One of the few remaining nineteenth-century buildings in Melbourne could soon be transformed into a museum under development plans submitted to the state government.
Developer ISPT has partnered with the Hellenic Museum to create an outpost of the Greek Benaki Museum inside the former Land Titles Office at 283 Queen Street in central Melbourne.
The project would be funded by the development of a 30-storey commercial tower above the heritage building. The $244 million project is designed by Bates Smart.
If approved, it would be the only Benaki Museum outside of Greece, which has seven sites inside the country. The museum houses both ancient and modern Greek art as well as Asian art.
The proposed museum will house collections from both the Benaki and Hellenic museums and include a 1,000 square metre hall which will display international exhibitions.
The proposed Benaki Museum inside the former Land Title Office designed by Bates Smart and Lovell Chen.
Image: Courtesy Bates Smart
The former Land Titles Office is state heritage listed for its architectural and historic significance. Built between 1874 and 1889, the building was designed by architect J. J. Clark who also designed the Treasury Building. It is one of only two remaining nineteenth-century buildings on that city block, along with the Supreme Court.
The Land Titles Office vacated the building in 2003, when it was sold to Victoria University. The university had proposed a 17-storey vertical campus on the site, designed by John Wardle Architects, which would have required the partial demolition of the heritage building. That proposal was rejected by the Heritage Council of Victoria in 2018, due to unacceptable detriment to the city’s heritage. The site was then sold to ISPT.
Bates Smart is collaborating with Lovell Chen on the restoration.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
