Melbourne: The Latest Architecture and News

As the second most populous city in Australia, Melbourne was originally established in 1835 and grew dramatically during the goldrush of the 1850s, transforming itself into one of the world’s largest and wealthiest cities at the time. To this day Melbourne constantly ranks as one of the most liveable cities in the world, ranking highly in education, entertainment, healthcare, research and development, tourism and sport, taking the number one spot f every year from 2010-2015. Melbourne also acts as the unofficial “cultural capital” of Australia. It is the birthplace Australian impressionism, the Australian film and television industries, and Australian contemporary dance, and is recognised as a UNESCO City of Literature and a major centre for street art, music and theatre.

+ 20

+ 9

+ 4

+ 44

International firm Benoy has unveiled Kavanagh Street, its competition proposal for a mixed-use tower development in Melbourne, Australia.

Set back on the banks of the Yarra River in the Southbank precinct, Benoy’s design is a five-building set or a “family of towers” on a shared nine-story mixed-use podium, all of which would host 315,000 square meters of residential, hospitality, commercial and retail space.

+ 17

The Naomi Milgrom Foundation has released plans for Studio Mumbai founder Bijoy Jain’s design for the 2016 MPavilion, the Australian counterpart to London's wildly successful Serpentine Gallery Pavilion program. Continuing the concepts driving Studio Mumbai’s work, the pavilion will utilize a process Jain describes as ‘Lore,’ an exploration of handmade architecture and simplicity of building craft that centers on the relationship between making and human connectedness.

+ 18

Update 7/5/17: Zaha Hadid Architects has announced the signing of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group as manager of the new signature hotel and branded residences located within the Collins Street Tower. Mandarin Oriental, Melbourne will manage 196 guestrooms and suites and 148 of the tower’s upper floor residences, as well as an all-day dining restaurant, a spa and fitness center, and a bar with roof terrace access. Owners will have access to hotel amenities, as well as shared spaces including a private residents’ lounge. The project is expected to open in 2023.

Zaha Hadid Architects has released new images and an animation of the firm’s “Stacked Vase” tower in Melbourne’s Central Business District to coincide with the building receiving approval from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, the City of Melbourne and the Office of Victorian Government Architect. The 54-story (178m) mixed-use skyscraper will be Zaha Hadid’s only tower in Melbourne, and upon completion will become an new emblem of “the most livable city in the world.”

+ 4

Student collective Global Architecture Profiling (GAP) launches its seventh annual architectural exhibition at The University of Melbourne, Faculty of Architecture, Building, and Planning.

This year the exhibition presents contemporary architectural production in the world heritage listed Mexican city of Puebla. 

+ 10

+ 21

+ 10

+ 18

Rothelowman, in conjunction with KPDO, has revealed plans for 88 Melbourne, a $100 million, 55-story tower in the Australian city’s Southbank Entertainment Precinct. According to developers New Sky Group, the audience for this project is “downsizers who don’t wish to downgrade” and “[the project is] designed to cater [to] those upgrading their lifestyle, when trading in the family home.” The tower’s design is inspired by the facets of jewels and the art of origami, creating diamond patterns on the exterior that will glisten during the day and light up at night.

+ 3

+ 12

+ 31

295 King Street, a 64-story mixed-use building designed by Plus Architecture and developed by Farinia, has just won approval to be built in Melbourne, Australia. The project, situated in the city’s central business district, is comprised of two sites at the northwest corner of King and Little Lonsdale streets. Its sculptural design will become a notable presence in the Melbourne skyline. Upon completion, the building will include 431 apartments and nine penthouses.