Melbourne's never built

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/BatesSmart150.jpg
The Bates Smart proposal for a supertall in The Docklands.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/GrolloTower1.jpg
The Harry Seidler designed Grollo Tower proposal.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/GrolloTower2.jpg
The better DCM designed Grollo Tower proposal.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/ArtsSpire1.jpg
The original Roy Grounds solid copper spire design for the Arts Centre was never built because wind tests showed that it would make a trumpeting sound inside the theatres that were to be housed within it.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/BreweryProposal1.jpg
The ARM Pacific Central International Campus Proposal, north-west corner of Victoria and Swanston Streets.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/ComoProject1.jpg
Model of the 'New South Yarra' project, later known as The 'Como Project', South Yarra.
Architects: Godfrey and Spowers.
A Mixed use development that included a canal connecting to the Yarra River. Only stage one, the southern quarter fronting Toorak Road was completed. Most of the remaining land was purchased by Mirvac and developed using a different design without the canal.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/DJacksonMuseum.jpg
The Daryl Jackson designed Melbourne Museum proposal by the Yarra.
The beginnings of this building were incorporated into The Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/RMITproposal.jpg
The Perrott Lyon Mathieson RMIT tube proposal, that would have housed basketball courts, a gym and health centre, sports medicine clinics and cafes.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/YarrasEdgeProposal.jpg
The early Yarra’s edge concept, then known as Yarra Waters.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/RailRoofProposal.jpg
An early proposal for the Fed Square site that included demolition of Flinders Street station.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/SouthgateProposal.jpg
The early Southgate proposal that included retaining some of the old factories.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/CanalMap.jpg
In 1860 the engineer John Millar put forward this design for a ship canal or tidal harbour and docks for the port of Melbourne.
Notice just to the left of Hoddle's grid, a lake containing islands in the form of the British Isles created from what was then a swamp in West Melbourne. Notice also the circular docks at the mouth of Hobsons Bay, where we now have the Beacon Cove development and the turning basin retained with rectangular docks along the way down to Hobsons Bay.
If this proposal was carried through we would now have a vastly different city with a much better relationship to water activities and dock related industries.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/SandridgeProposal.jpg
Plan of the cancelled 'Sandridge City', mixed use bayside development, Port Melbourne.
Architects: Godfrey and Spowers, Robert Peck & Co.
Was to include canals, ship shaped maritime museum and a marina.
Mirvac later purchased the site, renamed the project 'Beacon Cove' and developed it using a different design without the canals.

Ahh the better grollo looked good, that first one, never seen it before, it looks crap.

I have never seen that Southgate proposal before. That is a great find. I would love to see more, more, more......

Ahh the better grollo looked good, that first one, never seen it before, it looks crap.

Really? Personally I like the first Grollo (Harry Seidler designed) tower... more character and defined shape instead of straight up. But neither would have really suited, eitther would have offset the balance of the Melbourne skyline IMHO. That Bates Smart proposal is hideous though, the render looks like it is constructed from materials recycled from a garbage dump.

I would love some more of these!

stu

In fact, I'll add a couple myself from ss.com.

First up, Church Place, 274m and a great looking tower, really would have suited Melbourne IMO

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/skortum/Church1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/skortum/Church2.jpg

Next is Grand Central Tower, 228m, not bad either.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/skortum/GrandCentral1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/skortum/GrandCentral2.jpg

Lastly, this is what Melbourne Central could have ended up like. Personally I think we got the better deal, here is an excerpt:

This project was the winner of a 1965 design competition fot the Melbourne Central site. It was designed by Leith & Bartlett. It consisted of a 60 level office tower, a 16 level office tower,an 18 level civic centre with a sloping plaza extending over La Trobe St. and a large public square.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/skortum/MelbCentral.jpg

stu

I would still like to see the Church Place tower on the Grand Central site. it would look amazing on that corner and and excellent addition tot he western half of the CBD. If they had to chop a few floors off cos of overshadowing, then I could live with it, but I still love it either way.

I am a property valuer and at the Australian Property Institute HQ in Port Melbourne they have these huge framed prints of what looks like an awesome late 1980's/early1990's proposal for Fed Square (photochopped with real photo of the surrounding streets, with a rendered graphic of the proposed building) It looked awesome compared to what we ended up with...it had tonnes of internal wintergardens and covered arcades/ways ... very much in the domed glass and canvas style of that mall @ Chadstone circa 1989-95.

Does anyone know anything else about this proposal that never got up?

It appeared to be a very "Florida/American" proposal in terms of architectural style at the time.

braddyboy can you take a photo of em plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ;)

I wish someone had the plans for the 50 storey proposals for the McEwens Site and the site where the RACV HQ is U/C.

There was also a permit issued in 1999 for the Use and development of the land at 346-376 Queen Street, 334-346 Latrobe Street & 143-171 A'Beckett Street, Melbourne for purposes including but not limited to Office, Dwellings, Shops, Hotel, Residential hotel and car parking.

It was a huge redevelopment of probably the ugliest early 90's 20 storey tower in Melbourne which was never properly completed when the money ran out due to the recession and was empty for about 8 years. I ahve never seen the plans but it sounded pretty good.

All they have built on the site recently was a two level car park and some ground floor shops.

That current development Grollo on that site next tot he Church in La Trobe Street is very very sad. It should never have been approved. Its a site that can accomodate a huge tower or two. Now it won't happen for years considering the car park lease arrangements :mad:

Is Grollo is good.
Is Seidler is shite.

Im glad those first two were not built. Hideous!

Also glad that they didnt demolition Flinders Street. Restore it please! It is an iconic building that should be restored - every single cm of it.
---NO ROOF FOR IT EITHER---

Apart from Grollo Tower, AMP's Church Place is the biggest "regret". It would have been beautiful!!

LOL @ The copper spire for the Arts Centre.

Yeah, we're damn lucky we dodged a bullet on the Arts Spire, that Copper one is not a shadow of what we ended up with.
stu

Yeah, we're damn lucky we dodged a bullet on the Arts Spire, that Copper one is not a shadow of what we ended up with.
stu

You reckon ??? I think what we ended up with is a bit of cheapo 80's style tubing - a nice shape but cheaply executed ..

That copper thing - controversial it may have been, but also much more distinctive and memorable as well. If perhaps they could have built the copper into the current shape..

Perhaps the copper, if the in the current shape, may have worked.... but personally I think the current arts spire is well done, it looks great during the day and fantastic lit up at night. Just my opinion anyway, don;t like the early copper design ;)
stu

They should of demolish Flinders Street station (only joking). I could not believe a developer would think such a thing. As Flinder Station is an Icon of Melbourne.

The Bates Smart proposal for a supertall in The Docklands, it just a concept. To provoke the government and developers that the dockland area is hidden treasure of Melbourne, and that Melbourne could be more harbour city. Rather than build their proposa (of super structure)

After this concept, interest had arise, and finally everyone can see that the dockland had great place for development.

Wouldn't the copper oxidise and turn green like the Flinders St dome?!

Agree Grollo Tower and Church Place are biggest regrets, but would also add ARM's CUB site is another major regret! It looks like the two towers were blown apart in the middle like a T2000!

I am a property valuer and at the Australian Property Institute HQ in Port Melbourne they have these huge framed prints of what looks like an awesome late 1980's/early1990's proposal for Fed Square (photochopped with real photo of the surrounding streets, with a rendered graphic of the proposed building) It looked awesome compared to what we ended up with...it had tonnes of internal wintergardens and covered arcades/ways ... very much in the domed glass and canvas style of that mall @ Chadstone circa 1989-95.

Does anyone know anything else about this proposal that never got up?
They held an architectural competition for the Jolimont Railyards including the Fed Square site back in the early 1980s. From what I remember there was no outright winner, so all the hundreds of entries shared the prize!
I think the building proposal you are talking about Braddyboy could be one of these.

