A 10-storey office building designed by Hassell will be built above the new underground Metro Tunnel Town Hall Station at an iconic Melbourne intersection, with the state government giving the project the green light.
Dubbed Town Hall Place, the building will sit next to the famous 1861 Young and Jackson Hotel across from Flinders Street Station.
“The proposal for 25 Swanston will complete the Swanston and Flinders Street intersection by providing a building that is contextually appropriate and beautifully proportioned,” said Hassell principal Andrew Low. “It will be a self-assured, confident building that will establish an enduring civic counterpoint to the inherently ‘expressive’ characteristics of the surrounding buildings.”
Town Hall Place by Hassell.
Image: Lendlease
The project, a Lendlease development, will deliver about 16,000 square metres of A-grade commercial floor space. A new ground-level arcade will be lined with 2,000 square metres of retail and dining, and Scott and Cocker Alleys will also be refreshed.
“The integration of a building that links up a major rail station with new internal public spaces will complete the tapestry of active fine-grained laneways to re-connect Melbourne’s pedestrian network,” Low said.
The City of Melbourne recommended the proposal for approval in 2022, and the planning has recently been approved. The office building will be all electric and will target three ratings: 6 Star Green Star Design, As Built v1.3 and WELL Gold Core. Construction is expected to commence in 2024.
