Construction has commenced on Younghusband in Melbourne’s Kensington, regarded as the largest carbon-neutral adaptive reuse precinct in the garden city.

Designed by Woods Bagot, the new precinct will create a vibrant village that intersects commercial and retail. The first stage will preserve and showcase the heritage of the century-old woolsheds, which will be transformed into over 17,000 sqm of premium office space. A town centre, village-style F&B offerings and an activated retail laneway will also be constructed.

The second stage sees an additional 14,000 sqm of net lettable areas created. This includes a new-build contemporary office building that references surrounding silos through a shimmering, permeable curved façade spanning seven levels and includes an adjoining glass-clad extension with hipped roofs that mimic the adjoining heritage buildings visual language whilst maintaining the historic façade to Elizabeth Street.

The final stage, pending approval, encompasses a six-level, A-grade office tower at the junction of Chelmsford and Elizabeth Streets, with cascading greenery and a large public zone to encourage foot traffic, dwell and permeability through the precinct.

Woods Bagot Principal Peter Miglis says the redevelopment seeks to restore the red brick exteriors of the warehouses and their hipped roofs to their former glory.

“For generations, these buildings have been impenetrable heritage monuments that people couldn't access,” he says.

“This design flings open that history for the first time, creating a community asset and modern workplace that utilises an incredible location and the demand for authentic, contemporary office environments.

“Sustainability might have been challenging to achieve for existing buildings in the past, but our approach has taken into account the retention of existing materials to reduce waste, the use of sustainable new materials where required and 100 percent renewable energy including rooftop solar, battery storage and no gas.”

Younghusband has been designed to achieve a number of high-level sustainability certifications, including a 5.5 Star NABERS Office Energy (Base Building), 4.5 Star NABERS Water, 6-star Green Star Design, WELL Core v2 Gold and WELL Platinum, as well as being fully carbon neutral.

Built Managing Director and CEO Brett Mason says tenants are now being sought for the first stage.

“Younghusband will create Melbourne’s largest carbon-neutral adaptive reuse precinct, reimagining and revitalising one of the city’s largest heritage sites and creating a connected and sustainable destination for work and play,” he says.

“With a design and construction principles guided by sustainability and heritage preservation from the ground-up, Younghusband will create an environment where the past is respected and engineered for a sustainable future.”

Younghusband forms part of the vision of the Andrews Government’s Macaulay Precinct, with the project to house over 10,000 residents and 9,500 jobs by 2051. The first two stages of the project have received planning approval, with construction underway on the first stage ahead of a mid-2024 completion.

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