acquired a prime site on Richmond's Bridge Road.

They are planning a mid-rise residential development with&nbsp;integrated wellness amenities and a vibrant ground-floor retail and dining offering.

The site, at&nbsp;487–495 Bridge Road, spans&nbsp;1,650 sqm with 50 metres of dual frontage across Bridge Road and Palmer Street. It is currently leased to Adairs, and has a large retail building and 20 onsite car parks.
</section>

<section data-element_type="section" data-id="534a164">
Kokoda Property Group’s acquisition forms part of a broader phase of growth in Melbourne, building on momentum from the completion of Malvern Collective and the recent purchase of a Burnley Street site for the developer’s first commercial project.&nbsp;

Mark Stevens, Kokoda Property Group’s Founder and Managing Director, said that the company’s Bridge Road site acquisition signals confidence in a city that is re-accelerating.

“Melbourne is regaining momentum,"&nbsp;Stevens said.

"After a cautious period post-COVID, we’re seeing buyer sentiment stabilise and capital leaning back into well-located, quality projects. Victoria now benefits from deep builder capacity and competitive delivery pricing, creating a rare opportunity to bring design-led inner-city developments to market without compromising on craftsmanship.

“Richmond ticks all the boxes for us – connectivity, culture and everyday amenity – making Bridge Road the perfect address for an amenity-rich, multi-use development."

Envisioned as an “urban lantern” the building will bring a distinctive new presence to Bridge Road with a sculptural retail frontage, designed to honour the street’s heritage character while contributing to its renewal.

Stevens said the acquisition reflects the developer’s commitment to design-led addresses in Melbourne’s inner city.

“Drawing on Richmond’s rich heritage and dynamic character, we’ve envisioned a contemporary building that respects the past while elevating the way people live today. With dual frontages, curated ground-floor spaces, and a focus on wellness, this project will contribute to the neighbourhood’s evolution, appealing to both downsizers and a new generation of professionals.”

Kokoda Property will now progress concept design ahead of a future planning process.
</section>

Mark Stevens, Kokoda Property Group’s Founder and Managing Director, said that the company’s Bridge Road site acquisition signals confidence in a city that is re-accelerating

First look: Kokoda secures Richmond site for new apartment development

Gold Coast developer Drew Group is fast approaching sell-out at its Main Beach apartment development, Lagoon Main Beach.

In the last nine months, Drew Group and sales partner Pezet Matheson have secured 31 sales totalling over $75 million, as the two-tower development advances towards completion under the expert eye of Hutchinson Builders.

“Today's buyers are more discerning than ever," Drew Group Managing Director Jon Drew says.

"It's essential to provide something truly unique that sets a development apart, and we believe Lagoon has achieved just that."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108747 project_image_fid=193023]

Just over 50 per cent of recent&nbsp;sales have been to local buyers, reflecting the deep trust and connection within the Gold Coast community that Drew Group has developed over the years.

Demand has been particularly robust at the top end, with two of the three exclusive penthouses already sold, alongside five sub-penthouses. Only seven apartments remain in Lagoon's Signature Series — one&nbsp;penthouse and six sub-penthouses.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108747 project_image_fid=284864]

Drew Group has also removed the much-maligned sunset clause from all contracts at Lagoon. The sunset clause — although rarely invoked, yet on occasion known to have been — allows developers to take back contracts on apartments should the building not be completed within the timeframe specified in the contract.

Pezet Matheson Co-Director Jayde Pezet says the fact Lagoon is&nbsp;within a year of completion, and has no sunset clause in contracts, provides certainty to buyers.

"This is paramount in the current market," Pezet says.

Drew Group has committed to providing the highest level of security inclusions — none more impressive than the Ubiquity Access Control System, a cutting-edge facial recognition technology that is one of the most state-of-the-art keyless entry systems on the market.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108747 project_image_fid=190743]

One of the biggest drawcards to Lagoon has been the size of the apartments.

"It is unlikely that any future new development in Main Beach will be able to offer such spacious living at this price point," Drew says.

"Today's buyers are more discerning than ever, carefully evaluating amenities like gyms, spas, workspaces, and beach lockers, along with quality finishes. It's essential to provide something truly unique that sets a development apart, and we believe Lagoon has achieved just that."

