The Trillium - 36 La Trobe Street, Melbourne

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The CBD's northern end is in full bloom so to speak as a variety of high-rise projects rapidly progress from paper designs to reality.

So much so one only needs to crane one's head skyward to see multiple tower cranes dotting the skyline in all directions. Hand in hand with this fundamental change to the look and feel of the CBD's northern reaches is the injection of purple facades over certain skyscrapers as design practice Elenberg Fraser seek to break the ubiquitous blue of many a Melbourne skyscraper. 

No less than 12 towers are under construction in the area, with the combined numbers as follows: 723 new student accommodation beds, 208 serviced apartments and 5,475 apartments.

See below a pictorial update of the CBD's emerging 'new face' 

<h2>Elizabeth Street's Big Four</h2>

<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/image8_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Having all your ducks in a row along Elizabeth Street"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="1244" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image8_5.jpg?itok=KJKRql3C" title="Having all your ducks in a row along Elizabeth Street" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Having all your ducks in a row : Empire, Light House, Victoria One and Vision Tower</figcaption></figure>They are indeed the 'Big Four' with Empire the shortest at 198 metres. Seen in the top image above, Brady's Vision Tower is all but externally complete whilst Victoria One, Light House and Empire's visible jump forms round out the quartet.

Under the guidance of Probuild both Victoria One and Empire's jump forms have skipped ahead of their respective floor plates, whilst Brookfiled Multiplex's Light House has employed a common placing boom to pour both floor plate and core, thus the difference in appearance.

In terms of physical finishes Light House shapes as being the most striking, with the undulating Elenberg Fraser-designed tower already showing some unique purple design features over its early levels. Victoria One has received its first glazed facade panels whilst the golden fins of Empire continue to rise rapidly.

<h2>La Trobe Street bulks up</h2>

<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/image9_6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="La Trobe Street also maintains strong construction activity"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="719" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image9_6.jpg?itok=vZDKtJ1o" title="La Trobe Street also maintains strong construction activity" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>La Trobe Street also maintains strong construction activity</figcaption></figure>La Trobe Street has a case of the blues with three towers nearing completion and sporting predominantly blue facades. Hickory Group's La Trobe Tower build is racing toward its structural completion thanks to the Hickory Building System whilst nearby Eporo Tower is also close to topping out.

Further along La Trobe Street and the ultra thin Trillium Tower is also approaching its final height under the guidance of head contractor Built.

Whilst not on La Trobe Street but in close proximity, EQ Tower is approximately half way to its ultimate height. Sporting a uniform purple facade, the highly overt build has brought another shade of Elenberg Fraser purple to the area.

<h2>Down and dirty</h2>

<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/image7_8.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Projects yet to break ground level"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="407" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image7_8.jpg?itok=0Cxw9SjQ" title="Projects yet to break ground level" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Projects yet to break ground level</figcaption></figure>Aurora Melbourne Central, Avant, Scape Swanston Street and Conservatory are all currently at a preliminary stage of construction centred around site ground works.

Avant seen above left will have its core soon enough with footings in place whilst Scape Swanston has made rapid progression over the last month, with its tower crane starter already in place.

<h2>Future builds on the radar</h2>

Future builds for the area are headed by the twin-towered Queens Place development and Scape La Trobe Street which are well into their respective development processes.  

Future paper developments such as 48-52 La Trobe Street, the expected 200 metre Munro site tower, 98-102 Franklin Street, 97 Franklin Street and 111-125 A'Beckett Street as well as the extension to Melbourne Central Station as part of the Melbourne Metro Rail project will ensure Melbourne's Northern CBD will continue to see healthy levels of construction for some years to come.
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silvermb

The CBD's northern construction boom in colour

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The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its updated regional population growth figures on Wednesday and at 14,114 people per square kilometre, the Melbourne CBD sits as the second most densely populated area of the country behind Pyrmont-Ultimo in Sydney (15,117 people per square kilometre) .

Based on development underway and in the pipeline - in the sheer number of projects and the size of them - the Melbourne CBD is likely to be in pole position within 12-24 months.

The density statistics are based on the ABS' <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/88F6A0EDEB8879C0CA257801000C64D9">"SA2</a>" regions and the Melbourne CBD SA2 area is bounded by the Yarra, Flinders Street, Spring Street, Victoria Street, Peel/William Street, La Trobe Street and Spencer Street (refer to the lead image above).

