ROTHELOWMAN's solid link skyscraper: 140 King Street, Melbourne
There's been some interesting citations in recent times regarding design generators/inspirations for skyscrapers here in Melbourne. Perfume bottles, Beyonce's curves and now can we assert… the classic wrist watch!
ROTHELOWMAN's latest design on behalf of Sydney-based Besgate Group for 140 King Street is very much reminiscent of a luxury watch, or more specifically a solid link wrist band. Arranged in an interwoven pattern, 140 King Street's continuous 188 metre facade is designed to provides a unified and formal response to the site's surrounds.
Forming one of three sites which constitute Besgate Group's Melbourne portfolio with a combined yield of 1,300 dwellings, 140 King Street was the first to hit planning and now rests with the State Government.
140 King Street application summary
- Planning application lodged May 2015
- Existing 3 level office complex over the 793sqm site to be demolished
- Approval sought for a 57 level skyscraper at 188 metres above King Street
- 271 apartments included: 103*1BR / 6*1BR + Study / 162*2BR
- Level 13 podium rooftop residential amenities area
- 117 car spaces and 81 bicycle bays
- 107sqm retail space over two tenancies
- GFA: 25,090sqm
Design statement
The podium form blends with the tower to achieve a unified formal response.
A building of this scale has to work on two very distinct levels, firstly at streetscape pedestrian scale with a finely detailed facade at a human scale and secondly on a citywide level, with clean large gestures clearly legible from distant vantage points. The nature of the scalable facade pattern allows these two very different scales to seamlessly coexist and work with each other from ground floor to roof.
The streetscape has been addressed with the patterned facade coming to ground, creating large elegant framed windows allowing glimpses and access to the activity behind.
ROTHELOWMAN, town planning submission
Facade nous
According to the application the east and west facades are comprised of lightweight modular metal panels which are fixed between slabs at regular intervals. The employed link pattern allows for adequate light penetration and ventilation to apartments, while also acting as shading due to the depth of each module.
East and west facades aside, the southern aspect is finished with curtain wall glazing, only broken by intermittent bands of charcoal metal cladding. Glazing and dark grey concrete panels complete the northern exterior.
Ground floor to King street will feature exterior marble cladding which masks a through link between King Street and Gallagher Place.
Besgate Group settles in
As was foreshadowed by Urban.com.au during May, 140 King Street represents the vanguard project for Besgate Group in the Melbourne residential market, with two additional developments in the pipeline. 640 Bourke Street has also been submitted for approval while 558-566 Swanston Street in Carlton is set to pass through the approvals process shortly.
Fairfax Media have today ran a piece on Besgate Group, outlining ROTHELOWMAN's design for 640 Bourke Street, or more appropriately dual designs. An 85-storey tower with 980 apartments has been put forward pending feedback from aviation authorities, while a smaller 66-storey tower which would slip in under the OLS ceiling has also been included within the 640 Bourke Street application.
140 King Street development team
- Developer: Besgate Group
- Architecture: ROTHELOWMAN
- Town Planning: Urbis
- Project Manager: KM Develop
- Traffic Consultant: Traffix Group
- ESD Consultant: Wood and Grieve Engineering
- Waste Consultant: Leigh Design
- Services Engineer: Wood and Grieve Engineering
- Structural Engineer: AECOM
- Wind Engineer: Vipac Engineers & Scientists
- Building Surveyor: Gardner Group Pty Ltd