Lagoon is set to complete construction in mid-2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108747]

Lagoon Main Beach approaches sell-out as local buyers drive $75m in sales

National apartment developer Abadeen has topped out its debut Gold Coast apartment project,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/villea-palm-beach-26-mawarra-street-palm-beach-qld-4221">Villea Palm Beach</a>.

Buyers will move into the $120 million development in early 2026, with builder Emicon now focusing its attention towards the fitout stage of the apartments.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen-group">Abadeen</a>’s Executive Chairman and Founder, Justin Brown, said topping out at Villea represented an exciting step forward for the company’s national growth and the delivery of a benchmark coastal development.

“Villea Palm Beach represents everything Abadeen stands for — design-led living, premium quality, and the convenience we are bringing for residents to feel part of a perfect beachside community," Brown said.

"It is a particularly special project for us, being our first with spectacular ocean views, just metres from the water and with the addition of ground-floor retail. To reach the top floor is a proud moment, and I am incredibly proud of the Abadeen and Emicon teams for the way they are bringing this project to life for future residents.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106840 project_image_fid=336444]

Pierre Saab, Director of builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/emicon">Emicon</a>, said topping out was an exciting milestone and the team is now focused on interiors and detailing.

“This is a fantastic milestone to reach. With the final roof pour complete, we’ve moved into the fit-out stage where the detailing will truly bring Villea to life,"&nbsp;Saab said.

"Standing on the top floor, the team was struck by the stunning 180-degree views of the ocean and all that <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a> has to offer — a daily reminder of the exceptional lifestyle this project will deliver.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106840 project_image_fid=336441]

Nick Clydsdale, Director of SRQ, who is managing sales and marketing for Villea, said the milestone marks the next phase of the sales campaign.

“With construction now at its highest point, we are excited to kick start the next phase of the campaign off the back of strong sales momentum driven by the local market,"&nbsp;Clydsdale said.

"Villea is a prized offering in the popular suburb of Palm Beach— ideally suited to owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking a convenient and beautiful coastal lifestyle. At the same time, with forecasts pointing to further price growth across the Gold Coast in 2025, Villea offers investors the opportunity to enter early in the upswing cycle."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106840 project_image_fid=336442]

&nbsp;

Designed by acclaimed architects <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA</a>, Villea comprises 69 two- and three-bedroom residences with light-filled layouts, premium finishes including timber flooring, Fisher &amp; Paykel appliances, and high-performance glazing to maximise comfort.

Many residences capture ocean views, while all benefiting from generous open plan designs and access to shared amenities like a&nbsp;pool, gym, barbecue facilities, and outdoor entertaining spaces, all just 400m from the beach.

A ground floor retail leasing campaign is also underway, with Abadeen set to handpick a curated mix of tenants to enhance the experience for both residents and the wider community.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=106840]

Abadeen tops out Villea Palm Beach

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has officially unveiled its vision for a landmark development in Little Bay.

The vertically integrated developer-builder is set to launch <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE</a>, a collection of low-rise buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hill-thalis-architecture-urban-projects-pty-ltd">Hill Thalis Architects</a>, comprising 94 apartments.

Targeted at local downsizers, upgraders, nature lovers, and golf enthusiasts, ESTE offers close proximity to Kamay-Botany Bay National Park, Little Bay Beach, and the renowned St Michael’s Golf Club — widely considered one of New South Wales’ top courses.

Many of the apartments, with interiors by Richard Stanisich, boast uninterrupted ocean views — a rare offering in Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=210130]

Residents will enjoy exclusive access to a private rooftop amenity level featuring a heated infinity pool, a fitness centre equipped with the latest TechnoGym technology, and a sauna.

Urban Property Group has taken a careful and considered approach to the design and planning stages, ensuring ESTE delivers an architecturally appropriate and sensitive addition to a suburb that rarely sees new development.

Plans were first submitted to Randwick City Council in late 2022, following concept approval from the NSW Government earlier that year.

