Walker Corporation

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Following a nine-year development period, the five-tower ‘Collins Square’ development in Melbourne's Docklands, has claimed the title of the highest concentration of environmentally sustainable buildings in the Southern Hemisphere.

The development has been awarded a Green Star Design, As Built v3 Rating and NABERS Energy 5 rating due to the use of eco-conscious technology including a Tri-Generation system, rainwater harvesting as well as energy efficient fixtures and fittings.

Walker Corporation’s $2.5 billion project features 250,000 sqm of commercial space across five towers; 10,000 sqm of retail and dining; childcare facilities; a supermarket and a health and wellbeing centre. The development also included the refurbishment of the 120-year-old Goods Shed South.

Spanning an entire city block, Collins Square was designed to fit seamlessly into the urban landscape, providing a transition in scale from the CBD down to Docklands Park and limiting overshadowing to surrounding public spaces and the Southbank of the Yarra.

<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_square_2018.09_068.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Collins Square's 5th development. Credit: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/collins_square_2018.09_068.jpg?itok=RInGCvfH" title="Collins Square's 5th development. Credit: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Collins Square's 5th development. Credit: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>The fifth and final tower - aptly named Tower 5 and first covered on<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/and-then-there-were-five-tower-5-collins-square"> </a><a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/and-then-there-were-five-tower-5-collins-square">Urban.com.au first reported on in 2014</a> - spans a total of 33-storeys and 117m. Designed by Woods Bagot and built by Multuiplex, the tower features a curved form with a tapered roof at its summit and provides spacious, light-filled workspaces, supported by ample carparking and end of trip facilities for its tenants which include Transurban.

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/tower-5-collins-square-2-batmans-hill-drive-docklands">The tower</a> is interconnected within the precinct for easy access to the neighbouring towers. Bluetooth activated lifts also allow workers and visitors to reach their destination using their smartphone.

<blockquote>
“The smooth delivery of this major project is a reflection of our on-going collaboration with Walker Corporation, which has seen Multiplex deliver the last four towers at Collins Square.”

- Graham Cottam, Regional Managing Director of Multiplex Victoria
</blockquote>

In addition to Tower 5, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/builders/multiplex">Multiplex</a> has completed a number of other commercial projects in Docklands in recent years, including Cbus Property’s Medibank office (720 Bourke Street) and National Australia Bank building (700 Bourke Street), and 727 Collins Street.

Lead image: Woods Bagot
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Olivia Round

Collins Square reaches highest level of sustainable building density in Southern Hemisphere

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A recent Friday 13th article published by the Australian Financial Review carried news that Walker Corporation's <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/tower-5-collins-square-2-batmans-hill-drive-docklands">2-12 Batmans Hill Drive</a> or Tower 5 had <a href="http://www.afr.com/p/business/property/lang_walker_collins_square_tower_YNKR2WnpgqywfnnWEm6OsJ">received approval</a> from the Victorian State Government. Inauspicious dates aside and somewhat incredulously the Monday thereafter, deep foundation contractor Vibropile was on site, beginning construction on what is the sixth building within the Collins Square precinct.

This miraculously quick turnaround suggests that Walker Corporation's dialogue with government representatives had been positive prior to public approval, prompting the developer to ready the necessary contractors to begin works immediately upon approval. While piling has commenced, a head contractor has not been announced as yet.

<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_5416_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Piling underway at 2-12 Batmans Hill Drive"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_5416_0.jpg?itok=uRp0vyGj" title="Piling underway at 2-12 Batmans Hill Drive" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Piling underway at 2-12 Batmans Hill Drive</figcaption></figure>Covered by Urban.com.au <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/and-then-there-were-five-tower-5-collins-square">when at planning</a>, 2-12 Batmans Hill Drive features a swale taken from the tower's most prominent aspect facing Wurundjeri Way. Described as a 'signature' tower in a key location and visible to the masses of commuters entering Melbourne via the Westgate Freeway, 2-12 Batmans Hill Drive will stand at 111 metres upon completion and add 34,700sqm of premium office space to the Melbourne market.

2-12 Batmans Hill Drive joins fellow Collins Square tower <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/kpmg-collins-square-727-collins-street-docklands-">727 Collins Street</a> at construction, with the latter destined to be one of Docklands tallest buildings at 145 metres upon completion. Together the two towers will add 90,000sqm of commercial space to the precinct.

Further both buildings when complete will see contiguous retail spaces joined to create a cavernous and highly activated retail precinct at ground level, including a new internal passage dubbed Walker Laneway.

<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/image57_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="727 Collins Street's progress as compared to a project render"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="423" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image57_1.jpg?itok=fPoEwIjy" title="727 Collins Street's progress as compared to a project render" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>727 Collins Street's progress as compared to a project render</figcaption></figure>Spotted in recent days atop Collins Square Tower 1 are the initial test facade panels which will eventually provide 727 Collins Street with its distinctive facade and 'crown'. Far from silver in appearance, the seemingly blue faceted panels will clad the top volume of the tower and are quite similar to the Sissons-designed <a href="http://www.sissonsarchitects.com/project/?p=0010&amp;type=c">Lantern Building</a> seen above, which acts as the entry point to the Collins Square precinct.

<blockquote>
Externally the building exhibits two distinctive forms with a rich façade expression resulting from the varied materials and finishes. The lower east elevation offers a particularly well resolved and carefully detailed façade proving a strong presence to Village Street.

To the upper levels the building provides an overhang to the north and west, providing an interesting architectural form.
<cite>727 Collins Street Planning report</cite>
</blockquote>

<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_0103_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Test facade panels atop Tower 1, Collins Square"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="345" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_0103_0.jpg?itok=zAAtEXdK" title="Test facade panels atop Tower 1, Collins Square" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Test facade panels atop Tower 1, Collins Square</figcaption></figure>While no tenants have been made public for 2-12 Batmans Hill Drive, a number of organisations are seeking new office digs with the Sate Government (25,000 sqm) and Herald Weekly Times (11,000-13,000sqm) headlining the list. It could be that Walker Corporation intend to press ahead with construction of 2-12 Batmans Hill Drive in the hope that they may steal a march on competing prospective office developments.

727 Collins Street on the other hand has both KPMG (27,000sqm) and Maddocks (6,000sqm) as signed tenants although the AFR article cited earlier suggests that the tower will not be ready until the early stages of 2017, a delay of some months.
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Walker Corporation

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