Blockhead Concept - 447 Collins Street / Market Square

Market Square is the first in a series of articles I will be writing for Urban.com.au that will be looking at the adaptation, regeneration and development of buildings, structures and sites through conceptual interventions in the form of pretty pictures.

The concept for Market Square, located at 447 Collins Street investigates the possibility of redeveloping the former National Mutual Plaza into a bustling urban oasis in the middle of the Melbourne CBD, that in part pays homage to the site's previous life as the Western Market.

The idea came about after a panel on the Godfrey and Spowers designed building came crashing down in January 2012. Following which, owner's ISPT engaged consultants Aurecon to complete an assessment of the structural integrity of the tower and its facade.

The Site

Before I go any further, here is a brief rundown of the site:

• The current 1960's international style marble facade building replaced the former Western Market following its demolition in 1961.
• The Western Market, established in 1841 and operating for 90 years before its closure, was Melbourne's first official fresh fruit and vegetable market. Market Street is named after it.
• The site is zoned as CCZ1 (Capital City Zone 1) meaning a permit is required to:

1. To construct a building or construct or carry out works which will cast a shadow across the north bank of the Yarra River between 11.00 am and 2.00 pm on 22 June. A permit may only be granted if the responsible authority considers the overshadowing will not prejudice the amenity of the Yarra River corridor.
2. To construct a building or construct or carry out works which would cast a shadow between 11.00 am and 2.00 pm on 22 March and 22 September over public space, public parks and gardens, public squares, major pedestrian routes including streets and lanes, and privately owned plazas open to the public. A permit may only be granted if the responsible authority considers the overshadowing will not prejudice the amenity of those areas.

• See Schedule 1 to the Capital City Zone for more info.
• Additonally the usual Design Development Overlay applies to the site.
• Basic Planning Property report for the site can be found here
• Currently no Heritage Overlays apply to the site

While ISPT consider the current building's future following the exit of the final tenants mid-year (there has been talk of retaining it and carrying out remedial works to the facade) I have decided in this instance to knock it down and go tabula rasa on its derriere.

You're probably asking "but why Laurence? what's wrong with the current building?" "have you no architectural conscience?" "Tabula, Rasa? Derriere? Good god man what are you on about?"

All very good questions. Here I see an opportunity to inject some much needed sheltered, green space into the heart of the CBD.

Project Summary

The key elements of the scheme are as follows:

• A 4,000sqm, sunken (relative to Collins Street), north facing public park, accessed via stairs and bleachers along Collins and featuring a community garden
• A large timber 'Urbarn' Market (Urban + Barn, gee aren't I clever) paying homage to the site's former life as the Western Market
• A 45-storey office tower raised above a 12-storey public 'podium' housing your stock standard bars, cafe, restaurants etc. plus a publically accesible, tiered, urban farm stepping up from Collins Street. The tower is topped off with a roof top garden and 80m light shard.
• A 12-storey high, concrete verandah over the park on a monumental scale akin to the Grande Arche in Paris providing shelter from the weather and framing the view of the significant beaux-arts former Port Authority Building to the south.

Method behind the madness?

I tried to be strategic in orienting the tower to run north-south versus the current building which is sited to run east-west. This was done as a means of reducing the visual bulk from the river and the amount of overshadowing for a tower of its height even is it's not ideal from an ESD point of view.

I have attempted to control the amount solar gain through the faceted triple skinned glazed facade which is also intended to act as a wind mitigator, by reducing the amount of 'flat' surface area.

The provision of an urban park was partly done to offset any loss of amenity to the Northbank as a result of the tower's height, which is taller than the current building due to the amount of site area given over to public programme.

I also liked the idea of inserting a park into Melbourne's main street amongst the corporate towers.

I think I've rambled on enough for now, so until next time when I will be tackling Station Pier in Port Melbourne. Please enjoy the site chronology and images below - let me know what you think. Peace out.