<ul>
	<li>Striking architectural presence on the waterfront.</li>
	<li>Sweeping panoramic city and Docklands views.</li>
	<li>Light filled apartments located in a vibrant master-planned community.</li>
</ul>

Urban's three favourite things about Forge:

Forge Tower - 81 South Wharf Drive, Docklands

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The first stage of Mirvac’s Wharf Entrance precinct within Yarra's Edge is nearing completion, with the $200 million Forge residential tower topping out recently. With Forge's topping out ceremony held in recent days, the event also represents a construction milestone for Wharfs Entrance in that it marks the beginning of the end of Mirvac’s Yarra’s Edge precinct.

Construction within the then new precinct began in the early 2000's.

<blockquote>
The topping out of Forge is a significant milestone in this new landmark on Melbourne’s skyline. Forge anchors the Wharf’s Entrance at Yarra’s Edge precinct, providing a distinct new look and fostering a community of diverse residents who want to embrace waterside living.
<cite>John Carfi, Head of Residential, Mirvac</cite>
</blockquote>

The 30-storey tower comprises 228 apartments, of which there are 29 different apartment types. Mirvac's design team were tasked with "designing something different" to what has come before at Yarra's Edge.

Employing concrete, steel and glass, Forge has been designed to respond to its context which has strongly influenced its form. Its location at the threshold between city and bay has resulted in the tower having a dual personality which addresses two distinct conditions.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/30082010340_96719b62c9_b.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The 30-storey Forge nears completion at Wharfs Entrance. Photo: Sydney Struwig"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/30082010340_96719b62c9_b.jpg?itok=9h2f5ZzN" title="The 30-storey Forge nears completion at Wharfs Entrance. Photo: Sydney Struwig" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The 30-storey Forge nears completion at Wharfs Entrance. Photo: Sydney Struwig</figcaption></figure>The river side of Forge responds to its immediate context via its sweeping curved glazed form reflecting the movement of the Yarra river as it rises and ripples, announcing the precinct to drivers approaching from the Bolte Bridge, while also acting as the terminus to the Bourke Street axis. Forge's southern side brings a strong urban element that responds to the bayside context of Port Melbourne with strong horizontal white bands.

The building's distinct curve, combined with floor to ceiling glazing allows for a range of expansive views that encompass the water, bright lights of the CBD and Port Phillip Bay to the south.

The 100 metre tall building sits atop a 5-storey podium that also includes 302 parking spaces, 84 bike spaces and 229sqm of retail at ground level, which interfaces with the new Wharf's Landing park. With over 75 per cent of apartments sold, Forge is attracting a broad range of residents through a mix of apartments that appeal to different interests.

This has been achieved with Forge introducing a variety of new apartment options to Yarra’s Edge including five one and two-bedroom artist studios, 10 one-bedroom lofts, 56 one-bedroom apartments, two two-bedroom maisonettes, 111 two-bedroom apartments, five three-bedroom terraces and 39 three-bedroom apartments ranging up to 150sqm in size.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_0458.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Forge stands alone for the time being. Image: Mark Baljak"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="411" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_0458.jpg?itok=2XUzlQ2L" title="Forge stands alone for the time being. Image: Mark Baljak" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Forge stands alone for the time being. Image: Mark Baljak</figcaption></figure>With full completion slated for early to mid 2017, Mirvac will turn its attention to Stage 2 of Wharfs Entrance, with the $128 million Voyager as its centrepiece. The 43-storey tower will rise 138 metres making it the tallest of all the Yarra's Edge towers and will feature 315 apartments with a mix of 62 one-bedroom; 186 two-bedroom and 67 three-bedroom apartments ranging from $495,000 to $2 million.

A rooftop resident's garden retreat called 'The Societe' will crown the tower.

