Melbourne Central
Melbourne, Australia

HEIGHT: 211m/692 feet
FLOORS: 54 floors
COMPLETION: 1991
ARCHITECT: ?

Rated 2nd best on the original OzScrapers Rate our talls series (yep you have Kay from OZScrapers to blame) :D

http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/building_profile.php?ID=279

Built : 1988 - 1991
Address : cnr Swanston & Lonsdale Streets

Height
(to roof) : 211
(to pinnacle) : 246m/ 807ft
number of floors : 54

Built in the Eighties period in the Modern style

Notable architectural features :
The office tower follows the concept of skyscraper design as a "Crystal Cut" volume. Within the smooth shape, the facades are a composition of heterogeneous materials, such as stone, aluminum panel, reflective glass and tinted glass. At the top of the tower, high-technology communication equipment is visible. The lower part of the building is more traditional in design. The facade represents a transition, from the solid city building at the base, which slowly evaporates towards the sky. The basic concept of Melbourne Central consists of the four following targets: The Symbiosis of History and the Present The existing shot tower located on the redevelopment site is not necessarily important from the architectural point of view. It is, however, an important landmark with which the citizens of Melbourne are familiar. This historical testimony is enclosed in the conic glass atrium. It is important to preserve historical buildings while making the most of them in the present town. The Crystal Cut Office Tower The form of the high-rise crystal cut office tower has the same concept with the Central Plaza in Brisbane which I have designed. The mullion pattern on the facade is introduced to avoid the uniformity. Abstraction or Pure Geometry One of the methods to create multivalent and ambivalent architecture is to quote fragments of historical symbols. The other method is to quote abstract forms which are the achievements of modern architecture and modern art. Abstraction can be freely interpreted, to produce multivalent meaning. In this project, various abstract forms are quoted, such as rectangle, cone, inverted-cone (concave conically-shaped cut-out in the facade), and sphere (dome). The Symbiosis of Various Functions The contemporary city has lost vitality which was produced by overlaying and compounding various functions. Melbourne Central is aiming at the complex which vitalizes a city. Site area: 26,067.00m² Total floor area: 263,435.00m² * The Tower Total floor area: 106,131.00m² Steel Structure + Reinfored concrete 4 basements + 53 stories * Shopping Center (Atrium annex) Total floor area: 92,096.00m² Steel Structure (Atrium) + Reinfored concrete 4 basements + 6 stories + 2 penthouses * Shopping Center (Lonsdale annex) Total floor area: 45,208.00m² Steel Structure (Pedestrian bridge) + Reinfored concrete 4 basements + 3 stories + 2 penthouses

Building design by : Kisho Kurokawa, Bates, Smart & McCutcheon, Hassel Pty. Ltd

http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/images/melbournecentral.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/rotpics01/melbcennight.jpeg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/rotpics01/28.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/rotpics01/62.jpg

tays

MC is probably the most unique of Melbourne's tallest boxes.

9/10

Ahhh... So Freakay is the guy that did these on OZscrapers!

Would be one of the best in the world for it's time if it was 300-350m. I gave it 8.5/10

yikes!! attack of the giant space robot/rodent/field goal . . 4/10 because it reminds me of Nashville

8.5/10. Reminds me of a cross between Bank of China and Bellsouth Tower, Nashville (Batman building).

http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/~jwang/gallery/Hong%20Kong/images/Bank%20of%20China%20Tower.jpg+http://www.aciie.org/bellsouth.jpg=http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/images/melbournecentral.jpg

Nice building, not too boxy.

8.5/10

WOW I like it. Whats with those spires or whatever they are. They are awsome. 9/10

My favourite Melbourne building out of all. Ever better than Rialto. I love its pointies and also it was done by Kisho Kurokawa who also did Central Plaza 1 & 2 in Brisbane. 10/10

Very nice indeed

7.5/10 :)

7.5/10. Good but those spires dragged the mark down.

Bellsouth and MC almost look alike, though Bellsouth is only 188m tall, and MC is 211m.

9/10. I've always liked this building, and the robotic like twin spires. The only thing I dislike are the long white facade elements, I think if it were pure glass on all sides it would look better.

One of my all-time favourite skyscrapers in this height category. So elegant and sleek. IMO more sophisticated than Bank of China, HK because of the 3-D crystal cut design as opposed to the tapering BoC. Bank of China plays only on the triangle, whereas Melb Central breaks out of the mould and offers very interesting angles from different viewpoints.

Also, love the tapering mullion pattern, truss-style spires and imaginative window cleaning rails in the groove between the roof panels and facade. Also, Melb Central cone is imaginative but in the end puts an Asian/American-style shopping centre in the very different Melb urban context.

And Melb Central is black...:cool:

Kisho Kurokawa hovers between excellent towers and mediocre towers (eg Republic Plaza Singapore) and plain bizarre...Japanese metabolists. He built the capsule hotel tower in Tokyo. I understand that he's a very flamboyant architect with his own tv show in Japan.

One of my favs for Melbourne. I'm giving it an 8/10, just because I gave the Rialto an 8.5, and I thought if I had to choose b/w the two, I would choose Rialto.

