Blue Sky's ambitious student accommodation project: 42-50 La Trobe Street

Blue Sky's ambitious student accommodation project: 42-50 La Trobe Street
Mark BaljakOctober 13, 2015

Brisbane-based asset manager Blue Sky is behind a proposed tower that would see near on 800 additional student beds added to the Melbourne sector. Lodged with DELWP only last week, the proposal calls for a 47 level bronze tower, replacing dual historic buildings onsite in the process.

Both existing structures are not subject to heritage controls and are slated for demolition.

Blue Sky's expected entry into the Melbourne student housing market comes at a time when a host of other developers are looking to supply thousands of additional beds to cater for strong demand. Scape Student Living alone is looking to deliver in excess of 2,000 student beds nearby on the intersection of La Trobe and Swanston.

Application summary

Blue Sky's ambitious student accommodation project: 42-50 La Trobe Street
Rendered perspective of 42-50 La Trobe Street. Image courtesy Hayball
  • Application lodged: October 2015
  • Site area: 1,321sqm
  • Proposed 47 level tower @ approximately 150 metres
  • plot ratio of 1:20
  • Total student beds: 793
  • 65% Studio, 13% 2 bed shared, 22% 5 bed cluster rooms
  • 0 car parks and 159 bicycle spaces
  • 1,004sqm internal communal space
  • Total GFA: 26,700sqm

A snake skin exterior

Blue Sky's ambitious student accommodation project: 42-50 La Trobe Street
Facade study as prepared by Hayball

42-50 La Trobe Street is set to be clad in bronze metallic modules which overlap, creating an exterior that architects Hayball believe mimics that of a snake skin. The offset panels when viewed in totality will appear to change, with Hayball describing the result as a "subtle shimmer in contrast to the flush, silver-green glazed facade of Trillium" which is currently under construction and abuts the subject site.

At 47 levels the tower ranks as the tallest proposal in this pocket of the CBD, with only the existing 56 levels of Abode 318 taller. Directly opposite 42-50 La Trobe Street, Melbourne developer VIMG recently gained approval via VCAT for a 44 level residential tower at 141 La Trobe Street,.

A new public lane

Blue Sky's ambitious student accommodation project: 42-50 La Trobe Street
The through link from La Trobe Street to Bell Place. Image courtesy Hayball

The proposal outlined within this report is intended to create an invitation to occupy. The ground plane will be a verdant, attractive and high quality landscape for the amenity of the users of the city.

The project creates a transition between La Trobe Street and Mackenzie Street by providing a fine grain lane space. The invitation to enter the lane and to linger is provided by a richly textured timber wall. The wall allows intriguing crevices for the purpose of seating, planting, lighting and exhibition.

The contrast between existing blue stone paving and the proposed natural timber and planting creates an ambient glow and feeling of intimacy within the bustling city environment.

Haybal: Urban Context Report

Communal spaces to the fore

Blue Sky's ambitious student accommodation project: 42-50 La Trobe Street
Images of the communal spaces within the proposed development. Image courtesy Hayball

42-50 La Trobe Street is flush with communal areas, all of which hold prominent positions within the proposal. In addition to the quintessential ‘Melbourne Laneway’ public space incorporated into the project, further communal areas are located at levels 1, 12-13, 36-37 and at the roof line.

Level 1 provides a reading room perched above the laneway in additional to a communal kitchen and function area. The double height void of levels 12 and 13 sees an informal area with lounges, cinema and videogame spaces in addition to an external terrace.

Level 36 and 37 are considered as a collaborative space, encapsulating hot-desks, break-out spaces and study coves while the roof level provides students with indoor/outdoor facilities for exercise and socialising.

Development team

  • Developer: La Trobe Street Property Trust (Blue Sky Funds)
  • Architect: Hayball
  • Planning: Urbis
  • Traffic and Transport: TTM Consulting PTY LTD
  • Waste Management: Leigh Design
  • Wind and Acoustic: Vipac
  • ESD and Building Services: Simpson Kotzman
  • Structural Engineer: McVeigh
  • Building Surveyor: Mckenzie Group
  • Landscape: Oculus
  • Facade Engineer: Inhabit

Mark Baljak

Mark Baljak was a co-founder of Urban.com.au. He passed away on Thursday 8th of November 2018 after a battle with cancer. He was 37. Mark was a keen traveller, having visited all six permanently-inhabited continents and had a love of craft beer. One of his biggest passions was observing the change that has occurred in Melbourne over the past two decades. In that time he built an enormous library of photos, all taken by him, which tracked the progress of construction on building sites from across metropolitan Melbourne.

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