I started a scrap book on City developments in the late 60's. I have two books full just on the City Square and it dramas....bans on Regent demolition etc. etc. Various towers beside it. I have some great pics of the huge hole in the ground that is now Collins Place. Too many to say here .And maybe nearly every article starting in the early 90's for the Grollo tower.Lot's off paper cuttings..........................now it's all on computers. But I wont throw them away. Before the days of terror and security I used to get into or onto any project I could. I climbed up onto the West Gate Bridge and got some good pics. I even got down into a box section. Then got told off and led away because I was a bad boy. It was worth it. I guess this is ramblings?
redbaron_012 if you have any renders of entries for this competition scanned, please post them here for all to see. :)

anyone remember the giant southbank glass pyramid? I think it was to house a casino too...how profetic is that.

As a kid I entered that Jolimont landmark competition...it was some crazy tower drawn in texta colours. you will probably be glad it was politely turned down lol.

...and yes the copper would certainly turn green on the once proposed Arts center spire. see 555 c or New Yorks Financial Center towers. However I'm a bit of a fan of the copper green...but not an entire tower/ spire.

Reply to The Collector, I have so much stuff on many developments over the years.............I would like to be able to scan some and share them with you but I don't even own a PC let alone a scanner. But all is not lost as I may be able to access them! Just may take some time. I have cuttings on most proposals since the 60's - 70's. Do any of you remember the Melbourne Central proposal for a 300m tower on Elizabeth St with 20 story Hotel facing Swanston St. and the worlds largest Glass atrium between the two buildings. The project we got was a cut down version. I am very glad the redevelopment of Victoria Market didn't go ahead. some had 60 story towers. Great developments but not on that site. Catch you later.

I remember the proposal for melb' cent' very well.
it was very impressive if memory serves. the towe had a touch of the "empire states" about it.

the first proposal on this thread is a "concept" 610m scraper called SOUTH PACIFIC 2000!
i saw it at an exhibition back in 1990 at DH exhibiton hall.

heres an elevation of "VICTORIA CENTRAL later known as Melbourne Central. The 80storey building was 321m to observation deck and 380m to spire

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/viccentralelevation2.jpg

^^ would have been such an awesome building and the atrium would have been awesome. Ohh well we got a pretty good replacement, Im happy with it at least and thats all that matters. ;)

Some of these never built would have looked cool.

The ksig building.
http://www.melbournephotos.net/misc/26n_towerRHS.jpg

Like thats ever going to happen.

no, it's not what matters. I saw other drawings of this project and it looked great.
not that I have anything against Melb Cent' tower.

Refering to South Pacific 2000

the ksig building, nope it looks too weird, does not fit in with melbourne.

Other regrets:
- Savoy
- Imperium
- Spire on Casselden Place

The permit for Savoy tower was extended to 2006 so hopefully the new owners will go ahead with the development.

I have never seen the proposed spire for Casselden, but I am certain it would have looked amazing.

Definately. Casseldon was designed with a spire in mind, just look at the setbacks at the crown, it is crying out for one. Too late now, but hell it would have been sweet, because it would have suited the building so well.

stu

does anyone have renders of the proposed spire? does anybody know why casseldon didn't get its spire?

can we chip in and get a chopper to drop one in one night? How about we steal the flag pole at the Royal Parade roundabout (tallest in Aust?) and chuck it on top of casseldon?! :runaway:

it was to be a mirrored glass dome. as I said in another thread, the render of the tower including the dome was even pictured on the scaffolding over the footpaths on the site when the building was under construction.

it was to be a mirrored glass dome. as I said in another thread, the render of the tower including the dome was even pictured on the scaffolding over the footpaths on the site when the building was under construction.
oh, then it would've looked totally shite - bluddy mirror ball - what is this, disco land?! was it meant to rotate as well with a spotlight shining on it?!

as samuel l. jackson might say: spire and mirror ball ain't even the same ball game, man!

it was supposed to be a domed turret shape, not a sphere or "ball", and when I say "mirrored" I didn't mean totally reflective ( poorly worded on my part in my post) but glazed in a "somewhat" reflective glass.
Sorry, my bad.
Just think of the small existing one on the podium and then imaging a huge one on top.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/BreweryProposal2.jpg
Office proposal, C.U.B. site, corner Swanston and Victoria Streets.
Architect: Perrott Lyon Mathieson.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/FlindersFesMarket.jpg
Flinders Street Station proposal over platforms called Festival Markets designed by Daryl Jackson.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/GriffinRRoof.jpg
A 1925 Walter Burley Griffin Designed Building proposal over Jolimont Railway yards between Exhibition Street and Swanston street. The render shows us how it would look reflected in the Yarra River.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/1925RRoofProp.jpg
Another incredible proposal from 1925 for the Jolimont Railyards.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/GriffinBourke.jpg
Keith Arcade, 299-303 Bourke Street.
A Walter Burley Griffin designed proposal for a ten-storey office building with retail arcade at ground floor.
Originally housing ‘Cole’s Book Arcade’. The site was purchased by Coles and demolished to make way fot a moderne Coles Department Store designed by Harry Norris.
It now houses ‘David Jones Men’s Store and Food Hall.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/TramProposal.jpg
In 1962 the MMTB proposed a scheme for trams in the city area to be placed underground.
The image above shows tunnels beneath Swanston and Bourke Street.
The plan was abandoned because of the prohibitive cost.
Thank God for that. I love Melbourne's trams exactly where they are, above ground, seen and heard.
Melbourne would not be the same without them.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/FedSquareDCM.jpg
The rejected DCM Federation Square proposal.
Aren’t you glad we didn’t end up with this.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/GrolloTower3.jpg
Another render of the DCM Grollo building proposal.

Wow! Incredible finds there :eek2:

I particularly like the Flinders St Station proposal (kept the flavour and provided direct linkage to the river), and the two Jolimont railyards proposals are jaw dropping, most particularly the second one which is just massive... would have been a world landmark IMO if built.

Stu

That Flinders Street Station redevelopment picture has potential I think. It would really open up the northern bank of the yarra. I also think that flinders street needs to AT LEAST to have the street frontage from the dome to the yarra replaced so it fits with the old brick building. It is currently just some kind of metal, and now that view is very exposed from fed square and it looks terrible IMO. But that redevelopment pic is great food for thought, i think it would add a lot to the city.

That CUB site proposal would have been a seriously mediocre response to the most important development site in Melbourne. Thank god it never went ahead, we are better off with a barren wasteland than that steaming pile of second rate po-mo crap.

Having a closer look at the fliners Street Station Festival Market place proposal I am glad that never went ahead as well. It looked pretty cool and has some nice touches, such as the glass roof and the towers but it would have taken people away from the banks of the Yarra and up into, what basically would have been a second rate shopping mall over the platforms (see Darling Harbour festival marketplace). It has very poor relationship with the Yarra, lots of stairways and no active frontages to the riverside promenade (unlike southgate).

That second proposal for the Jolimont rialyards looks like it was designed by Albert Speer as the Nazi party headquarters. Overpowering facist architecture which would have turned the banks of the Yarra into a traffic sewer.

I still wish we went ahead with the Grollo tower i like it, definately the height needed reducing but apart from that its not bad i think.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/GrolloTower3.jpg
Another render of the DCM Grollo building proposal.[/QUOTE]

LMAO! In that pic, using the Rialto as a guide, it would be about 800 meters. Haha.

That second proposal for the Jolimont rialyards looks like it was designed by Albert Speer as the Nazi party headquarters. Overpowering facist architecture which would have turned the banks of the Yarra into a traffic sewer.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/1925RRoofProp.jpg
That's exactly what I thought when I first saw this 1925 proposal for the Jolimont Railyards.
Still has the WOW factor though. :eek2:

Here's one that unfortunately never made it:

http://www.seidler.net.au/graphics/025_DT02.jpg


Shame.

Cheers,

Adam

I still love the Daryl Jackson proposal for Flinders Street Station. I think it can still be done and I am certain that it would work.

As for the CUB site proposal, I think its a little too short and a little too 1990s.

Higly recommended book that has a few alternative ideas for designs of above the railyards and its surrounds. It also includes a smaller rendering of the above "Nazi-Camp" that The Collector posted above.

R.R.P. $35.00.