Construction commenced in November 2024, with the project expected to top out in Q4 2025 and reach completion in Q3 2026.&nbsp;

Urban was one of the first developers in New South Wales to adopt the sought-after 10-year <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/resilience-latent-defects-insurance">Latent Defects Insurance policy from Resilience Insurance</a>. The policy — that can only be taken out by developers or builders and not by individual apartment buyers — covers any structural or waterproofing defects for a full 10 years post-completion, providing buyers with the most comprehensive protection available when purchasing off the plan.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/what-is-latent-defects-insurance-and-is-it-bringing-confidence-to-the-off-the-plan-apartment-market">What is Latent Defects Insurance and is it bringing confidence to the off the plan apartment market?</a>

SRM Residential will be launching ESTE in the coming months.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112343]

Urban Property Group unveils ESTE Little Bay apartments

Flinders Street Station

<html><body>
Flinders Street Station occupies the equivalent of two city blocks, occupying the site bordered by Flinders Street to the north and the Yarra River to the south. The site extends from Swanston Street on its eastern ground level border all the way to Queen Street in the west.

The first train station on the current Flinders Street Station site was called Melbourne Terminus. The original station was comprised of a collection of weatherboard sheds. Melbourne Terminus opened on the 12 of September 1854 and was the first steam railway station in Australia. Thousands of people attended the opening day to see not only Victoria’s, but also Australia’s, first public steam train, which travelled from Sandridge (now Port Melbourne) to the Melbourne Terminus station at Flinders Street.

In 1889 a worldwide design competition was held for a new railway station to be built. The new building, planned to replace the old sheds, was to be a grand edifice befitting marvelous Melbourne, which was then the largest city in Australia. Two Victorian Railway Officials, JW Fawcett and HPC Ashworth who entered under the syndicate name ‘Green Light’, were awarded the first prize of £500 in 1900. Their French renaissance style station included a large domed entrance and a clock tower.

Construction commenced in 1900, while the final design of station building was still in development. The foundations of the main building were completed in 1903. In 1904 the Railway Commissioners made changes to the original design, leading to the construction of individual roofs over each platform instead of a series of arched roofs over the concourse as originally planned. Additionally to increase office space, a fourth storey was added to the main building.

In 1905 work began on the massive station building itself, starting at the west end and progressing towards the grand entrance and dome at the south-west corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets. The grand edifice was designed to have a stone facade, however cost cutting led to use of red brick with cement render details (blood and bandage). Grey granite from Harcourt, Victoria was used on the Flinders Street side at ground level "in view of the importance of this great public work". Design changes that omitted the concourse roof as previously described, saw the southern facade of the main building above ground level constructed of a lightweight timber frame, clad with zinc sheets scored into large blocks and painted red, giving the appearance of large bricks to replace what would have been open balconies under the roof.

Work on the dome started in 1906. Eleven platforms were completed in 1907 with another two added (Platforms 12 and 13) east of Swanston Street in 1909. Completion and the official opening of the station took place in 1910.

The building is three storeys high at the higher concourse/Swanston Street end, and four at the lower Elizabeth Street/platform end.

A number of ticket windows were located at each entry point, with services such as a restaurant, a country booking office, lost luggage and a visitors help booth at concourse or platform level.

A number of shops and leasable spaces were provided. Some of these shops were on the concourse, and many were along the Flinders Street frontage, some were lower than street level and were accessible by stairs, creating a fifth/basement level. The basement store beside the main entrance has been occupied by a hat store since 1910, known as 'City Hatters', since 1933.

The top three storeys of the main building contain a large number of rooms, particularly along the Flinders Street frontage, with the majority designated for use by the railway, although some were leasable spaces. Most of the top floor of the station was purpose built and occupied by the Victorian Railway Institute. This area included a library, a gym and a lecture hall, which was later used as a ballroom. In recent times, these rooms have been abandoned and have been slowly decaying for decades.

Electric trains were introduced in 1919. By 1926 Flinders Street Station was the world's busiest suburban railway station and it still is in the southern hemisphere. Infrastructure such as the Degraves Street subway, which is part of Flinders Street Station, was extended to the north side of Flinders Street in 1954. In March 1966 platform one was extended to reach a length of 708 metres, making it the fourth longest railway station platform in the world.

Flinders Street Station has over time become Melbourne’s most recognizable landmark and perhaps Melbourne’s most definitive icon. Not surprisingly, it has been listed on the Victorian Heritage Act and by the National Trust.

In 2011 the former Victorian Liberal Government launched an <a href="/news/public-transport-architecture-seagull-on-a-hot-chip-thoughts-on-flinders-street-station-competition-entries">international design competition</a> to rejuvenate and restore this grand edifice. In 2013 architects HASSELL + Herzog &amp; de Meuron were chosen as the winners.

Let’s hope that the Melbourne catchphrase, ‘meet me under the clocks’ under the grand entrance at the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets, continues for many more years, and that the station restoration and rejuvenation starts sooner rather than later.

