Bates Smart release new designs for 435 Bourke Street in response to Melbourne City Council height amendment request
The highly anticipated new addition to the Melbourne skyline, 435 Bourke Street, has undergone a significant design iteration process to ensure it meets council compliance and regulation. A Future Melbourne Committee meeting to be held on the 15th of October will reach a final decision regarding the building’s height, which Bates Smart has reduced from 58 to 49 floors (including basement levels) since the first planning application was submitted in 2018.
Despite upsetting many skyscraper enthusiasts, one of the main reasons for height reduction from 250m to 181.875m was due to the overshadowing of the streetscape and Yarra River throughout certain periods of the day.
While older buildings may exceed modern shadow limitations (as seen on the map above), modern skyscrapers such as 435 Bourke Street (depicted in the green shadows above) must follow stricter compliance guidelines.
In addition to the height change, one bank of lifts will also be removed, however, the ground floor layout will remain unchanged. With regard to heritage overlays, the site has been assessed, and the conclusion was drawn that the existing heritage building was of poor structural condition, meaning a new street-level tower podium will be constructed in its place.
“A number of structural engineers have assessed the condition of the building’s façade and have concluded that the façade is in poor structural condition and therefore retention of the building is not possible/viable.”
Comment sourced from Future Melbourne Committee meeting agenda
New designs by Bates Smart
According to a report by Urbis, Melbourne's CBD is likely to require an additional 4.4 million square metres of office space over the next 17 years. The majority of 435 Bourke Street will be dedicated to commercial tenancies, catering to high demand for additional workspaces within central Melbourne. The tower will also provide a range of modern amenities, including a lavish wellness hub, sprawling landscaped terraces and a selection of retail offerings.
Completion is currently slated for 2023 (subject to change).
What are your thoughts on the revised design? Let us know in the comments section below.
Lead images: L-R: 2018 tower render, 2019 revised tower render. Credit: Bates Smart.