EastCo, an 11-storey commercial tower in Ringwood designed by Fender Katsalidis for QIC, has commenced construction.
Located at 110 Maroondah Highway, EastCo will form part of the Ringwood public square and add to the lively precinct that complements nearby Eastland.
The project plays into the decentralisation of offices from the CBD and city-fringe suburbs, as Ringwood is fast-becoming an active commercial hub in Melbourne’s outer east.
The development is fully pre-committed to the Victorian Department of Transport, set to occupy all six levels of office space once construction is complete.
Fender Katsalidis director Craig Baudin says the design intends to engage with the existing retail, pedestrian and transit areas.
“The building will be a distinct fixture in the skyline with its sweeping curves. It will complement the existing buildings at the ground level while offering a more sculptural podium above,” he says.
“We have responded to QIC’s mixed-use vision for Eastland, and the potential for this project to be a gateway marking the southern entry into the precinct.
“The ultimate aim is for EastCo to serve the future commercial needs of the area while making a positive urban contribution to the dynamic mixed-use precinct,” adds Baudin.
The façade is defined by three distinct yet united layers to encapsulate the multiple facets of the single building – the lobby areas, elevated carpark and six levels of office space.
The ground plane is designed with the human scale in mind, transparent to encourage interaction with the streetscape.
Above is the middle band, a sculptural and textural screen masking the carpark and the upper section has a glass façade which softly integrates with the sky.
The development aligns with Maroondah Council’s Ringwood Metropolitan Activity Centre Masterplan by helping to establish a mixed-use centre that promotes high-quality urban design.
QIC managing director, Michael O’Brien, said the construction of EastCo represents the next step in QIC’s contribution to creating a thriving business and lifestyle hub at the centre of the burgeoning Ringwood region.
“We are progressing our long-held vision for Ringwood’s commercial and civic reinvigoration, which we have cultivated with local and state government partners over several years,” Mr O’Brien said.
“We aim to raise the bar for considered workplace design while collaborating closely with our pre-committed tenants, and we look forward to delivering a future-ready facility in early 2022.”
EastCo is expected to be completed in early 2022.