<a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/flinders-st-station-project-going-off-the-rails/story-fni0fit3-1227174184017?sv=d402b598f81dab90d9ba8480c074803c&amp;utm_source=Herald%20Sun&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=editorial&amp;net_sub_uid=6353763">The current situation (government assesses redevelopment).</a>

Peter Maltezos operates <a href="http://thecollectormm.com.au/">The Collector's Marvellous Melbourne</a>, a website dedicated to Melbourne's built environment which maintains a vast image collection of Melbourne, both past and present.
</body></html>

thecollector

Flinders Street Station: Melbourne's most popular iconic landmark

<html><body>
Recently the Melbourne media has reported that the winning design for the <a href="/news/public-transport-architecture-seagull-on-a-hot-chip-thoughts-on-flinders-street-station-competition-entries">Flinders Street Station Design Ideas Competition</a> by Hassell and Herzog &amp; De Meuron would cost a whopping $2 billion to build. Naturally this has drawn many to question the wisdom in undertaking the design competition in the first place. After all if we cannot afford to build it, what is the point?

Firstly some background. Launched in November 2011, the competition with total prize money of $1 million attracted 117 entrants both local and international. The process was in two stages with six entrants being shortlisted to further develop their schemes. The public was invited to engage in the competition via a website survey and voting process which considered the following criteria:

<ul>
<li>Overall design merit</li>
	<li>Transport Function</li>
	<li>Cultural Heritage and Iconic Status</li>
	<li>Urban Design and precinct Integration</li>
</ul>
The Jury panel to determine the final outcome of the competition was led by the Victorian Government Architect and was made up of various experts on transport, heritage, finance and Architecture. They also (to the criticism of many) included a non-expert, chef George Calombaris who was included as a ‘notable Victorian’. In addition to the criteria put to the public, the Jury also had to evaluate two additional criteria:

<ul>
<li>the development delivery</li>
	<li>value for money.</li>
</ul>
So did the Victorian taxpayer get value for money out of the Flinders Street Station Competition if the final design might cost $2 billion? Absolutely yes! Even if the winning design is never built the $1.6 million spent is some of the hardest working taxpayer dollars that the government has spent.

Here is why:

<h2>The value of professional advice</h2>

The $1.6 million bought a massive amount of professional advice. Under ordinary circumstance the same advice would have likely cost over $11 million.

Warwick Mihaly on <a href="http://panfilocastaldi.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/vote-flinders-street-conclusion/">Panfilocastaldi</a> did the following rough calculation on the hours spent by architects.

<ul>
<li>Total Prize money = $1,000,000</li>
	<li>Competition organisation = $600,000*</li>
	<li>Total competition cost = $1,600,000*</li>
</ul>
*source Herald Sun report of $1.6 mil total competition cost

<ul>
<li>Number of Stage 1 entrants = 117</li>
	<li>Average time spent on each Stage 1 entry = 400 hours</li>
	<li>Number of Stage 2 shortlisted entrants = 6</li>
	<li>Average time spent on each Stage 2 entry = 3,000 hours</li>
	<li>Total time spent by all entrants = 64,800 hours</li>
	<li>Average value of architects’ time = $180 / hour</li>
	<li>Total value of architects’ time = $11,664,000</li>
</ul>
<h2>The value of artistic endeavour</h2>

How much would it cost to commission 10 of the world’s best painters or sculptors to each prepare a substantial piece of work? Once you then add in 108 other artists from around the country it would clearly be substantially more than a mere $1.6 mil.

As a comparison the federal Government in 1973 purchased a single Jackson Pollock painting Blue Poles. The price paid by the federal government in 1973 equates to approximately 10.9 million dollars in today’s currency. I would argue that the work of Zaha Hadid (just one of the entrants) is at least as influential in the architecture world as Jackson Pollock’s work in the art world. If we are serious about artistic endeavour we need to invest in a wide variety of art forms.

<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/pollock-blue-poles.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="253" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/pollock-blue-poles.jpg?itok=9XRU3hLx" title="Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock</figcaption></figure>To take another example of an artistic endeavour, the State and Federal Government both pour substantial amounts of fund into the film industry.