The merits of eventually being the most densely populated part of Australia - using the ABS methodology - are likely to be contested, however the oncoming ascension to the premier position is notable given the state of affairs in Melbourne's CBD 30 years ago.

I wonder if the City of Melbourne would have thought it possible in the 1980s that their heartland was to one day become the country's most densely populated?

We've come a long way since the early days of postcode 3000.

On June 30th 2015, the population of Melbourne's CBD stood at 33,433 according to the ABS data and the area bounded by the streets and river mentioned above measures 2.4 square kilometres.

Looking ahead over the next five to ten years it's not going to be a gradual ascension to the top of the ABS' SA2 density league tables, it's more likely to be akin to a violent, out-of-control steamroller driven by an angry mob that is going to set the bar incredibly high.

<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/collins_st_5pm_ngv.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="John Brack's &quot;Collins Street, 5pm&quot; painted in 1955. Image via NGV"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="408" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/collins_st_5pm_ngv.jpg?itok=EFu9Znqn" title="John Brack's &quot;Collins Street, 5pm&quot; painted in 1955. Image via NGV" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>John Brack's "Collins Street, 5pm" painted in 1955. Image via <a href="http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/3161/">NGV</a></figcaption></figure>Consider the following.

We're tracking 68 residential, student accommodation or mixed-use projects on the Urban.com.au Project Database located within the Melbourne SA2 and they have a combined 27,000-30,000 dwellings.

18 of the projects are currently under construction which together will produce 6000-7000 dwellings. According to the <a href="http://melbournepopulation.geografia.com.au/areas/CLSA01">City of Melbourne</a>, the average household size in the CBD standas at 1.91 and is forecast to decrease to 1.44 over the longer term.

The number of dwellings under construction could equate to a further 8500 to 10,000 new residents when using the longer-term household size forecast, potentially boosting the total population to 42,000-43,500 and increasing the population density of 17,500-18,125.

11 projects have a sales campaign underway and that, in total, is another 5000 dwellings in the pipeline with the potential to provide space for 7,200 new residents.

The remaining 39 projects being assessed by council or the Minister and those that are already approved total 16,000-18,000 dwellings; creating enough living space for 23,000-26,000 new Melburnists.

Even if only half the projects in the pipeline - everything except what's currently under construction - were to eventually be built and tenanted, that's could equate to a further 15,000-17,000 new Melbourne CBD residents.

Doubling the population and therefore the population density of Melbourne's CBD over the next 5-10 years? It's very much realistic and the numbers above broadly correlate with the <a href="http://melbournepopulation.geografia.com.au/areas/CLSA01">City of Melbourne's own forecast</a>.

In ten years the population density of Melbourne's CBD is forecast to between 26,000 and 27,000 people per square kilometre, comparable with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10th_arrondissement_of_Paris">10th</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_arrondissement_of_Paris">14th</a> arrondissements of Paris, and similar to the projections for the 'half-sized' Fishermans Bend based on <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/fishermans-bend-to-become-australias-most-densely-populated-area">public domain information from 2013</a>.

That's what I meant by it's going to be violent ascension above all other national peers. No wonder the Lord Mayor was keen to see 447 Collins and its new green space approved.
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Alastair Taylor

Melbourne CBD on course to be the most densely populated area in Australia

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Cast your eyes over the northern reaches of Melbourne's CBD and a not-too-subtle marker is taking its place. Brady Group's Vision has motored past the 150 metre mark on its way to 226 metres and in doing so is acting as a vanguard project of sorts for the rash of new residential towers set to redefine this section of Melbourne.

With a host of new proposals joining the ranks of late, now presents as an opportune time to provide an overview of these residential towers that promise to remodel the northern areas of the CBD beyond recognition.

<h2>The current drop</h2>

<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/image43_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A host of projects are early into their construction cycle"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="273" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image43_0.jpg?itok=hXuuDiC-" title="A host of projects are early into their construction cycle" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A host of projects are early into their construction cycle</figcaption></figure>Clockwise above are <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/eporo-tower-279-la-trobe-street-melbourne">Eporo</a>, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/light-house-450-elizabeth-street-melbourne">Light House</a>, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/eq-tower-127-abeckett-street-melbourne">EQ Tower</a>, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/victoria-one-452-472-elizabeth-street-melbourne">Victoria One</a> and <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/empire-melbourne-398-elizabeth-street-melbourne">Empire</a>, the most advanced of which has risen two levels above ground. Joining these projects in the early stages of construction are <a href="/new-apartments/the-trillium-36-la-trobe-street-melbourne">Trillium</a> and <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/la-trobe-tower-323-la-trobe-street-melbourne">La Trobe Tower</a>.

