A nine-storey mixed-use development has been proposed to rise above the future Town Hall metro station in Melbourne’s CBD.
Designed by Hassell, the building will envelop the historic Young and Jackson Hotel, established 1861, and will introduce new commercial office space, retail offerings and eateries to the precinct.
The site is located at a popular inner-city intersection at the convergence of Swanston and Flinders streets, with views of the adjacent Flinders Street Station, Federation Square and St Paul’s Cathedral.
The Swanston Street shopfront incorporates a canopy made from anodized bronze aluminium.
Image: Hassell
In its planning submission to the City of Melbourne, Hassell said, “The intersection of Swanston Street and Flinders Street is an iconic and loved place in Melbourne… The proposal for 25 Swanston completes this intersection by providing a building that is contextually appropriate. The new building creates a beautifully proportioned, disciplined backdrop which will establish an enduring civic counterpoint to the inherently ‘expressive’ characteristics of the surrounding buildings.”
The design proposes a highly contextual response to site and precinct that celebrates the history of the location, while breathing new life into the surrounding area. The proposed “gridded facade [will provide] a holistic and consistent expression to a complex series of building volumes.”
An internal public courtyard for alfresco use, featuring The Yard Stair as a public meeting space.
Image: Hassell
The ground level will feature defined zones with purposeful shifts in material and expression. The Swanston Street building and station entrance will boast a confident and formal frontage that draws inspiration from the street context.
The Arcade will be a contemporary take on the classical Victorian arcade, while Cocker Alley will feature a two-storey glass pavilion inserted into the base of the commercial tower.
Scott Alley will draw on the identity of existing iconic Melbourne laneways, while internal public courtyard called The Yard will provide an alfresco meeting opportunities with kiosks and meeting stairs.
Hassell said the kiosk and meeting stairs will allow for pedestrian movement, while linking to key sight lines and providing moments of “activation and pause”.
The City of Melbourne will consider the proposal for at a meeting of its Future Melbourne Committee on Tuesday 6 December. The planning officers’ report recommends that the proposal be supported for ministerial referral.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
