The design pairing of Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects have been recognised by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) for their Collins Arch project at the Council’s 2022 awards ceremony.
Located at the epicentre of Melbourne’s CBD, the practice’s regard Collins Arch as the first ‘true’ mixed-use precinct in Australia. The project encompasses a pair of 164-metre-high towers connected by a sky bridge and comprises 184 apartments, a new five-star hotel, nearly 50,000 sqm of WELL-rated offices and 950 sqm of ground-floor retail.
Collins Arch was awarded the Best Tall Mixed-Use Building and Best Tall Building Australia at the CTBUH Awards. Following the presentation of the project at a three-day conference in Chicago, Woods Bagot CEO Nik Karalis says both practices are grateful for the recognition of Collins Arch on an international scale.
"From the start, we knew that Collins Arch was destined to make a significant contribution to Melbourne's central business district by being the catalyst for urban revitalization,” he says.
"Working with our design partners, SHoP Architects, and the client, Cbus Property, Woods Bagot realised our aspiration of transformative architecture. We are grateful to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat for recognizing our vision by awarding the project two of its coveted Awards of Excellence.
“While the height and scale of Collins Arch are significant, the ways the project serves its community are also sources of great pride."
Karalis was joined by ShoP Architects’ Founding Principal, William Sharples, and Cbus Property’s Executive General Manager of Development, Victor Istanto, at the conference to consider the theme of Tall Excellence: Seeking the Ideal in Vertical Urbanism. Winners were announced at the conclusion of the conference.
The project’s island site ensures connectivity with the ground plane, with an amphitheatre, integrated walking wall and public spaces utilised by the public.
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat looks to explore how vertical growth in metropolitan areas can result in sustainable and healthy cities. For the full list of winners, click here.