<blockquote>
In 2005-06, the Australian Government provided $140 million in funding for film and video, and state and territory governments contributed $75.4 million.
<cite><a href="http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/resources/reports_and_publications/subjects/funding/funding_of_film_and_video">Australia Council: Funding of film and video</a></cite>
</blockquote>

I am not for a moment suggesting that this support is a poor investment, but rather highlighting how comparatively small the investment in the architectural competition by comparison. Indeed given that the final six designs all featured animated fly throughs, there is no reason why this couldn’t have been partly funded within this larger budget.

To make even more out of the money invested in this competition, a physical travelling exhibition should be established to showcase the cutting edge work. Only a fraction of the design proposals have been seen by the vast majority of the public and this is therefore a golden opportunity to further the value of the competition.

<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/hassel-and-herzog-de-meuron.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="An Image from the winning design by Hassel and Herzog &amp; De Meuron. Image © Hassell Studio"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="331" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/hassel-and-herzog-de-meuron.jpg?itok=7CPjRxGB" title="An Image from the winning design by Hassel and Herzog &amp; De Meuron. Image © Hassell Studio" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The winning design by Hassel and Herzog &amp; De Meuron. Image © Hassell Studio</figcaption></figure><h2>The value of a broad community discussion</h2>

How much would a 19,000 person focus group to discuss the future of Flinders Street Station have cost? I honestly don’t know but I would think at least $50 per person ($950,000 total) under normal industry circumstances would be a starting point. As part of the competition the community were offered the opportunity to provide their feedback on 6 potential designs. Their opinions were not moderated and the report that was generated provides a great deal of feedback for a way forward.

<h2>The value of a long term vision</h2>

Even if we cannot afford to start building today, there is an inherent value about having a long term plan for our most important landmark. Flinders Street Station is not going anywhere. It will likely be around beyond the lifetime of anyone living today. If we refine the plan further, or if we pursue a new design in the future based on what we have learnt from this process, it will still have been worthwhile.

<h2>A final word to the Cynics</h2>

There are some who say that architects were just ‘in it’ for themselves and that this competition was just a method of handing architects money. There is categorical proof that this is not the case. Even the winner will likely have lost money on this competition having been paid $500k. The numbers just don’t stack up. The number of hours put in to generate the quality required far outstrips the prize. It is the equivalent of saying doctors who volunteer in third world countries are only doing it for the free flights and accommodation.

So why did architects participate? There are many reasons. The big firms are definitely in it to win it. It might strengthen their ability to be given other projects or raise their profile. For the small architects it is far more about participating in the culture of architecture than being a sensible business decision. Architects feel a duty to the built environment. For them it is about being part of the discussion, providing alternate possibilities and helping to ensure that the winning design is the best by being compared with the rest.

PS - If I still haven’t convinced you that it was worth spending $1.6 million on the competition, perhaps we could just shorten the 8 Kilometre East West Link tunnel by just 160 Centimetres and get that money back! In fact we could scrap the entire $18 billion East West Link Project and finance the construction of Flinders Street Station and eight other major projects like it for the same price! If you are concerned about a waste of money, start there!

Michael Smith is Director of Melbourne architecture firm <a href="http://redblackarch.com.au/">Atelier Red + Black</a>. This article originally appeared on <a href="http://theredandblackarchitect.wordpress.com/">The Red and Black Architect blog</a>.
</body></html>

redblackarchitect

Was the Flinders Street Station competition value for money?

<html><body>
Yesterday the Premier <a href="http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/7401-flinders-street-station-designs-revealed">revealed</a> the six short-listed designs in the $1million competition for Flinders Street Station's future. Despite the predictable yarn from the public transport advocates who have an inability to think beyond their next gunzelesque rant (refer to tweet) the amount of people engaging with the people's choice competition has been outstanding.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Of course, first step towards.making the trains run on time is ensuring the station has a functional ballroom. <a href="http://t.co/kxyKrqzUNJ">pic.twitter.com/kxyKrqzUNJ</a>
— Daniel Bowen (@danielbowen) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/danielbowen/statuses/359513312146358273">July 23, 2013</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>We don't get large-scale architectural competitions all that often, well - we barely get them at all, so it was an interesting exercise watching the discussion unfold - especially on the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23voteflindersst">#voteflindersst</a> hashtag.