______________http://www.buildingbookshop.com/77/40660021.jpg

It includes quite a few historical pics of Melbourne icl. buildings that don't exist anymore; long-gone, Fed Sq U/C and also lots of pics of the completed Fed Sq externially and internally. Lots of great reading too.

at first glance i was with Sakor1 on the Daryl Jackson proposal for FSS..ooh, yes ...but then i was with Grollo...well, nooo... too hard to negotiate the riverside. These renders always idealise everything, but in reality - bare of people/activities/ gloomy days etc it might have looked a bit forlorn.

With regards to Flinders Street Station, you will need to remember that the northbank is very narrow and any riverbank activity will not be able to have a gread deal of room. So I guess that is why there are so many steps, escalators etc. leading up. Not the best solution, but its a hell of a lot better then what we have right now.

Exactly right. At the moment there is almost zero North Bank access near FSS and although not the ideal option, because of the limited space that proposal was quite good. Perhaps not the best idea to have a market on top (perhaps some more retail, a cinema? I dunno) but the retention of the style looked fantastic IMHO.

Stu

<IMHO> The FSS market proposal looks far too dated to resurrect nowadays, and I don't much like anything that tries to mimic the style of an older established building anyway (though it's obviously not trying to look like it was always a part of the station, it still doesn't look right to me). I also much prefer natural light on the platforms, so any roofing ought to be SSS-esque and not a mall. I do agree something drastic needs to be done, but not something that takes the light off the 1910 structure. </IMHO>

Maybe a gladd roof over the platforms and some retail activity throughout the old buidling and along the northbank. At least then there woudl still be plenty of light over the platforms and retail activity on the edges.

A late 60s/early 70s concept for 101 Collins perhaps?

http://www.hotkey.net.au/~alpaca/cra-1a.jpg

OMG, Muse where did you dig that up from!?

Kinda like Q1 meets a skateboard ramp...

Cheers,

Adam

LOL skateboard half pipe was the first thing that came to mind!

THATS THE ONE!


the darryl jackson festival markets one.!.....there are some bigger renderings at the API offices. I will get some pix as soon as I can.

the worst thing is that many of these older proposals required demolition of what we now consider heritage buildings. but the 1925 jolimont proposal is funny as - it would've been an imposing presence on the city if it survived to this day, but how funny is the render with its little ant-like representation of cars...like it was a really good thing to have massive traffic!!! and muse, i don't think skateboards existed when that tower was proposed!

:speech: rakka, rakka........and muse, i don't think skateboards existed when that tower was proposed!Errrrr, uhmmmm. O.K. I'll jot that down :?

Does anyone remember this project?

Swanston Sports Complex
http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~lerma/swanstonsports.jpg

The swanston sports centre will have a large hall with three courts (netball, basketball, badminton and volleyball) and associated facilities such as a gymnasium and change rooms.

http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~lerma/swanstonsports1_small.jpg

I have some extracts about the proposed Swanston Sports complex in a book entitled "Contemporary Melbourne Architecture" by Joe Rollo:

"Plans for a new sports health and education building unveiled by Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology signal its entrenchment as Australia's pre-eminent patron of bold and dramatic architecture....

...Computer generated images of the new building - designed by Lyon Architects and Perrott Lyon Mathieson - show it as oddly strange yet beautiful. To be built on what is now vacant land in Swanston Street and a car park in A'Beckett Street, the building is in essense a gigantic tube - weaves and snakes its way across the site like a giant slug, wrapping itself around the Oxford Hotel (itself an RMIT institution) on the corner, and appears to spread over Kay House on the other side.

The tube straddles Stewart Street which will be closed to become a pedestrian arcade, and where the body 'threatens' to 'spill over' onto Swanston or A'Beckett streets, design architect Carey Lyon has 'sliced' sections off to create beautiful, transparent glass-clad street facades that expose many of the activities inside.

For instance the tube is sliced-through hard on Swanston Street and glassed-in across its five-storey height to reveal the ramped seating of some of the learning spaces inside. The tubular shape of the building and the pattern on the glass resembles the end of a fibre-optic cable.

Largely naturally lit and ventilated, the building is clad with metal panels and mesh, the skin appearing to peel at certain points adjacent to the back of the Oxford Hotel to create a covered arcade.

While providing RMIT with much-needed sports and recreational spaces - the centre will house basketball courts, a gym, health centre, sports medicine clinics and cafes - the multipurpose stadium can be converted to seat 2750 people for major sporting events, conferences and graduation ceremonies."

(Rollo 1999, pp.107-08)

if u looked on the first page thye have it listed wiht this pic:
http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/RMITproposal.jpg

All I can say is THANK GOD it never got built. The area bounded by La Trobe St, Swanston St, Elizabeth St and Victoria Pde could go up to 40 stories!

A late 60s/early 70s concept for 101 Collins perhaps?

http://www.hotkey.net.au/~alpaca/cra-1a.jpg
This would have to be one of the most amazing buildings ever conceived!!
What a pity this one never got off the ground. :bash:
Oh, and Muse, judging by the render, I would say it's where 120 Collins Street is now with the shorter tower facing north on Little Collins Street.
Any idea who the architect was?
My guess is Robin Boyd or Roy Grounds. :)

Yeah, the ramp would have looked awesome in a Green sheer glass facade I reckon! Nice building and would make a big impact.... but we'd probably have had to sacrifice 120C which was built there later.... tough choice ay?

Stu

now thats a great never built

Pacific Central Development, Masterplanning
Ashton Raggatt McDougall won a limited competition to develop the former Carlton & United Breweries site marking the northern end of the Swanston Street axis. The $300m project will include student housing, two towers, multi media centre, residential apartments, commercial offices, a hotel, cinemas, retail and carparking.

http://www.a-r-m.com.au/projects/projimg/pcd.jpg

RMIT CUB Site
ARM won a limited competition to develop a significant city block marking the northern end of the primary axis of Swanston Street. This $300m project will include student accommodation, two towers, multi media centre, residential apartments, commercial offices, a hotel, cinemas, retail and carparking.

We are currently developing student housing to the northern half of the pivotal former brewery site for RMIT University. The three blocks accommodate 1000 students and include communal and retail facilities generating streetfront activities between the two universities potentially creating the new social hub for the university.

http://www.a-r-m.com.au/projects/projimg/RMIT.jpg

@ The Collector or any other interested party. I have no idea who the architect was. Obviously from the 70s as Collins Place is established in form.

Perhaps print out a copy of the render and take it to DOI or the Town Hall Archives Dept. and zoom in on an interested "wise elder" to enquire. If any info on it is found, post here.

look what i found :-)

http://www.hotkey.net.au/~alpaca/cra-3.jpg

http://www.hotkey.net.au/~alpaca/cra-2.jpg

The architects website is here:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~alpaca/architect.htm#architect

CRA Head office Competition - Melbourne
The owner of the land at the time (the early 1970s), Conzinc Riotinto Australia, was testing the idea of providing a head office complex for its Australian operations and subsidiaries. It was considering to consolidate the existing land holding by acquisitions of adjacent land between Collins Street, Flinders Lane, and Exhibition Street in Melbourne.
An architectural competition was initiated for the design of this complex, and a number of architects were invited to participate.
I was working for Peddle Thorp and dePreu in the design team.
We submitted a number of designs, including my somewhat radical idea of leaving the majority of the ground floor open to Collins Street as a large Plaza, containing only the lobbies to the two towers, and access to the lower level retail areas.
The lowest part of the building was facing Collins Street, while the towers where back.
This way the impact of this enormous building on the streetscape was very much minimised.
The project was never built due to the restructure of the company.

The building envelope provided some areas with large floor space per floor and others with smaller spaces, but all of them with good natural light.
The urban design aspect could have provided spacial relief from the existing rigid street shape.

So it was planned for the current site of 101 Collins, although it would have resulted in a big losss of heritage buildings on the Collins Street streetscape. (although they probably could have been easily incorporated into the scheme if required.).

