James Wilson - 2002 RAIA & COLORBOND steel Student Biennale Finalist

Project Summary

The Melbourne City Council currently have a desire to bring all their 150+ functions under the one central facility, aiming to set a benchmark for future office development in the Melbourne CBD. This ‘new’ office typology revolves around an increased desire for social interaction and environmental concerns.

The complex social brief drives the office interior, squeezing and twisting floorplates to respond to programmatic connections. This creates a series of interstitial voids and physical links, enabling high levels of interaction. ESD issues are conceptualised as integral to both physical and social form.

Retention of title complexity in the urban form inspires a division of public spaces in the lower podium levels, the twisting titles returning a sense of intrigue to the pedestrian experience.

Melbourne City Council Offices

Jury Comments

As an office building, the project must contend with the realities of a highly refined type, and at the same time meet the Council’s desire for the “new office” environment and environmentally sustainable development. The resolution of the ground level, integrating into the Melbourne fabric, is well thought out, interfacing commercial and public space as a podium. The recognition of the means of achieving realistic ESD responses is praiseworthy, as is the strategy to elaborate the generic office-scape. However, while successfully raising key issues for contemporary office development, it is unconvincing. The ESD issues seem conventional and under emphasized in the form, contradicted by the skin-and-fin system selected for the building. Indeed the symbolic potential of this unique brief is unfulfilled.