One thing I found quite interesting (or ironic?) in mainstream media reporting was the quote the Premier doesn't see any construction happening on site for a decade, yet the <a href="http://vote.majorprojects.vic.gov.au/">site</a> maintains 440,000 people are expected to use the station every day by 2021. That's either an extraordinary belief that Flinders Street has plenty of capacity to cope for the next 8 years (most likely does with some track reconfiguration) or just another State Government <a href="/news/how-to-ruin-an-improving-landscape-east-west-tunnel">faux pas</a>.

The people's choice is not going to affect the judgement of who will win the competition however the feedback provided by the community will be an almighty barometer into how the public thinks of Flinders Street Station as is and where they see it going.

After spending a good two hours downloading all the associated images and drawings, in all honesty, and as I posed on the dedicated <a href="/news">transport forum thread</a> we created for this discussion, I still don't have a clear favourite. There's no single proposal which encompasses all the elements I feel are really positive.

Rather than go into an in-depth proposal-by-proposal I thought I'd just point out common themes which are more positive than negative.

<h2>Tram network changes</h2>

Many of the proposals see varying degrees of network changes: be they new road bridges to fix the awkward 90 degree corner from the current northbank side of Queens Bridge or re-positioning of tram stops. The new Queens Bridge concept has the benefit of removing a left and a right hand turn from the #55 tram route which currently runs along Market Street, Flinders Lane and then onto William Street. ARM and Hadid+BVN should be commended for thinking well beyond the station site and any project, should it go ahead, I believe should incorporate this feature allowing the existing Queens Bridge to be a part of an enlarged Queensbridge 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/1013-images16of60a.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="New Queens Bridge at left - image © ARM"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/1013-images16of60a.jpg?itok=M03_epdH" title="New Queens Bridge at left - image © ARM" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

<figcaption>New Queens Bridge at left - image © ARM</figcaption></figure>Furthermore many of the proposals saw re-positioning of tram stops: Velasquez + Pineda + Medina and Hadid + BVN moved the main tram stop southward to be positioned on Princes Bridge and ARM moved it to the eastern side of Swanston Street. Many proposals see a complete rebuild of the Elizabeth Street tram terminus which is very welcome and special mention to the HASSELL + Herzog and Hadid+BVN proposals for depicting the underground tunnels necessary to connect with the "CBD South" Station to be built as part of the Melbourne 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/1170-image38of39a.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="New Elizabeth Street tram terminus - image © Hadid + BVN"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/1170-image38of39a.jpg?itok=efzES6Im" title="New Elizabeth Street tram terminus - image © Hadid + BVN" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

<figcaption>New Elizabeth Street tram terminus - image © Hadid + BVN</figcaption></figure><h2>The Eastern Entrance</h2>

Whether the entrants have labeled it "Federation Square" entrance or "Eastern" entrance, the clear 'winners' (for lack of a better term) are those that flatten the roadspace and remove the barriers (namely the tram stop).

Hadid + BVN are taking a really radical view. Their main entrance canopy is space-age and very [insert any new Chinese airport terminal built in the past 5 years here], but most dramatic of all looks to be, thanks to the repositioning of the tram stop to the south, even more traffic calming measures put in place on Swanston St allowing for no pedestrian crossing lights and what can only be described as complete integration with Federation 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/1170-image03of39a.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Extreme traffic calming measures to excite the urbanist in all of us - image © Hadid + BVN"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/1170-image03of39a.jpg?itok=zBxnT6rI" title="Extreme traffic calming measures to excite the urbanist in all of us - image © Hadid + BVN" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

<figcaption>Extreme traffic calming measures to excite the urbanist in all of us - image © Hadid + BVN</figcaption></figure>Likewise the UniMelb students Velasquez + Pineda + Medina have also provided an excellent integration with Federation Square, again thanks to moving the tram stop further south. Yet with this proposal, we would get a double amphitheatre effect with Swanston Street becoming somewhat of a stage owing to the existing slope of Federation Square opposite and the Colombian guys' vision to have a (Canberra) Parliament House-like grass-on-roof type arrangement.