There was a later triple tower proposal for the whole block bounded by Exhibition, Collins, Russell and Flinders Lane by Harry Seidler whcih would have resulted in the loss of ALL of the heritage buildings on Collins bbetween Echibition and Russell.

aieeee :puke:

Thanks Grollo. :) Re: CRA Head Office proposal.
From the makers of 'The Grand Hyatt', 'Stock Exchange', 'ANZ World Headquarters' and 'The Rialto Towers'.
Looks like Muse was right with its location and now that I've seen the ground plans and how it would have included demolition of an entire block fronting Collins Street, I'm glad it didn't go ahead.
I still like the tower though and wouldn't mind seeing something like this built in the north-west end of the city grid. :cool:

From Culwulla
Casseldon Place, with 40m spire proposal.
http://img218.exs.cx/img218/9034/casseldonspire4cy.jpg
Another Casseldon Place proposal I have seen had a dome instead of a tower.

Sorry, but that spire does nothing for the building.

I think it 'completes' it, at the moment it looks like it is working up to something at the crown but there is nothing there. Although the spire is really not that exaciting I think it does suit it better than just having the steps to nothing. Just my opinion...

Stu

Imagine ESB without mast/spire, thats what casseldon looks like now.Its crying out for something.

I bet you Melburnians would of been pissed if the DCM version of the 560m Docklands tower was buuilt in Dubai instead of the current design?
http://www.wolkenkratzer.dubai-city.de/burj_dubai_01.jpg

not really.

it's so last decade :lol:

been there done that.

I wish Grollo Tower and Church Place got approved. They were the two best designs that suited the city so well. Plus they looked brilliant. Mabye sometime in the future, they'll be brought up again. I hope so.

When I grow older and work in the building design industry, I promise you all, I will try and get all these never-built projects back into the game and get approved. There are so many oppurtunites that went missing. The 101 Collins design of the 60's/70's looks brilliant and would look good in modern standards. It would have the glass of Brisbane's Vision and the curves are so intimidating.

I would have been pissed if Dubai got our grollo tower.

Personally I never liked the Grollo tower.... sure the design was sleek but the height just didn't suit Melbourne. It shrank the skyline too much. I don't wanna see anything over the height of Eureka for a long time in Melbourne until there are some more 200m+ towers and other densifiers so that it doesn't become too much of a distraction. I mean, look what happened with Taipei 101. Just my two cents...

Stu

ill check on the tapiei 101 situation and then come back to u guys on my formal ndecsion.

HOLY CRAP, ur so right building taipei 101 scrwed up their skyline.... it was pretty good denisty and flatness and now theres like 15 "MASSIVE STICKS" it doesnt look good at all....

When I grow older and work in the building design industry, I promise you all, I will try and get all these never-built projects back into the game and get approved. There are so many oppurtunites that went missing. The 101 Collins design of the 60's/70's looks brilliant and would look good in modern standards. It would have the glass of Brisbane's Vision and the curves are so intimidating.

...and then he was bankrupt... :|

...and then he was bankrupt... :|

Hey, everyone has a chance to dream. Don't write the boy off just yet. ;)

Thanks skys. Narnarnarnanananananananannanana!

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/ParliamentDome.jpg
The still incomplete Parliament House dome designed in 1877-79 by Peter Kerr.
I can’t see why, apart from the cost, that one of the state political parties has not dedicated itself to completing Parliament house,
when it’s obviously a vote winner.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/Library1.jpg
The 1859 Joseph Read design for the State Library with a dome on top of the Russell Street entrance,
that was to house the art gallery and museum.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/LibraryPlans.jpg
The original plans showing Russell Street dome.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/StPaul's2.jpg
William Butterfield’s 1878 original more primitive gothic design for the St Paul towers that were never built and
below for comparison, the spires we did get designed by James Barr and built between 1926 and 1931.
http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/gallery/postcards/1920s-1980s/slides/StPaul's2.jpg

I want to see at least one of those domes constructed in my lifetime.

:(

much prefer the St. Paul's that we have, the other is a little too primitive IMO - would look nice in an English field though!

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/ParliamentDome.jpg
The still incomplete Parliament House dome designed in 1877-79 by Peter Kerr.
I can’t see why, apart from the cost, that one of the state political parties has not dedicated itself to completing Parliament house,
when it’s obviously a vote winner.


Kennet was promising to complete parliament house just before he got booted from it! I still have the literature somewhere...
It's dome would look amazing, and especially from any vantage point along Bourke Street...one day?
Perhaps future money from the city car levy can go into the parliament dome fund...yeah right... :jk:

Kennet was promising to complete parliament house just before he got booted from it! I still have the literature somewhere...
It's dome would look amazing, and especially from any vantage point along Bourke Street...one day?
Perhaps future money from the city car levy can go into the parliament dome fund...yeah right... :jk:
The Dome on parliarment House should be pretty easy to build with todays modern lightweight materials.
The dome on the US Capitol building is not made of heavy stone but has a light frame with cladding and no one is the wiser.

Don't forget the north and south wings of Parliament House and the Elizabeth St facade of the GPO!

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/SBOfficeProp.jpg
This BSM designed Southbank office proposal was supposed to be built on the Eureka site.
I’m glad this didn’t go ahead on this Southbank site.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/LatrobeOfficeProp.jpg
An office proposal for what appears to be the southeast corner of Latrobe and Exhibition Streets.
Designed by Perrot Lyon Mathieson.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/101ColEarlyProp.jpg
One of the earlier DCM designs for 101 Collins Street.

^ i think that 101 Collins design is more superior then what is built.very ESB.
that one on Eureka site is hideous.
thankx

Man bugger! That earlier DCM design for 101 Collins is far more interesting. Thank God for Eureka though...win some lose some...

Yuh, that 101c also looks alot taller. Hrm.

101C proposal = :puke:

While the actual tower proposal for Eureka site sucks... I love the little 'water feature' they have going down the the yarra complete with waterfalls. Very cool. The alternate 101C looks very... interesting. I think it would have been fantastic, very different and unique... but I am fairly happy wi the current 101C :D

Stu

I like both the 101C and Eureka site plans.... they look wicked... i especially love the waterfall on Eureka.

I have always dreamed of seeing a building with reflective windows and about 300m in a square design which has a circular pyramid thing at the top which is the core feature to having a li9ght green nightlight which refelcts on the waterfall that runs down the middle of one side of the building into a river....

be awesome if someone could draw something up cos atm im too crap to draw something that good and plus dont have a scanner.

OMG that 101C proposal, compared to what we have now... geez how could the architects have gone for the current design? It's not that bad, but it ain't a masterpiece either... that proposal definitely has 'world class' stamped all over it. Looks 250m to roof, 300m+ to spire too!

That one on the Eureka site though, urgh!

Guess you win some and you lose some eh. ;)

While the actual tower proposal for Eureka site sucks... I love the little 'water feature' they have going down the the yarra complete with waterfalls. Very cool.

Most of that water feature exists now, its just not working :(

Most of that water feature exists now, its just not working :(
not only is it not working, it's become an embarrassing litter trap, together with the path that goes between the 2 mirvac office buildings fronting the yarra. hope they do something about that!!! the "boat and ruins" sculpture at the base of the eureka site smells of urine all the time too! it's just soooo pathetic!

that 101C proposal looks very interesting but IMHO it looks awful, as the top part would be all glass box and the buttresses would've been the granite bit which would've dated - what we're getting at E&Y@HWT is basically a pared down version of this proposal. the current 101 is deficient in 2 major ways IMHO: lack of height for its width, and the effect of the buttresses receding and then "reappearing" as the spire doesn't quite work. maybe if they put a glass facade to wrap around the base of the spire?? hehe think about it - wrap a gold glass facade around the top of the eureka extension and there would be no doubt at all that it's the world's tallest resitower!!! use of materials - what a stupid distinction.

A 1960 model of the Victorian Arts Centre. The conical spire was to be originally metal encased (I think maybe in bronze)....

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/510/379vicartscentre1.JPG

Amazing, something actually bleaker than what was built.

Pocahontas' Tee-Pee.

Does anyone remember a competition for a landmark for Melbourne?

I think it was run in the early 80's (when else?)

One of the proposals was a huge steel latticed V to stand for Victoria (up all night for that one!)

I love the earlier 101C proposal. It starts off heavy with stone and steel, lightens up with steel and glass and then tapers off with just glass.