Near on 3,100 apartments are contained within the above seven projects, demonstrating the sheer pace at which this section of the CBD is evolving into a high-rise residential hub. With Vision, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/the-carlson-321-la-trobe-street-melbourne">The Carlson</a> and part of <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/fulton-lane-151-franklin-street-melbourne">Fulton Lane</a> also under construction, the number of apartments under construction is inflated by a further 1,460.​

It's a staggering number, yet such is the volume of upcoming projects north of La Trobe Street and south of Victoria Street that it can easily be surpassed by those projects in waiting.

<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="400" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" msallowfullscreen="msallowfullscreen" oallowfullscreen="oallowfullscreen" src="https://charts.datawrapper.de/abxpa/index.html" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="100%"></iframe>

<h2>Incoming</h2>

A master sales agent has been assigned to <a href="/buildings/swanston-central-168-victoria-street-carlton">8 Bouverie Street</a>, with its sales campaign imminent. Snapped up by Hengyi, the project is set to follow the current project Light House, albeit with a greater apartment yield exceeding 1,000 dwellings; the final numbers for the project will be revealed shortly.

Also pushing up the development chain are two separate projects for student accommodation provider Scape Student Living. <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">212-222 La Trobe Street</a> and <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/scape-melbourne-393-swanston-street-melbourne">393 Swanston Street</a> between them are capable of providing in excess of 1,500 dwellings and have a completion date spread over 2018-2019. These are joined by the approved 377 La Trobe Street scheme which would essentially sit between the two nominated projects above, although its delivery timeframe is unknown.

<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/image38_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Side by side and set for reshape the La Trobe Street landscape"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="223" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image38_2.jpg?itok=VkDr756g" title="Side by side and set for reshape the La Trobe Street landscape" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Side by side and set for reshape the La Trobe Street landscape</figcaption></figure>Also maintaining a 2019 completion timeline is <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/aurora-melbourne-central-224-la-trobe-street-melbourne">Aurora Melbourne Central</a> which is due to begin site demolition at present while <a href="/buildings/97-franklin-street-melbourne">97 Franklin Street</a> remains the only major approved development in the CBD's northern precinct without publicly known development plans. The 200 metre plus golden tower is value at approximately $200 million and would carry 551 apartments and 144 serviced apartments.

Looming is <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/conservatory-9-23-mackenzie-street-melbourne">Conservatory</a> with in excess of 450 apartments; it will be UEM Sunrise's next Melbourne venture post the sales success of Aurora Melbourne Central.

The projects at planning are equally as imposing with four towers in excess of 200 metres on the radar. Headlining the show is <a href="/buildings/queens-place-157-a-beckett-street-and-370-queen-street-melbourne">Queens Place</a> with 1,700 dwellings over two hulking towers, the tallest of which is 267 metres. Nearby 293 - 303 La Trobe Street Melbourne is shaping up for a slender residential tower with 370 dwellings over what is the Duke of Kent hotel.

Most recently submitted for assessment is <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">478 Elizabeth Street</a> with a 68 storey mixed-use development envisaged. 399 apartments and 196 hotel suites would constitute the development's yield.

<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/ldo_cbd.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image © Laurence Dragomir"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="497" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ldo_cbd.jpg?itok=EAaBuHpN" title="Image © Laurence Dragomir" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Image © Laurence Dragomir</figcaption></figure>Perhaps the most poignant indicator as the the rapid change and sheer volume of projects sweeping through the northern parts of the CBD is the render created by Laurence Dragomir above. Barely a year old the image depicts six of the tallest proposals with Aurora Melbourne Central being the only project not at construction.

If nothing else the dynamism of this pocket of the CBD provides impetus for an updated Urban.com.au render.
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Northern lights: the incredible rate of change in Melbourne's northern CBD

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The flow of development to Melbourne CBD's East End began as a trickle relative to surrounding inner city precincts, but the 'Paris End' of late has come into its own. 'Paris End' of course is an ill-fitting moniker (some would also say crass) with current development within the CBD's eastern flank well spread, as opposed to being centralised around Collins Street's historic grandeur.

