Claimed to be Melbourne’s greenest city precinct when completed, Melbourne Quarter (MQ) is set to get the final piece in its puzzle with Lendlease saying it has lodged plans for the precinct’s third and final commercial tower, Two Melbourne Quarter, at 697 Collins Street.
Positioned directly opposite Southern Cross Station and bordered by Collins and Flinders Streets, with approximately 49,000sqm of office space set across 2.5 hectares, this third building will have an additional 800sqm of retail space and will be designed to cater for more a range of flexible workplaces across the precinct.
At 25 levels, the office tower has been designed by architects Woods Bagot and will aim for a 6 star Green Star rating and a 5 star NABERS energy rating.
In terms of progress, Melbourne Quarter is quickly taking shape with construction continuing on the precinct’s first office building, One Melbourne Quarter, and planning approval of Melbourne Quarter Tower in March this year.
According to Lendlease’s managing director for urban regeneration, Mark Menhinnitt, the precinct is pivotal due to its location on Collins Street and its close connectivity to Southern Cross Station is a positive for city workers.
“Melbourne Quarter’s integrated commercial towers will showcase a leading architectural design set amongst the precinct’s tranquil, technology-enabled outdoor working spaces, with a strong focus on green initiatives, access to the city’s first elevated Skypark and retailers to support a better work life balance,” Menhinnitt said.
Preliminary work to the Collins Street deck that has also begun, which when complete, will create a new public domain, including a major new public square on Collins Street, while also connecting the precinct’s three commercial towers.
The first stage of restoration works on the heritage-listed Flinders Street wall, located within the Melbourne Quarter site, is now also complete.
Two Melbourne Quarter is one of seven commercial and residential buildings planned for the precinct, and when complete, will offer approximately 130,000sqm of office space, and will ultimately cater for a workforce of over 12,000 employees.
According to a Lendlease spopkesperson, "The architects for the Two Melbourne Quarter is Woods Bagot. The other two commercial towers, One Melbourne Quarter and Melbourne Quarter Tower, will be designed by Denton Corker Marshall."
Accoridng to the company there are a number of designs that were employed in this build that were unique.
"Two Melbourne Quarter has a side core floorplate arrangement. The core is located on the western aspect as a key sustainability principle to minimise the solar heat load. This arrangement has the additional benefit of orientating the floorplate with high performance glazed façade to front the principle public space within Melbourne Quarter<" said Lendlease.
"The façade has a layering of sunshades, spandrels and fritting located with direct relationship to the orientation and heat loading."
"Extensive parametric modelling has been undertaken to create a dynamic design response of the façade. The urban and historical context has been reinforced with creating key pedestrian connections. This is coupled with a considered use of scale, materials and details, which allows the building to highly contextual streetscape and pedestrian experience," according to the company.
When it comes sustainability, Lendleas said, "Two Melbourne Quarter will target 6 star Green Star rating and a 5 star NABERS energy rating. The orientation and arrangement of the floorplate and design of the high performance façade contributes to these targets."
The design incorporated internal voids strategically within the floor to allow for interconnectivity of floors for tenants encouraging movement of people and reducing the energy use of lifts."
Furthermore, the company said, "The design incorporates well connected and generous end of trip facilities to encourage cycling to work and support active users during the day."