Was meant to be green glass, if I remember correctly.

Cheers,

Adam

I like the proposal for the fed square site that was basically an escalator than went no where... trippy.

I remember it well and also the giant "v".
I was a kiddy and I even submitted a tower design where fed square is now.
You will all be pleased it was regected...mind you it was tall. 8)

Who remembers the huge Jolimont residential proposal?

I went through some old newspapers I had kept as a kid. Here's some stuff that's really interesting, thought I'd share it with everyone.

Tues April, 8th 1986 "The Herald" - Front Page!
I kept this image at full size so you can see it properly. The very first Melbourne Central (then Victoria Project) Very N.Y and at 82 stories, I wonder exactly how tall it was going to be. 82 office stories that is. They don't mention the metres in the article.
http://img235.echo.cx/img235/2374/originalmelbcentral82st6sj.th.jpg (http://img235.echo.cx/my.php?image=originalmelbcentral82st6sj.jpg)

This was the next design at 72 stories. Still taller than Rialto but not sure again in metres. I think it was just always meant to be a taller building than it turned out to be. In terms of looks that is.
http://img225.echo.cx/img225/9153/originalmelbcentral72st7bt.th.jpg (http://img225.echo.cx/my.php?image=originalmelbcentral72st7bt.jpg)

Then on Tues April 19th, 1998 "The Herald"
A huge article in the property section an article, "Melbourne's Rebuilding Race is on"
Check out Casseldon Place! It had a spire. Also not sure what happened to the hexagonal plan for Queen St or V roofed one for Bourke?
http://img134.echo.cx/img134/9595/originalcbdplans887xn.th.jpg (http://img134.echo.cx/my.php?image=originalcbdplans887xn.jpg)

Here's more on Casseldon Place from the same article. It wasn't quite the domed roof but something would have been better than it currently stands in my opinion.
http://img96.echo.cx/img96/8853/originalcasseldonplace884ye.th.jpg (http://img96.echo.cx/my.php?image=originalcasseldonplace884ye.jpg)

Oops I wrote 1998 for the second article...meant to be 1988! God now I'm showing my age huh?

120 and 101 sure look weird without their spires, but we'll probably be saying that about Eureka in ten years time.

And the old Melbourne Central proposals, I guess we can only dream about how it could have been.

awesome, anyone got any renders of the one behind bourke place?

Wow - that one on Bourke Street (east of NAB / 140W) looks to be around Prudential (or the other side of Bourke Street).

:eek2:

Excellent post Erektion.

The one on Bourke Street is the RACV site, what a shame it never got built it was going to be 50 levels tall, about the same height as Melbourne Central.

Amazing ti think that all this was planned as well as Telstra HQ and the ANZ HQ, probably the most insane skyscraper boom that any Australian CBD has, or ever will, see.

I always knew that the building on the Corner of Queen and Abeckett Streets stopped construction half way through but I never knew it was going to be a triple tower and that what was finished off in the late 90's was only the shortest of the three towers!!!

http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/north 3.jpg

:lol:

didn't that LaTrobe/Queen building only get a tenant recently (like 2 years ago?)

:lol:

Yeah it turned out to be a bloody awful building. It was never finished properly and you can clearly see all the airconditioning on the roof. I guess the council thought it would be better looking like that than an empty shell of a building sitting there for another ten years.

Hey I checked on emporis and the original Victoria Project @ 82 stories was to be 380m tall...bugger!

Yeah and the next design was 72 levels and 288m :-(

I always knew that the building on the Corner of Queen and Abeckett Streets stopped construction half way through but I never knew it was going to be a triple tower and that what was finished off in the late 90's was only the shortest of the three towers!!!

http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/north 3.jpg

Short and FUGLY!
Thank God we didn't end up with 3 of these hideous buildings. :puke:

p.s. Great post Erektion! :)

There is no excuse for that piece of crap. Refurb' anyone?

I think you guys are being very harsh. I think this office building is fine. I can see it from my office window and its ok. Its a pity the rest of the project wasn't completed. Now we have some single level showrooms (completed in 2004) surrounding it when there should have been another 2 tall towers! :(

I think you guys are being very harsh. I think this office building is fine. I can see it from my office window and its ok. Its a pity the rest of the project wasn't completed. Now we have some single level showrooms (completed in 2004) surrounding it when there should have been another 2 tall towers! :(

lol Aussie Steve, I don't believe it. The first thread I open up!! It's a pity! :|

...and lol @ the renders on the CBD skyline, that Erecktion posted. Even for 1988 they're pretty rank. :no:

Suprised at the comments on 101 Collins
Personally until Eureka it was my favourite building in Melbourne

it's still one of mine!

train trip from SSS to FSS in morning peaks is über-cool as the angle you get on 101 is its best - the spire looks like a mowhawk ;)

The alternate 101C looks very... interesting. I think it would have been fantastic, very different and unique... but I am fairly happy wi the current 101C :D
Stu

I reckon the original proposal for 101C poops all over the one we got!

It is so much more adventurous and interesting.

Change the glass from urine green to the blue existing and you'd have a kick arse tower!

Cheers,

Adam

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/101ColEarlyProp.jpg
One of the earlier DCM designs for 101 Collins Street.Yes, the renderer overdid the urine green as the reflection of a setting sun with cloud images - similar to Rialto. It was a concept that was to be definitely all in blue.

I really love the proposal to do up Flinders street ! That north bank of the yarra river, to go along with southbank''s resurgence is just what melbourne needs. Actually, it is a "must" that we do up northbank and flinders street station in the next 5 - 10 years ! That would really make the yarra river come alive !

Also, i agree that a lack of spire or dome on casseldon place is disappointing too !

cheers

lozza :grouphug:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/sC_apache/101CDMC101.bmp
made in paint as usual :) apoligies about the overlap. i had to do it so it could be uploaded. to the top of the spire looks about 280m? :cheers: i'm making a blue one BTW muse. i just made it green like the picture ;) i've also noticed a few minor errors. i'll fix em up too

alright, here we go,
the blue DCM 101. i made some changes and added a bit more detail. then Dan wiped it out with the clouds :) i must say it looks better with the clouds anyway! :cheers:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/sC_apache/dmc101.jpg

great stuff. but im pretty sure all the proposals were 260m.

Correct, both proposals were the smae height due to the fact that the tower could not overshadow the Yarra.

argh! i'll fix it up tomorrow

^ your going well modena.

alright, here we go,
the blue DCM 101. i made some changes and added a bit more detail. then Dan wiped it out with the clouds :) i must say it looks better with the clouds anyway! :cheers:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/sC_apache/101CDMC101.bmp
Great work 360 Modena!
Can I have one of each. :)
Not asking too much is it? ;)

not a problem. i can give you the separate pictures if you want :) btw, don't forget Dan gets some credit for the clouds. lol. oh, and i might start making them ssp size so i can update some of the dodgy pictures ;)

well grollo and cull, i shortened it this evening... they're about the same height now. i hope its right! :cheers:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/sC_apache/dmc101-2.jpg
i've also noticed it is a lil fuzzy. i dunno what happend! :bash:

Excellent work 360 Modena! I have a feeling that if the original 101C design was built it would've overtaken 120C as the 'trademark' tower for the east end. They would've been almost identical to roof and spire heights too!

Just a question, are these diagrams going on SSP? Coz they certainly should, your 101C diagram is better than the one currently there, no disrespect to the current diagram creator of course, because it is 100x better than what I can do myself. ;)

^i was thinking about it [acctually Dan's suggestion]. then we thought, because its twice the size of SSP, that i could resize them. which we, unfortunetly found out, it won't work. so i could possibly start making my pictures SSP size from now on. :cheers:

does any1 have pics of what the old site where crown is now loked like?

does any1 have pics of what the old site where crown is now loked like?
Yep!
http://www.melbournephotos.net/temp/189897.jpg

gawd! thats one sad looking pic.

Melbourne was sad back then, especially southbank and the Yarra.

Yes, very run down and derelict looking... I wonder if Melburnians back then realised how ugly the place was? And how ugly the 70's concrete buildings were? Or did they not care to notice?

