Woods Bagot has announced that the Melbourne Quarter Tower, developed by Lendlease, has topped out, with the modular sloping roof now being installed and concrete core capped at its final height.

The tower is the final piece of the 2.5-hectare urban regeneration precinct at the western quadrant of Melbourne’s CBD. Melbourne Quarter Tower bridges a hap in the built form on Collins Street, ensuring the streetscape is cohesive and united between the CBD and Docklands.

“Reaching the final heights of Melbourne Quarter Tower brings us one step closer to completing the third and final next-generation commercial building of the vibrant Melbourne Quarter precinct that has been regenerating this area of Docklands for nearly ten years,” says Lendlease Project Director, Christopher Munn.

“Located on Collins Street and opposite Southern Cross Station, Melbourne Quarter Tower offers excellent connectivity and is being built to target the highest international standards in wellness and sustainability with highly flexible workspaces and an environment where progressive organisations and their people can thrive.

“The delivery of Melbourne Quarter Tower will see the completion of exceptional public amenity and activated places in the precinct, including the city’s first elevated sky park – a spectacular green space for office workers and visitors to enjoy.”

Woods Bagot Principal Hazel Porter explains that the roof comprises prefabricated modules assembled offsite. Transported via truck, the panels are easy to install given their modular nature, and when complete, will soar well above the top floor.

“The roof modules had to be craned from Wurundjeri Way, several levels below actual ground, all the way to level 34,” she says.

melbourne quarter tower

“Each panel is placed by crane with extreme precision under very tight tolerance –it’s quite an incredible feat.”

Seven cascading tenant levels sit on the top floor, with eight-metre operable skylights sitting above the heads of occupants. A specialised building maintenance unit (BMU) has been developed in order to navigate the roof’s complex surface, driving down the centre on running gear akin to a rollercoaster.

“The sweeping roof design is fitted with six giant skylights, embedded with custom louvres for maximum natural light,” says Associate Principal David Christie.

“Beneath the curved roof, the terraced floorplates provide dramatic volumes with unparalleled views of the CBD –it’s truly a space like nothing else in Melbourne.”

The building’s curvaceous facade differentiates it from One Melbourne Quarter and Two Melbourne Quarter. Looking out towards the west, the concave face addresses the ‘village’ of Melbourne Square, creating a shaded space in the centre of the precinct, while the convex face expresses a robust form back towards the city.

The podium, which comprises the retail section of the building and the final portion of the Sky Park, features a different textural palette compared to the rest of the building. An arrival space, situated between the retail outlets will house 69,000 sqm of workspace.

The entire Melbourne Quarter precinct will soon play host to 14,000 workers. The completion of Melbourne Quarter Tower will also facilitate the opening of the precinct’s Wellness Building, public square, and Sky Park, with construction slated for mid-2024.

Jarrod Reedie

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