A $1 billion development at 435 Bourke Street has been approved by the Victoria’s planning department.
Designed by Bates Smart, the 48-level building will feature a “solar skin” facade, from which it will generate energy for 20 percent of its base electrical requirements.
To be made from vertical glass photovoltaic panels, the solar skin is designed to capture sunlight and convert the energy into electricity. The innovative skin can also let natural light in, providing the same thermal and insulation capacities as architectural glass.
“People working in the building will be able to look out the window and see where their energy comes from,” said Bates Smart director Cian Davis. “This collected energy coupled with all-electric operations will help the tower save 430 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.”
The remainder of the building’s energy needs will be sourced from offsite renewable sources. Davis also said the building will reduce its embodied carbon by almost a third through the use of “finely tuned” materials.
A $1 billion development at 435 Bourke Street has been given the green light by the Victorian Department of Planning.
Image:
Bates Smart
A modified development application for the tower was submitted to the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning late 2021, after updates were made to the design that was previously approved in January 2020.
The modified application was for 60,000 square metres of commercial office space across 48 levels, with 1,300 square metres of retail space, 116 car parks, a sky garden and several landscaped terraces. The design was purportedly altered to respond to the shifting workplace demands of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The structure has also been modified to support a “diverse ecology of workplaces” featuring greater outdoor connection, an enhanced focus on wellness and productivity, and more engagement with the community. According to the developer, the sky garden, ground plane and mixed-mode terraces were the “key focuses” of the new submission, providing diverse and naturally ventilated extensions to traditional workspaces.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
