The Victorian Minister for Planning has approved the $1.5 billion 555 Collins Street project in Melbourne. The project will comprise 84,000 square metres of Premium Grade office space and over 2,300 square metres of retail across two stages.
The development will focus on creating a vibrant workplace experience through human-centred design and has come together as result of a unique collaboration between Charter Hall as developer and long-term owner, Cox Architecture and Gensler.
The first tower, at 555 Collins Street, will comprise approximately 50,000 square metres across 34 levels and will accommodate up to 5,000 CBD workers when completed, providing a future-proofed commercial office building with world-leading tech-enabled workspaces, health and wellness facilities.
555 Collins Street’s ground plane has been curated to complement the existing amenity of the CBD’s midtown offering and provide a place of engagement for the building users and community. This will include a ‘Market Hall’ and amphitheatre for tenant activations and events, as well as ‘third spaces’, that will provide flexible working space for tenants.
The ground level retail offering will provide convenience retail including allied health services and a diverse range of food and beverage options, from cafes to a signature restaurant. Furthermore, a series of new connections throughout the site will create a unique Melbourne laneway experience, while also improving pedestrian flow from Collins Street through to Flinders Lane.
Mr Simon Stockfeld, Charter Hall’s Regional Development Director, said to the building will be a workplace environment like no other, that puts the user experience first at all touchpoints throughout the building.
“Being both the developer and long-term owner allows us the unique opportunity to closely engage with our tenant customers on a regular basis to understand their evolving needs and expectations. By putting them at the centre and encouraging an active partnership model, greater community, innovation and a better workday is ultimately created,” said Mr Stockfeld.
With three street frontages prominently placed on the corner of Collins and King Street, 555 Collins Street and the adjacent 55 King Street tower will create a new precinct adding to the burgeoning midtown zone.
The building’s façade and sculptural form design will combine scale, light and rhythm, with the crystalline tower lighting up the city skyline at night. The stepped building form will also create a series of outdoor terraces designed to better connect occupants with the outdoors and environment around them, while taking in the city skyline views.
Mr Tom Owens, Principal and Managing Director, Gensler Australia, said the building will be sustainable and forward-thinking and a place where people will feel connected, inspired and engaged throughout their workday.
“555 Collins Street will embody a uniquely research-driven, human-centred approach to design. Our team has put a lot of thought into how this building will foster connections and ensure that it is capable of adapting to the ever-changing needs of the next generation workforce.”
Mr Simon Haussegger, Director at Cox Architecture, said the focus has been on creating a platform for social, collaborative and creative experiences that promote human engagement.
“The spaces within 555 Collins Street have been conceived with these interactions in mind. The built form and façade expression allow the building to be read at pedestrian level, city and skyline scales.”
Demolition of the site at 555 Collins Street is currently well progressed and is to be completed imminently, with construction of the first building expected to commence in mid-2020. Completion of the first stage is targeted for late 2022.
The project is expected to create over 2,000 jobs during construction.