I wish the Perrott Lyon Mathieson RMIT tube proposal was built, and this too:
http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/BreweryProposal1.jpg

Here's the RMIT sports complex posted a few pages back:
http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~lerma/swanstonsports.jpg

i would love to see a major effort to either rid or referb almost all 70's crimes agianst architecture in the C.B.D.
I would take that over one super tall tower.
When I look at the C.B.D. I see a superb city but dragged down by some utterly horrible low and medium rise building.
I'd even settle for having those buildings just clad in glass 1980's style than red and brown and beige brick etc.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/cleardayout/melb_central.jpg


I doctored a photo mucking around and now see what a pity Melb Central did not go 300m. :(

What a monolith it would have been!

^ Yeah, that would have been nice. :( I guess Daimaru didn't need all that floor space ...

Daimaru was never in the office tower, so that wouldn't have played any role in the argument for a shorter tower.

i resized the image a little to get a better look - might need to delete your temp internet files to see

after scaling its about 305m to roof and 340m to spire in the image

They downscaled this building twice :cry:

Why is it that all the pritty looking buildings always seem to get knocked back? It seems like a waste and that they always seem to put a more ulgy looking tower in its place( well not that ugly, but you know what i mean :) ).

that picture acctually looks more realistic than the current stubby one :( it somehow reminds me of the Jin Mao tower

viagra? :runaway:

Article and renders from The Age, Dec. 1978. From my archives - the newspaper had discoloured to the max. Below is the best I could possibly do :dunno: I guess it was worth the effort. Reassure me guys ;)

Titled...

"Mr Hamer, can you really make it happen?"


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/510/379flinderstationrender1.JPG


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/510/379flinderstationrender2-med.JPG


...and again, pardon the shitty quality:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/510/379flindersstationrender3.JPG


The first paragraph sums up what this thread is all about, even to this day - universally, not just for Melbourne!

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/510/379flindersstationartilce2.JPG


*Presses Submit Reply*

...

CRAP, CRAP, CRAP! On and on it goes!
Thank god the plans above came to nought. :)
I like the fact we kept Flinders Street Station, demolished Princess Gate and built Federation Square. :cheers:
Just hurry up and build something great over the railyards between Fed Square and Exhibition Street Bridge. :runaway:

Quote of the day:
"Flinders Street Station looks like a second Rate Buenos Aires brothel, It's a horrible thing sitting on top of a dirty river"

Imagine if Flinders Street station and the Queen Victoria Market had of been replaced with buildings like the old Gas & Fuel towers; oh, the horror!

Melbourne lost some great buildings in that era but it could have been so much worse.

CRAP, CRAP, CRAP! On and on it goes!
Thank god the plans above came to nought. :)
I like the fact we kept Flinders Street Station, demolished Princess Gate and built Federation Square. :cheers:
Just hurry up and build something great over the railyards between Fed Square and Exhibition Street Bridge. :runaway:Nobody would disagree with all of that.

Back then, Flinders Street Station was considerd "shabby" yet Princess Gate was more than likely thought of as a modern marvel.

How indeed the tides have turned.

RMIT University Sports and Education Centre
This unbuilt project accommodates flexible teaching facilities and multipurpose spaces for sports and training. The form bends around a hotel and is sliced off at its

http://www.lyonsarch.com.au/projects/u/u09/larges/U09-01.jpg

http://www.lyonsarch.com.au/projects/u/u09/larges/U09-02.jpg

http://www.lyonsarch.com.au/projects/u/u09/larges/U09-03.jpg

http://www.lyonsarch.com.au/projects/u/u09/larges/U09-04.jpg

http://www.lyonsarch.com.au/projects/u/u09/larges/U09-05.jpg

http://www.lyonsarch.com.au/projects/u/u09/larges/U09-06.jpg

I think that sports and education centre would have been awesome! Love it!

Despite these never builts, melbourne is by far still the best city in the southern hemsphere :D

:cheers:

^ Which one's the best in the northern hemisphere? ;)

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/101ColEarlyProp.jpg
One of the earlier DCM designs for 101 Collins Street.
Damn :mad2:

^^would have been better than the one we know today...

I was looking through the Ashton Raggatt McDougall website and found their never built proposal for Federation Square: http://www.a-r-m.com.au/project.php?projectID=10&categoryID=3
http://www.a-r-m.com.au/images/projects/10/photos/fed_aerial.jpg

http://www.a-r-m.com.au/images/projects/10/photos/fed_night.jpg

http://www.a-r-m.com.au/images/projects/10/photos/fed_corner.jpg

...and their proposal for Spencer Street/Souther Cross Station: http://www.a-r-m.com.au/project.php?projectID=27&categoryID=1
http://www.a-r-m.com.au/images/projects/27/photos/spencer_interior.jpg

http://www.a-r-m.com.au/images/projects/27/photos/spencer_entrance.jpg

http://www.a-r-m.com.au/images/projects/27/photos/spencer_bourkeentry.jpg

http://www.a-r-m.com.au/images/projects/27/photos/spencer_bookinghall.jpg

Thank god it was never built
ANd for the SxS first pic, looks like rusty's catching the train.

Holy Mother of all that's ugly. Nice find.

I like their integration of the Bourke Street footbridge :lol:

YE GODS!I'm no fan of Fed Square, but compared to THAT I'd sing its praises.

Blue

Well yes certainly very different. I dont mind that ribbon effect strangely enough, but other than that very boring.

Love SXS's walkbridge entry.. looks like godzilla has ripped a hole in the wall lol

Yes that walkbridge entry is particularly good for wheelchair access isn't it...

Why are Russell Crowe and Danielle Spencer @ Southern Cro....Oh, maybe a little joke about Spencer's surname.

Some of the station elements look quite smart esp. in the last pic.

Some more from ARM and DCM...

DCM Proposal for office/residential development next to Fed Sq:
http://users.bigpond.net.au/dasa/fedsqeast.jpg


DCM Proposal for Southern Cross/Spencer Street Station:
http://users.bigpond.net.au/dasa/scsdcm.jpg


DCM Proposal to extend Melbourne Exhibition Centre (still could happen?):
http://users.bigpond.net.au/dasa/excentres2.jpg


ARM Proposal for FWP:
http://users.bigpond.net.au/dasa/freshwater1.jpg

http://users.bigpond.net.au/dasa/freshwater2.jpg


...and their Docklands Master Plan:
http://users.bigpond.net.au/dasa/docklands_masterplan3.jpg

I swear everyone at ARM must be smoking the wacky tabaccy.

Strangely whilst I am heavily drawn to this one in very monumental kind of way. I suspect that the design perhaps would not have fitted in the environment that SCS sits.

http://users.bigpond.net.au/dasa/scsdcm.jpg

Those DCM proposals for SXC station and MECC are awesome! Wish the SXC station proposal went through. But I also like ARM's Bourke St entry to the station - like a crack in the wall!

I think that a more slender version of the DCM proposal could be used for Richmond Station...except that most people will see Richmond station from lengthwise, which means you'd need to have something special along its length.

I don't know what ARM were thinking myself. It's like they purposely set out not to win. Too esoteric for me.

I think the DCM Southern Cross proposal was much too impersonal and imposing for a train station. It also didn't built to the street fronatge on Spencer Street which would have been a big mistake.

The current design is much more inviting. I think we got the best design although I wish they had of built it as first proposed with the full sized roof and a tower instead of the campus slab.

Oh what could have been! Would've looked awesome from Docklands now we'll have a great big slab impending the view. Sure some views would have been blocked due to other buildings going up and whatnot but still... :cry:

Great find Arunava!
The DCM proposal for Southern Cross Station would have been the largest lean-to in the world if it were ever built. I prefer the one we got.

ARM’s proposal for Fed Square would have been unsuitable for that location, but elements of it would have looked good at The Docklands.

The ARM proposal for Freshwater Place is crap :puke: but the design for the Bourke Street end of Southern Cross Station over the pedestrian bridge is interesting. :)

I'd like to see any one of ARM's proposals get built, just for the craziness factor.

