Best summed up as the reimagining of an icon, this single retail redevelopment provides a number of new memorable images to associate with Melbourne: the gold metallic and glass roof, dramatic inner atrium, all-new and restored heritage façades – all combine to great effect.
BRIEF
Rejuvenate the store and elevate Myer to its place as an admired city landmark that can take a place alongside internationally renowned stores.
ARCHITECT’S WORDS
The most striking emblem of Myer’s new face to the city, visible from many surrounding buildings, is its faceted gold roof. The pavilion roof has been architecturally sculpted with gold metal and glass to choreograph certain city views from within and to bring the cityscape of Melbourne into the heart of the store.
The new upper level event space is the culmination of the store’s new retail experience and is accessed via a dramatic eight level atrium. The shopper is first greeted by the inclined and tapering atrium at the centre point of the busy ground floor of the store.
From here, the eye is led upward through a visually and spatially dynamic volume to a large diamond skylight bringing daylight into the depths of the store. Meanwhile a busy flow of customers on the vertically stacked escalators play their part in this kinetic connection.
The project also offered the opportunity to carefully restore the significant heritage features of the original store, including the 1930’s Art Deco façade on the Bourke Street Mall and the famous Mural Hall complete with its major paintings by the artist Napier Waller.
The Bourke Street façade had undergone many alterations over the last century most noticeably with the painting-over of the upper level windows and the addition of a dark and sombre street canopy.
The heritage restoration of the façade has reopened all the upper level windows to allow the inner life of the store to be revealed to the city while a new transparent street canopy ensures an uninterrupted view of the façade from the Bourke Street Mall.
The Little Bourke Street façade has been completely rebuilt as a contemporary counterpoint to its 1920’s Bourke Street companion.
The distinctive harlequin pattern across the façade is a geometric interpretation of the Art Deco motifs found throughout the old store. The façade pattern is further extended into a series of three dimensional display windows designed to allow views into the upper levels of the store from the narrow street below.
The redevelopment of Myer’s city store represents a vision of a contemporary department store for a new generation of Melbournians and ensures it will continue to be a contributor to the life and times of the city.
ACCOLADES
• Australian Institute of Architects, National Award for Commercial Architecture, 2011
• Australian Institute of Architects, National Awards – Commercial Architecture Award
• Oracle World Retail Awards – Store Design of the Year
• API Excellence in Property Awards (EIPA) – Charter Keck Cramer Development Award
• Australian Institute of Architects, Victoria Awards – Sir Osborn McCutcheon Award for Commercial Architecture
• Shortlisted - 2011 World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards (the WAF Awards) – Completed Buildings, New & Old
PRODUCTS
EXTERNAL COMPOSITE ALUMINIUM, SPECIAL COLOURS, CONCRETE SYSTEMS
STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS
FACADES
MEINHARDT
PERFORMANCE GLASS, POWDERCOATED STEEL, PRECAST CONCRETE
BRIGHTON LIGHT COLOUR
ROOF
HH ROBERTSON
INTERNAL COMPOSITE ALUMINIUM, PAINTED PLASTERBOARDS, LIFTS
OTIS ELEVATOR CO
MIRRORED ACRYLIC, PRECAST CONCRETE
ADVANCE PRECAST
STAINLESS STEEL, RENDERED CONCRETE, AUSTRALIAN HARDWOOD, CEILINGS
CONCEPT CEILINGS
COMCRAFT
TILING
DEFAZIO COMMERCIAL FLOORING
