First look: Icon Construction HQ in Abbotsford set for new apartment and office development
The headquarters of Icon Construction on Abbotsford's Victoria Street is set for a redevelopment.
EG Funds Management is proposing to demolish the three-level office building at 675 Victoria Street and develop a 13-level mixed-use building with offices and apartments.
There will be 134 apartments, above ground-level office and amenity on the 3,459 sqm site. Over half of the apartments will have two-bedrooms (73), while another 42 will be three-bedders and just 19 one-bedroom apartments are planned. There are 43 different apartment configurations.
SJB has designed the building which will be located across the road from the Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre, which too is undergoing a huge redevelopment.
"The integration of the building's robust architectural forms and features draw upon the Yarra River flow and Dight Falls," SJB noted in the planning application submitted to Yarra Council.
"The project's palette and materiality is driven by the Abbotsford's natural features and built heritage to deepen the connection with the areas rich history.
"The use of warm tones embody the mature gum trees present in the surrounding landscape."
One of the main focuses of the development is how it interacts with the Yarra and the character of Abbotsford.
Central part of the development is its provision of a pedestrian link between Victoria Street and the Yarra River corridor. The publicly accessible link provides a visual connection with the Yarra River from Victoria Street and allows convenient and safe access for pedestrians travelling between Victoria Street and the River.
SJB has sculpted the facade around an existing canopy tree.
"The existing tree is not treated as an encumbrance but rather is built into the design to provide a distinctive sense of entry to the site and soften the visual connection with Victoria Street," the Town Planning Report by Tract says.
Tract notes that, in contrast to the fine-grain activity centre surrounding Church Street, Lennox Street and North Richmond Station, the eastern extent of Victoria Street exhibits an emerging urban renewal character, featuring many high-density contemporary commercial and residential buildings.
"This built form character is reflective of the subdivision patterns of the commercial and industrial activity that took place along the Yarra River historically, as well as the proximity of this precinct to public transport, open space, and other amenities which makes it suitable for development of the emerging scale."
The building will also incorporate ground-level amenity in the form of a communal lounge, multi-purpose room, gym, two private dining rooms with kitchens, a cinema, and an outdoor terrace which meets landscaped gardens fronting the river.
The proposal includes a partnership with the Little B.I.G Foundation, a charitable organisation set up to tackle loneliness in Australia by developing places, programs and events for social connection.
The Foundation will manage and operate a residential community space located on the river-fronting side of the buildings whch forms part of the residential amnities and provide an events program for residents and the surrounding community.
The community space can also be booked through the Foundation for use by residents an the broader community, with the spce having a strong onnection to the Yarra River Corridor.
The building will be services with 203 parking spaces, 187 for residents and 16 for office use, and 198 bicycle spaces.
The City of Yarra is required to provide 12,800 additional dwellings under Melbourne 2030, in line with population growth forecasts.
"Yarra has become a preferred location for many smaller and medium-sized buisinesses, and this trend is expected to continue," Tract added.
"Yarra's vibrant Major Activity Centres, including Victoria Street, are a powerful economic engine for the municipality. These activity centres are considered a vital part of Yarra's culture."
