Crone Architects complete ANMF’s new Melbourne headquarters

The Crone architectural firm recently completed a striking new Melbourne headquarters for the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation (ANMF). 

Located between the CBD and major universities, the 10-storey building at 535 Elizabeth Street is a contemporary addition to Melbourne’s educational precinct, designed to house the member-based organisation that represents nurses, midwives and carers and provides access to industrial, professional and legal representation, education and training facilities. 

Kieran Gleeson, Crone director and Melbourne principal said in a nod to Melbourne’s laneway culture, Crone created an internal ‘street’ through the building to provide a pedestrian thoroughfare between Elizabeth and O’Connell Streets.

The podium facade then wraps around into this internal laneway, continuing the external materiality indoors and blurring the lines between internal and external streetscapes. 

The interior is divided into three distinct areas – conference, education and workplace – with spaces designed to be flexible, changing from social spaces into informal teaching spaces with operable walls and divisible boardrooms.

At the centre of the building is a four-storey void with a dramatic staircase providing a sculptural link from the ground up through to the education levels. 

On ground level, there is a dramatic 400-seat auditorium is highly visible to visitors as they enter the building, featuring faceted timber walls and ceiling that draws the eye towards the central retractable screen and stage while providing a high level of acoustic performance. 

Lisa Fitzpatrick, ANMF (Victorian Branch) secretary, said there were more than 80,000 ANMF members.