Speaking of Richmond station, I reckon it'd be cool if they put the ARM Bourke Street bridge entrance over the tracks as trains approach the station. Or put it over any busy section of road or railway to make a gateway into the city for that matter. Beats the sticks at Citylink.

Have you seen the MTC building ARM's doing? Your wish has come true.

Oh yeah. :D

err, kind of forgot about that one :)


Damn, started a new page so I just look like an idiot now.

That ARM proposal for SCS has all the design features and character traits of a Westfield shopping mall. The front is little inspiring than the old Spencer Street. The only remarkable (and notice that I didn't say "interesting" or "good looking") feature is that 'weird shit' feature front entrance and that smashed hole in the wall entrance for the Bourke Street Bridge.

Forgot I had these. The County Court proposal:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/countycourt2.jpg?t=1168294027

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/countycourt1.jpg?t=1168291692

Very bold! Was this a recent proposal? It definetly wants to be seen.

That building is the devil.

haha no one ever agrees here ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/countycourt1.jpg?t=1168291692
Daryl Jackson got the nod and this ARM proposal didn't.
Something like this would have looked good at the Docklands.
I will go further, ARM should get to design something for the Docklands, their style suits the site.
Does anyone know if they have?

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/101ColEarlyProp.jpg

Yes, the renderer overdid the urine green as the reflection of a setting sun with cloud images - similar to Rialto. It was a concept that was to be definitely all in blue.

OMG so hot, i much prefer it.

I still love this:

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/CanalMap.jpg
(collector posted this on first page of this thread)

In the 1860s, they could have easily got away with this, pretty much Copycat Chicago River diversion-like.

cool thread....

fed sq design was rather otherworldly... !

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/101ColEarlyProp.jpg



OMG so hot, i much prefer it.

Who wouldn't? I can't stand the current 101 Collins!

I don't think the proportions look right on the bizarre-o world 101, I think it would have to be taller say 280m for that design to work.


I will go further, ARM should get to design something for the Docklands, their style suits the site.
Does anyone know if they have?

Digital Harbour, Harbour Esplanade, plus the Docklands masterplan.

I like that alternate proposal for 101. I like the current 101 as well though. It would have turned out well either way.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/101ColEarlyProp.jpg



OMG so hot, i much prefer it.

You have my vote on this one :) More classier than what was built.

^^ very HK

Forgot I had these. The County Court proposal:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/countycourt2.jpg?t=1168294027

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/countycourt1.jpg?t=1168291692

what is up with the cladding on that tower?! it's given me head spins :uh:

The top of the alternate 101 proposal looks more like 120 minus the satellite dishes.

Digital Harbour, Harbour Esplanade, plus the Docklands masterplan.

Thanks Archibomber, no wonder every time I see something by ARM I instantly think of The Docklands.:)

I should have added Docklands Park as well as it was a collaboration between ARM and Rush Wright Associates (as was Harbour Esplanade). With Digital Harbour the Innovation building and Port 1010 are ARM designs. I'm not 100% sure whether 1000 LaTrobe is an ARM design (renders are very similar to those of Woods Bagot) or LifeLab, which looks alot like a Hassell design. I'm surprised DCM hasn't designed a building at Docklands yet, only the Webb bridge with Robert Owen.

This is straying majorly off topic, but it's interesting to note the architectural firms which have been involved in the design of Docklands:

John Wardle Architects: Dock5
Fender Katsalidis Architects/Synman Justin Bialek: New Quay (Arkley, Boyd, Palladio, Sant Elia, Nolan, Conder
HPA: YE1, YE2, YE3, YE4
Wood Marsh: T5 & T6 (apparently with HPA)
Ashton Raggatt McDougall: Docklands masterplan, Docklands Park, Harbour Esplanade, Port1010, Innovation Building, Digital Harbour masterplan
Bligh Voller Nield: NAB, 700 Collins, Ericsson, Vic Harbour 12 storey resi
Elenberg Fraser: Watergate Place, Site One, Site 7 scheme, Collins Hotel (also Site 7)
Lyons: Kangan Batman TAFE
COX Architects: AXA, Centre for Ice Sports @ Waterfront City, 370 Docklands Drive NQ HQ
Buchan Group: Channel 7, Victoria Point/Bendigo Bank/Quest (collaboration with dKo architects)
Hassell: Waterfront City (with dKo), ANZ, possibly LifeLab, interiors for Dock5 and New Quay towers
Peddle Thorp: Aquavista
Denton Corker Marshall: Webb Bridge (with Robert Owen)
McGuaran Giannini Soon: Pods @ New Quay
RMIT Final year architecture students: Follies @ New Quay, and Docklands Park loo.
Woods Bagot: 360 degrees, and the Melbourne Convention Centre development, not exactly Docklands but worth mentioning (with Larry Oltmann and NH Architecture)
Daryl Jackson: Telstra Dome, DFO
Nicholas Grimshaw: Southern Cross Station and 664 Collins(with Daryl Jackson)
Bruce Henderson: Flinders Wharf, Batman's Hill proposal
Marchese & Partners: V1, V2 Village Docklands, Village Docklands masterplan

Buildings I'm not sure of:
Bates Smart?: National Foods
Bovis Lend Lease Design?: Mosaic, Safeway, Lend Lease HQ
Woods Bagot?: 1000 La Trobe Digital Harbour
?:Outrigger/Mantra whatever the fark it's called

Pretty impressive list so far.

I don't know about those other ones but i'm fairly certain that Lend Lease are designing their own offices in house.

Guess this one's a never built now:

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/1776/565cot1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/430/565ciiru1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/9283/565ciiisv3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

As is this old Grey Puksand design for 150 Queen St (Prudential) called C21:

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7041/150qgm4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/5618/150qiicd0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/742/150qiiisi8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

*sniff*

that axa signage would have been uber.

ANZ looks way too short in that render too.

I was thinking the same. 565 also looks too short in the third render compared to Rialto. Were AXA ever seriously considering 565, I guess the signage would seem to suggest so?

no actually, I'm f**king angry that hasn't been built.

one of the highest points in the west end (140W prob just a little higher), enormous floorplates, different & good use of lifts (maximising floorplates even more!), removes two very average buildings from Queen St (would have been a very good step in the right direction re: returning to the golden Queen St age :D), bulk & density factor 10/10 (a rare thing in Melbourne) - one really slender profile (which would have been milked in skyline shots from Eureka / Southbank etc) and no setbacks (to friggin die for), perfect for a big legal tenant like Freehills, Clayton Utz etc + maybe a mid-tier bank (like St. George or Citibank moving from practically nextdoor).

the perfect skyscraper!!!

The pain, the pain :(

:gaah:

Yeah that's a big shame, looks cool.

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/9283/565ciiisv3.jpg

Imperium @ 142m that was to be on Southbank:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/imperiumtower1.gif__http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/imperiumtower2.gif

The 100m Sportstech Tower, earmarked for 710 Bourke, Docklands. Now defunct...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/SportstechTower1.jpg

The Q2 Melbourne isn't getting:

http://www.spowers.com.au/images/projects/Q2.jpg

...and The DCM AXA Tower fronting Collins that Melbourne also isn't getting:

http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/AXA2.JPG

:-( Thanks Muse for reminding us what we are not getting. This thread makes me want to cry and at times say thank god. ^^ They would have looked great apart from Imperium.

Thank god this was never finished:
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/hwtports/0/0/4/im/hp004595.jpg

^^ Excuse my ignorance Grollo, but what was that going to be (and what replaced it)?

It's RMIT on Swantson St.

the big 'ole grey brick building. Lucky story hall is there now.