Bound by Flinders, Elizabeth, Spring and Victoria, Urban.com.au's Project Database shows a mass of East End developments looking to make their mark. Historically the domain of commercial development, East End was bereft of residential projects as developers favoured proven areas such as Southbank and Docklands, although this trend his has now changed sharply!

Spurred on in part by the phenomenal influx of Asian-based property entities, East End proposals have steadily increased over the last two years as the insatiable push to secure prized sites in the current market shows no signs of slowing; an arms race of property development for lack of a better analogy.

<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/image8ep.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="All shapes and sizes of proposals within East End"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="402" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image8ep.jpg?itok=n5TgfwMI" title="All shapes and sizes of proposals within East End" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>All shapes and sizes of proposals within East End</figcaption></figure><h2>Apartment development leading the charge</h2>

Below is a summary of East End residential projects currently found within the Urban.com.au Project Database. Given the ever dynamic nature of development and planning at the moment, these may require refreshing in a few weeks time. Regardless, this is the current state of play concerning residential projects within East End.

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th>Address</th>
			<th>Apartments</th>
			<th>Developer</th>
			<th>Levels</th>
			<th>Staus</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/empire-melbourne-398-elizabeth-street-melbourne">398 Elizabeth Street</a></td>
			<td>474</td>
			<td>Mammoth Empire</td>
			<td>55</td>
			<td>Registration &amp; Sales</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/abode-318-318-russell-street-melbourne">318 Russell Street</a></td>
			<td>433</td>
			<td>PDG &amp; Schiavello</td>
			<td>57</td>
			<td>Construction</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/crystal-gardens-276-russell-street-melbourne">276 Russell Street</a></td>
			<td>154</td>
			<td>Unknown</td>
			<td>36</td>
			<td>Approved</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>500 Elizabeth Street</td>
			<td>524</td>
			<td>Brady Group</td>
			<td>72</td>
			<td>Construction</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/309-325-bourke-street-melbourne">309 Bourke Street</a></td>
			<td>466</td>
			<td>Unknown</td>
			<td>&gt;10</td>
			<td>Approved</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/35-spring-street-melbourne">35 Spring Street</a></td>
			<td>270</td>
			<td>CBUS</td>
			<td>43</td>
			<td>Construction</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/buildings/97-franklin-street-melbourne">97 Franklin Street</a></td>
			<td>367</td>
			<td>Artemis Group</td>
			<td>62</td>
			<td>Planning</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/new-apartments/63-exhibition-street-melbourne">63 Exhibition Street</a></td>
			<td>328</td>
			<td>Asia One</td>
			<td>67</td>
			<td>Planning</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/new-apartments/the-trillium-36-la-trobe-street-melbourne">36 La Trobe Street</a></td>
			<td>224</td>
			<td>Unknown</td>
			<td>39</td>
			<td>Registration &amp; Sales</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/metrolitan-melbourne-137-bourke-street-melbourne">137 Bourke Street</a></td>
			<td>104</td>
			<td>VIMG</td>
			<td>19</td>
			<td>Registration &amp; Sales</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">85 Spring Street</a></td>
			<td>303</td>
			<td>Grocon</td>
			<td>46</td>
			<td>Planning</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/buildings/avant-60-abeckett-street-melbourne">54 A'Beckett Street</a></td>
			<td>750</td>
			<td>Aspial - WCL</td>
			<td>81</td>
			<td>Planning</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/aurora-melbourne-central-224-la-trobe-street-melbourne">224 La Trobe Street</a></td>
			<td>1,206</td>
			<td>UEM Sunrise</td>
			<td>88</td>
			<td>Planning</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/victoria-one-452-472-elizabeth-street-melbourne">452 Elizabeth Street</a></td>
			<td>622</td>
			<td>Golden Age</td>
			<td>75</td>
			<td>Registration &amp; Sales</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/new-apartments/9-11-exploration-lane-melbourne">9 Exploration Lane</a></td>
			<td>89</td>
			<td>Balfour</td>
			<td>33</td>
			<td>Approved</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">180 Russell Street</a></td>
			<td>506</td>
			<td>AXF Group</td>
			<td>70</td>
			<td>Planning</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/48-50-abeckett-street-melbourne">48 A'Beckett Street</a></td>
			<td>235</td>
			<td>Austwin</td>
			<td>45</td>
			<td>Approved</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">22 Bennetts Lane</a></td>
			<td>25</td>
			<td>Unknown</td>
			<td>12</td>
			<td>Approved</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/light-house-450-elizabeth-street-melbourne">450 Elizabeth Street</a></td>
			<td>607</td>
			<td>Hengyi</td>
			<td>69</td>
			<td>Registration &amp; Sales</td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
There are 19 projects are listed above, six of which are at planning assessment. These six have a total unit count similar to that of the remaining 13 in the list. 3,490 apartments are at planning, with the largest project being UEM Sunrise's 224 La Trobe Street carrying 1,206 dwellings, followed by 54 A'Beckett Street with 750.

