Hassell has announced that the cornerstone of its major Melbourne transport project, Melbourne Metro’s Town Hall Station, is currently on track to open a year ahead of its scheduled timeframe, ensuring the City Square will be returned to the community well ahead of originally planned.
Town Hall Station forms part of the Metro Tunnel Project, one of five new stations designed by Hassell, Weston Williamson + Partners, and RSHP. Town Hall was due to open to the public in 2026, but that opening date has been brought 12 months forward.
Construction work has now moved to installing eight columns within the concourse – the defining feature of the design – following the dismantling of the noise-cancelling shed over City Square.
Hassell Principal Mark Loughnan says the design has been crafted with people as priority one.
“City Square will once again become an activated and lively public space, a key destination and meeting place as well as a beautiful new arrival experience amongst the fabric of Melbourne for residents and visitors alike.”
Located directly beneath Melbourne’s City Square, Town Hall Station sits in close proximity to Federation Square and Southbank. It will boast cathedral-like arched ceilings as well as some of the widest – most accessible – platforms in the world. City Square will now become a major social hub following the construction timeline being moved forward, with an abundance of native green trees to be planted to create an urban oasis.
“The spectacular Town Hall Station concourse will take people from City Square above to turn-up-and-go train services connecting the city and suburbs,” says Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Jacinta Allan.
The Victorian Government hopes that it will be able to reopen a section of Flinders Street that has been shut off for four years. When complete, the entire Metro Tunnel will increase the network’s capacity, allowing approximately 500,000 extra travellers.