That sketch makes it look nowhere as bad as it does in real life though.

http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/hwtports/0/0/4/im/hp004595.jpg

Below, buildings that would have been demolished or never built for the above crap.:nuts:

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/gallery/photography/City/slides/RMIT1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/gallery/photography/City/slides/RMIT3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/gallery/photography/City/slides/RMIT4.jpg

Is it to early to say that the Shangri-La Hotel rendered below, as part of Village Docklands will never be built?
Damn shame if it stays on this thread, I’ve always liked this proposed scraper.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/ShangriLaHotel.jpg

An early design concept for the Docklands by Ashton Raggat McDougall.
The position of a stadium (Telstra Dome) seems to have been taken up from this design.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/DocklandsARM.jpg

A model of the World Trade Centre proposal.
What we got was a more streamlined scaled down version of this.
A damn shame really, as this looks not bad for 1970s modernism.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/WTCProposal.jpg

City Link, the start of the Domain Tunnel as it was originally proposed, it turned out a little different.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/CityLinkProposal.jpg

God damn I hate 70s modernism.......... And I still believe there are times when those at ARM are on crack :lol:

I really like that Docklands proposal. Much more organic, with the water running through whats now Waterfront City. I like the way it goes under the Bolte as well, as opposed to the Bolte being a boundary of the precinct now.

I don't think Docklands was ever proposed to go under the bridge and that far into the port....that area has been earmarked for port use as far as I know. Probably just an ARM fantasy. Anyway, I thought that Shangri-La render was just a massing model rather than a render of a proposed building?

To my understanding correct on all counts Arunava. Personally, I think in like 20 years it will extend that far

I thought a new container terminal & associated rail/road links where planned for that area west of the Bolte.

eh, maybe that too :P

I doubt if any apartments will be built west of Bolte Bridge.....for many years anyway? but if they were facing the city with service core, lifts etc. on their western facade, the views of the city would be pretty good.

Actually, they should have started already. More Vic project jitters.

If there is all this controversy about deepening areas of Port Phillip Bay to cater for ever larger ships, will this new docklands upstream of the Westgate and downstream of the Bolte be obsolete before it's built? I know the main span east pier of the West gate was built a fair way in from the river to cater for future widening.......while at it ..it would be a disgrace if the low level railway line is allowed just down from the Bolte, makes it a waste the Bolte road deck was built that high in the first place...and as you know even it was made as low as it could have been for larger boats to freely enter Victoria Harbour.

Unsure if Im on the right track, but Docklands wont be obsolete becuase Victoria dock is way beyond useful for commercial shipping.

Maybe I shouldn't have used the word docklands...I mean the proposed new docks west of Bolte Bridge..and the expanded wharves even extending to the present market area on Footscray rd. If it goes ahead I just wondered if it will cater for these huge ships.

With regards to the Docklands developing further west, i'm sure that it will in the not to distant future. Isn't the Port going to move to stony point area? Once that goes, they will definatley develop more urban renewed projects along to the mouth of the yarra. Ive noticed that all the containers on the west side of the dynon road onoff ramp has been cleared. Its a start i guess...

Source says 1969 of a multi-storey cinema, shopping, restaurant and under-ground parking complex in Toorak??

http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/ShowImage.asp?B=11484919&T=P&S=1

Maybe I shouldn't have used the word docklands...I mean the proposed new docks west of Bolte Bridge..and the expanded wharves even extending to the present market area on Footscray rd. If it goes ahead I just wondered if it will cater for these huge ships.

Whoops. Im not entirely sure, but Im not sure the river is wide enough for the big ships to be turned around after docking. The present market area will be turned into more rail/intermodal transport space. And mic, the port isnt moving, Stony Point will be a new competing port once port melbourne reaches full capacity.

That last black and white pic, diagram of the octagonal building you say was for Toorak ???? is at southbank where the shops and restaurants are now. I remember that roadway used to continue from under Princes Bridge past the fountain in front of the mobil Building..now apartments and the Hamer Hall, then on to Queens bridge. I also remember during the time of Dick Hamer a pyramid shaped casino and a 40 story world trade centre was proposed for this site.

Whoops. Im not entirely sure, but Im not sure the river is wide enough for the big ships to be turned around after docking. The present market area will be turned into more rail/intermodal transport space. And mic, the port isnt moving, Stony Point will be a new competing port once port melbourne reaches full capacity.

What a shame......having a port so close to the CBD is UGLY. Hopefully one day it becomes obselete, the room for growth just isnt there any more and that land is prime for redevlopment.

^^ I like it, seeing ships coming in & out of the river mouth. If they still plan to build it, the new terminals immediatly west of the Bolte will satisfy demand for a few years. After that, there may be space at Coode Island, but being so near to chemical storage it probably wont happen.
Once the market site is intergrated with the port's transport network, improvements in loading/unloading efficiency should further stretch the port's usefulness until Stoney Point construction commences.

Plans to develop more docking facilities near Webb dock seem to have been quietly shelved, which is a shame as it would be the best place for post panamax ships & would further delay the need for Stony Point which seems a bit of a poor option given Westernport is shallow & would require even more dredging than Port Phillip just to get smaller ships into dock.

That last black and white pic, diagram of the octagonal building you say was for Toorak ???? is at southbank where the shops and restaurants are now. I remember that roadway used to continue from under Princes Bridge past the fountain in front of the mobil Building..now apartments and the Hamer Hall, then on to Queens bridge.The source said and that is why I put question marks after it. Go figure, eh? Looks like it's just across the Yarra.

...

I think the Webb dock plan is still part of the larger Port Development Plan. One proposal is to extend the dock to the north. Same plan is for Swanson dock to extend it to the north to allow more/larger berths. Also I'm not sure if the proposed port of Hastings would actually be competing as such because it would most likely still be controlled by the Port of Melbourne Corporation anyway. There is already competion within the port between the various stevedores, rail companies, etc

I meant a complimentry port rather than competing....
My bad.

I don't think that the port should really be expanded there but if it is, then i guess that's the way it is unfortunatley!

Just imagine the oppourtunities of redeveloping the enitre fishermens bend, coode island etc. It would remove the ugly scar on Melbourne's face and make it a joy to drive over the West Gate rather than a undesirable experience. Imagine if there were apartments stretching from docklands to the mouth of the yarra without ugly factories ruining the location of the city to the west. In that pocket there could be thousands of people living there creating a more urban dense city, with more people living in and around the Cbd. No cbd in Australia has that many factories nudging the city. The north, east and south are great however the west is terrible.

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/116/grollotowerisogm2.jpg

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/17/grolliso2zl3.jpg

Looks like this fourm is alive again!
I have to say this is probably my all time favourite fourm.
i have lots of old pics to post but need to find them first.

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/116/grollotowerisogm2.jpg

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/17/grolliso2zl3.jpg

To think this thing was so close to actually going ahead. It would have been completed by 2004-5 if it had gone to plan.

Kinda scary to think how different Melbourne could have been right now.

Would've ruined Docklands, I reckon.
Docklands would never have integrated with the existing fabric of the CBD if this had gone ahead. I'm glad it never saw the light of day.
I mean, look at the base of the building! Terrible use of the area at ground level, which is always the most important thing to consider.
Be thankful for what you're currently getting.

agreed.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/GrolloTower1.jpg

Possibly the ugliest thing I have ever seen.

Possibly the ugliest thing I have ever seen.

Agreed.
All in favour...

I don't think it's that bad. I like the way the facade is broken up into sections with the up arrow bracing/lines on it, the top is something different as well. It's just the location which is way off.

I don't think it's that bad. I like the way the facade is broken up into sections with the up arrow bracing/lines on it, the top is something different as well. It's just the location which is way off.

Yea, i think it would fit in better on bourke street... :ohno:

A Grollo Tower sized structure wouldn't really fit in well regardless of where you built it.

I thought DCM's Grollo Tower would have been wasting a lot of electricity, lighting up that "beacon" at the top which was 110m. tall, starting from the highest floor of the Tower.

Harry Seidler's Tower, while not very attractive, at least had a large solar panel.

would only look good in Dubai.

would only look good in Dubai.

Seidler or DCM?

Would've ruined Docklands, I reckon.
Docklands would never have integrated with the existing fabric of the CBD if this had gone ahead. I'm glad it never saw the light of day.
I mean, look at the base of the building! Terrible use of the area at ground level, which is always the most important thing to consider.
Be thankful for what you're currently getting.

I wish it was built. It's fucking 560m high!!

I wish it was built. It's fucking 560m high!!

Right on brother!:lol:

Gosh! I would have loved to be a member of this forum on the day that this tower was announced/proposed!