A total of 4,247 apartments are counted within the remaining 13 projects which have either been approved or are at registration and sales. 1,227 units are under construction. Those apartments under construction represent 16% of the total 7,737 apartments slated for East End according to the Urban.com.au Project Database, hinting that East End is heading toward a development surge the likes of which have not been seen before within the precinct.

<h2>Other uses in high demand</h2>

82 Collins Street and the forthcoming Telstra building adjacent to their current Exhibition Street headquarters headline the large commercial projects slated for East End, adding in the vicinity of a combined 150,000sqm of premium office space. Commercial space aside, the surge of hotel suites is something to behold.

<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/image7e.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="80 Collins Street, QT hotel and Hotel Forum"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="390" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image7e.jpg?itok=d42RLtJb" title="80 Collins Street, QT hotel and Hotel Forum" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>80 Collins Street, QT hotel and Hotel Forum</figcaption></figure>In part dragged along by a raft of mixed-use, high-rise proposals, the number of expected hotel suites for East End is robust, even with the scrapping of the <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/new-operators-hope-to-resurrect-1980s-yuppie-haven-in-flinders-lane-20140721-zv8od">Rosati hotel proposal</a> mid 2014.

The current batch of intended hotel locations includes 150 Flinders Street, <a href="/buildings/97-franklin-street-melbourne">97 Franklin Street</a>, <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">180 Russell Street</a>, <a href="/new-apartments/63-exhibition-street-melbourne">63 Exhibition Street</a>, Windsor Hotel and 80 Collins Street's 19 level, 252-room hotel tower. Yielding roughly 1,200 hotel suites, these six projects may be joined by the nearly complete 146-room Brady Hotels tower at 22-32 Little La Trobe and the proposed yet troubled W Hotel development at 20-30 Bourke Street.

<h2>Future impositions?</h2>

It can be argued that as long as strong overseas sales underpin the local apartment market, then the current upward development trend will continue as developers seek new site acquisitions. A prime case in point sees the recent listing of <a href="http://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-melbourne-501229863">168 Exhibition Street</a> by CBRE as offered for sale with a Peddle Thorp development scheme, including a 54 level mixed-use development. 168 Exhibition is symptomatic of the current East End dynamic where bigger is better, but what price for heritage considerations?

The question must be asked: will the influx of many thousands of new residents place too great a burden upon existing infrastructure? Certainly East End has inherent street level qualities and character devoid in areas such as Southbank, and finds itself closer to essential services, amenity and the general 'buzz' of Melbourne. Could existing transport infrastructure be the area most imposed upon by a surging East End population?

A clear positive of Melbourne's East End development surge would be the influx of people, particularly in the commercial dominated areas of Collins &amp; Bourke Street. The resultant surge of residents would serve to activate many after-hour 'dead' spots and encourage new retail/entertainment opportunities to flourish where there were previously none; in effect bolstering and expanding City of Melbourne's <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/COMMUNITYSERVICES/COMMUNITYSAFETY/Pages/24HourCitypolicy.aspx">24 Hour City</a> policy into the eastern reaches of the CBD.

If only a crystal ball were handy to assess whether eastern promises would translate into East End realities!

Lead image courtesy Ryan Seychell.
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Eastern promises - an overview of Melbourne CBD's East End developments

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Curious it may seem from afar; a new architect enlisted to deliver a design near identical to the previously approved version conceived by another architect. Yet that's what has occurred at 36-40 La Trobe Street, within the northern reaches of Melbourne's CBD.