Construction is expected to commence in March-April 2017, and with over 50% of apartments accounted for, completion of Voyager is expected during late 2019.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/voyager.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Voyager marks the second stage of Wharf's entrance. Image courtesy of Mirvac"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="370" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/voyager.png?itok=r1PwHGEQ" title="Voyager marks the second stage of Wharf's entrance. Image courtesy of Mirvac" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Voyager marks the second stage of Wharf's entrance. Image courtesy of Mirvac</figcaption></figure>
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Laurence Dragomir

Mirvac's Forge tops out with Voyager on the horizon

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Back in sunny February developer Mirvac lodged an application for a 30-storey tower, in part forming the first stage of the Bolte Precinct. Spearheading the westernmost strip of land within Yarra's Edge, the proposed tower at 160-186 Lorimer Street will effectively be the eighth built at Yarra's Edge, number 9 overall, but officially Tower 10 - work that one out!

The 4,000sqm site will have a future interface with the high-density Lorimer Precinct to the south, which forms part of the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Yarras%20Edge%20Site.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Yarra's Edge site aerial."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="149" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Yarras%20Edge%20Site.jpg?itok=L2wILbgy" title="Yarra's Edge site aerial." width="580"></a>
<figcaption>Yarra's Edge site aerial.</figcaption></figure>The boot shaped Tower 10 sits atop a 5-storey podium which rises 19.5m for an overall height of 100 metres (RL100.175). As per the planning application, 229 dwellings (none of which rely on borrowed light), 302 parking spaces, 84 bike spaces and 229sqm of retail at ground level are included.

The breakdown of apartments is as follows: 118 one bedroom, 71 two bedroom and 40 three+ bedroom dwellings. Apartments have been introduced to the podium in order to veil an above ground car parking structure, always a welcomed result.

Architecturally the tower has a similar DNA to Yarra Point but with a much more fluid form that responds to prevailing windy conditions. Visually the proposal will form the termination of the Bourke Street axis - a critical vista from within Docklands. Curiously there has been a departure away from procuring designs via competitive entry (Wood Marsh delivering Tower 5 &amp; 6) in favour of in-house design.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/YE9_L1%20PLAN.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Level 01 plan."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="401" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/YE9_L1%20PLAN.jpg?itok=hZL1Xp5I" title="Level 01 plan." width="580"></a>
<figcaption>Level 01 plan.</figcaption></figure>History will show that only T5 was built as per Wood Marsh's vision with Mirvac Design taking over design duties for Tower 6 which has since become <a href="http://www.arraybymirvac.com/home">Array</a> (currently under construction), the feminine counterpart to the masculine T5. My biggest criticism is the predominantly bare concrete podium articulation along Lorimer Street which will become a primary facade once the Lorimer Precinct begins to develop - a somewhat short term approach for a long term structure holding a prominent position.

Design Development Overlay 49 (DDO49) allows for a single or twin tower development rising a maximum height of 130m and it would have been good to see that extra 30m utilised for a proportionally more slender tower in keeping with the heights of T5 &amp; Array. Perhaps the neighbouring Tower 11 will go all the way in the not-too-distant future?

Overall it would appear that the City of Melbourne support the proposal which has undergone a number of design iterations via workshops, so official Ministerial approval is expected soon enough.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/YE9_from%20river%2002.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Tower 10 aerial with a glimpse of Tower 09 in the distance."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="349" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/YE9_from%20river%2002.jpg?itok=lvKdrx1F" title="Tower 10 aerial with a glimpse of Tower 09 in the distance." width="580"></a>
<figcaption>Tower 10 aerial with a glimpse of Tower 09 in the distance.</figcaption></figure>Until next time I'll leave you with an image hinting at the height and form of Tower 09 (in the distance above), expected to be the tallest of all within Yarra's Edge.
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Forge Tower

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Urban's three favourite things about Forge:

Development information for Forge Tower

Meet the team behind Forge Tower

Location of Forge Tower

News about Forge Tower

Mirvac's Forge tops out with Voyager on the horizon

The Edge of Tomorrow > 160-186 Lorimer Street, Docklands

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