<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/1110-image01of43a.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Double amphitheatre with Swanston Street as the stage - image © Velasquez + Pineda + Medina"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/1110-image01of43a.jpg?itok=inpXuA-O" title="Double amphitheatre with Swanston Street as the stage - image © Velasquez + Pineda + Medina" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

<figcaption>Double amphitheatre with Swanston Street as the stage - image © Velasquez + Pineda + Medina</figcaption></figure><h2>Central Plaza / Amphitheatre + River Stage</h2>

Hadid + BVN, HASSELL + Herzog and NH have a strong similarity in this regard. Hadid + BVN and NH feature shading utilising canopies and in Hadid+BVN's case, the join between the two main parts of superstructure canvassing the entire site appears to provide shade to their smaller amphitheatre fronting the Yarra. NH's inclusion of a new bridge (below) - piggybacking off the newly finished Hamer Hall concourse - running from St. Kilda Road to near the Western entrance / Elizabeth Street axis warrants further investigation.

<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/NHA001%20V04%20RETOUCHED.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Central plaza/concourse with canopy concept - image © NH"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/NHA001%20V04%20RETOUCHED.jpg?itok=OXWjVNwg" title="Central plaza/concourse with canopy concept - image © NH" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

<figcaption>Central plaza/concourse with canopy concept - image © NH</figcaption></figure>One wonders what the plaza in HASSELL + Herzog's proposal would be like in summer. Doubtless to say it would have a lot of foot traffic, passing through but not utilising the space other than as another transit route (however Federation Square is in the same boat, so there may be some merit in it).

<h2>Integration with the Yarra</h2>

One of the strongest proposals in this area is Wardle + Grimshaw's. Bricks: love them, small spaces: check, wooden boardwalk: it's there. It appears as if this would have the effect of extending the same style of riverfront usage like on the eastern side of Princes Bridge where Riverland and the other vault businesses are located - I feel that's a big plus.

<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/1014%20Images%20%20%2830%29a.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Small spaces for small businesses - image © Wardle + Grimshaw"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/1014%20Images%20%20%2830%29a.jpg?itok=5KHWNcZC" title="Small spaces for small businesses - image © Wardle + Grimshaw" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

<figcaption>Small spaces for small businesses - image © Wardle + Grimshaw</figcaption></figure><h2>Open Air platforms or Train shed?</h2>

I'm a sucker for the Victorian-era train sheds that exist all over the world, so ARM and HASSELL + Herzog's proposals caught my eye. Big Kudos to ARM for referencing the original Swanston St entrance proposal.

<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/1019-image25of75a.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Reminiscent of the train hall of old - image © HASSELL + Herzog"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/1019-image25of75a.jpg?itok=FN6CGU8c" title="Reminiscent of the train hall of old - image © HASSELL + Herzog" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

<figcaption>Reminiscent of the train hall of old - image © HASSELL + Herzog</figcaption></figure><h2>I tried so hard to only be positive</h2>

The only major negative feature of any of the proposals I want to point out is with regards to NH's proposal: lose the existing canopies above platforms, they're outdated and will be out of place with the new concourse. I see them with the least amount of heritage value and actually an impediment; I much prefer an entire roof (like ARM or HASSELL+Herzog) or new canopies and if worst comes to worst incorporate the heritage platform signage. Sorry there's a second negative: Hadid+BVN's over-reliance on shopping centres should be discouraged; hotels fine, but no-one wants another Southern Cross retail outlet shop, no matter how upmarket Hadid+BVN's renders of the retail components are.

While we do have to remember this is a station and its primary function is to have the ability for trains to run more frequently over time to cater for the forecast demand (thanks Daniel), there's a heavy focus - in the imagery at least - on everything above, beside or below the tracks and platforms when the single most important thing in any new development on this site should be focusing on new or less platform space. It might not have been part of the brief, which would explain the lack of detail, but the next stage after a winner is selected (and naturally this should only occur if the State Government is serious about putting this on a long-term road map for actual construction), serious consideration needs to go into what the track and platform layout will be in future.

The primary reason why NH's retention of heritage canopies is not useful is that there are arguments to reduce the number of platforms and therefore space where 3rd overtaking lines may once have existed between two tracks with platforms as the PTV heavy rail plan is gearing itself toward focusing less on Flinders Street station. Melbourne Metro's "CBD South" will remove a large amount of trains from City Loop operations and the dwell times at Flinders Street over time are likely to disappear as driver changes will occur outside the city in future.

While yes, the Ballroom is the least of our concerns, like many have already commented on Twitter and in the mainstream press, we must plan 20 steps ahead for Flinders Street's expansion yet also open the public's mind on what else can be incorporated into the site.

<a href="http://vote.majorprojects.vic.gov.au/">See the videos, write-ups and download all the images/drawings</a> from the Flinders Street Station Design Competition.
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