Offloaded earlier this year by private investor Konfir Kabo and now held by 36 La Trobe Street Pty Ltd, the site was subject to a Melbourne City Council amendment issue during August this year requesting enhanced amenity features and an exacerbated sculptural form. Enter <a href="http://buchan.com.au/" target="_blank">Buchan Group</a> architects who have ostensibly delivered a visually near identical scheme to that of <a href="http://elenbergfraser.com/" target="_blank">Elenberg Fraser</a>'s original approved design as seen below below left.

So why alter the existing approved design? The revised planning report headed by <a href="http://www.urbis.com.au/" target="_blank">Urbis</a> contends the amendments will "Provide a greater provision for high quality residential apartments and a stronger emphasis on alternative personal travel. It is not expected that the revised scheme will impact upon the amenity of the adjoining properties, with careful consideration into preventing overlooking opportunities. We also consider the pedestrian environment will be enhanced by the reduction in the vehicle movements to and from the site."

<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/Image6_13.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Evident similarities between the designs of Elenberg Fraser and Buchan Group"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image6_13.jpg?itok=kL7ytI2V" title="Evident similarities between the designs of Elenberg Fraser and Buchan Group" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

It would seem Buchan Group have maintained the shape and detail of the previous design to expediate the planning process, yet have introduced new amendments in order to enhance both the internal and external environments for the future development. Major changes include deleting four levels of car parking in favour of apartments, although total apartments numbers are reduced from 243 to 224 suggesting larger dwellings have been incorporated into the Buchan scheme.

Further the number of apartments relying on borrowed light has decreased with the implementation of an enhanced facade which "Adopts a curvilinear response carved out along the narrower faces of the north and south facades which is defined by a series of projecting balconies from bottom to top. The entire building form presents a fine sculptural architecture quality." Externally the application now seeks glass balustrades in order to maximise light penetration where previously Elenberg Fraser had incorporated perforated metal.

The eastern aspect maintains a glass facade with metal louvres set at varying angles providing articulation, while the western facade which incorporates a side core is adorned with aluminium clad. It's not too tenuous a link to suggest it holds certain similarities in scale and finish to another Buchan Group design currently under construction, <a href="/news">27 Little Collins Street.</a>

<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/Image9_12.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Associated planning application renders. Images © Buchan Group"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image9_12.jpg?itok=Rm_89SlS" title="Associated planning application renders. Images © Buchan Group" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

Internally apartments are situated around the side core with shear walls also running along the east-west axis for further building strength. See below the most common floor plan where six apartments per floor are evident, although as many as eight per floor are possible over lower levels.

Vitals see a total of 224 apartments within the amended scheme, the majority of which are either one bedroom or one + study, with 61 two bedroom apartments available and account for 27% of overall dwellings. As mentioned previously four car park levels have been replaced by additional apartments which intend to bring further activity to lower levels, particularly facing Bell Place, although a question of privacy is raised given existing apartments are directly opposite. Buchan Group have addressed this with an adjusted facade over lower levels which sees frosted glass and louvres set at certain angles which negate any overlooking of the apartment complex opposite.

Consequently car parking spaces have decreased from 43 to just 2 while bicycle bays incorporated into the amended design stand at 77; a clear sign that pedal and foot power have been favoured over vehicles. Whilst the initial scheme sought 78 m² of retail space, the amended design calls for a ground level 120 m² cafe with another retail space of 108 m² located on a mezzanine floor with open space overlooking the cafe below; this in turn opens the buildings lower levels to La Trobe Street.

<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/Image1_41.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Typical floor plate. Images © Buchan Group"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image1_41.jpg?itok=FPacwZyy" title="Typical floor plate. Images © Buchan Group" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

Add the creation a roof top 240 m² communal space and it's evident that the steps taken to address both the private and public amenity of 36-40 La Trobe Street speak to the intent of both developer and council to deliver a high quality result. Without pre-empting Melbourne City Council the previous scheme was approved via a council vote and given the improved nature of the Buchan Group design, one would think the revised scheme is headed for the same outcome.

Should it be realised 36-40 La Trobe Street will add to the growing number of apartment concepts, proposals and approvals found within the area, which include the 36 level 56-58 La Trobe Street which is currently before VCAT and an impending development of the McKenzie Street open air car park.
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