Thanx guys,
MAtt:)

10! GOTTA be one of the best buildings along with the rialto in melbourne. looks a bit like that shit in nashville but other than that its great.:bleep:

OOOOOO Me likey very mucho! 9/10

There are buildings, whose design desire a different height. This one should be much taller. Therefore only 7.5

may as well be the best in Aus!

10 or 9.. forgot what i gave it

8/10

:cool:

8.5/10

I like it. It looks very clever.

One great building!! Very nice.....the forgotton building of Melbourne as it is overshadowed by Rialto.....

the last pic reminds me of the BoC... i like the blue glass, but imo the most of the bottom is plain boxy 6

Wonderful wonderful and hugely underrated (in comparitive terms) building in Melbourne.

One of a very precious select club of skyscrapers that actually looks TALLER the close you get to it !! I mean it this is not mean trick .. from about 1 or two blocks away the building looks far taller than its 211m .. while most scrapers including many WTB's look shorter..

Probably one of if not Australia's only building with true World Class 'bulk' .. I mean that big-ass look you get on a lot of N.American scrapers (short and tall) that just have such an imposing presence up close

9/10 - It would be 10/10 if it was built to its proposed 270m+ height .. and it is still begging for that height to be added.

Fabian is a complete moron I hate to say for dissing the spires .. they are an esssential part of its design.. like the spires on BoC

8/10

I like it, it is like BellSouth in Nashville.

The facade looks really good.On the top isn't what i hoped it to be. 7.0/10

.............also worthy of mentioning MC has foundations for 88 levels, EH ever seen a skyscraper grow from 50 or so to 88 ? freakier things have happened in this world!

:guns1:

tays

I like it... it's actually pretty powerful.

8.5

10 Wow, this building is BEAUTIFUL! Similar to Bellsouth in Nashville... but this one succeeds with a more consistant facade and a better crown. Double spires look awesome.

This belongs in the 200-300 section. (Although may will argue that the spires take it into the top 100)

9/10

9/10


Great tower

cool~
space structure feel! 8.5/10

Its originality supersedes any 'ugly/beautiful'-contemplation......also: good to see that the architect has been allowed to use the creative space necessary to design this.

8/10

it's neat quite unique design id say

8

Mm something new :)

8/10

Makes me think of robots and space :)

7/10 Interesting design

8

9.5
I like the building. The white lines can be appreciated only from a considerable distance. Other wise the building would have been bland!! Like the antennae too!!

That is one funny lookin' building... looks like a robot dog or something. Must... eat... feces... :hilarious

Looks like it could be quite imposing and intimidating up close - like it could bite you in the ass or something

7.5 :cheers:

doesn't look as batman as the one in nashville, but it's all rite. gotta improve somewhat on the spires though. 8.5/10

BellSouth is better imo. They could have done something better with the top. 7/10

7.5/10

Best in Melbourne and Best in Australia currently!I love it!Nv miss the sight of it whenever i pass by it.Very robotic and futuristic!

Unique and looks quite tall !! One of my favourite in Australia

9.5/10

one of my favourites in OZ too....should still be lookin' good in years to come

My first post! 8.5/10: the building is beautiful, but the ways the antennae have been designed, they appear to lean out from the top demonically, like a pair of horns.

Crow little evil horns
8/10

7/10

it was meant to be higher. but i don't tire of looking at it.
im sure those spires must be straight but when you look at it from a distance you could swear they angle outwards when looking front on.
would it be due to the fact the spires taper off inwardly as they reach there points.
sorry if that sound dumb but from the hoddle st exit of the eastern freeway they just don't look straight in line with the 90 degrees of the side of the building?

It is because the antennae taper on the inside but not the outside. However, from some angles, the demonic aspect disappears & it just looks like a beautiful building with an antenna:

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/Towers/melbcent5277.jpg

thanks "yard" . i gotta say the old myer house in the background still looks utterly crap even afteri t's conversion to apparttments. a few stipe of black paint only marginally impove it. I needed a total facade make over imo.
still one of my least fave mediums in melb.

sorry about typos in my last two posts

7/10
Interesting design, nice solid building. From the pictures its making a statement (quite possibly it is saying "I am the Devil Robot. Take me to your leader"). Still seems bland and a little tacky, so I took off a few points for that.

8.5/10 Nice tower.

There's something I don't like about this tower, maybe the stripes. 6.5

Normal 5/10

Hmmm, doesn't look good in all shades of light not even at night. 4/10

yes, nice one! 7.5

4/10

8/10

8/10
The most beautifull building ever i f'ckin love it and envy it and want it in Brisbane :(
It only got an 8 because it should be 300m

8/10

Interesting that so many posters say that MC is too short, well the original was going to be 88 floors not the 55 we ended up with blame the Japanese owners for not having the guts to build it like it should have been.

yes but the 88 storey version was of a different design.

See Melb's never built thread.

9

Very nice. Great modern design w/out trying too hard. Looks menacing from certain angles and I really like that in a scraper. This bldg at 88 floors would be incredible but then I would demand it for Chicago. My favorite in Melbourne.

A little bit spacey.... :runaway:

6/10


:cheers:

7.5/10

Would be one of the best in the world for it's time if it was 300-350m. I gave it 8.5/10

yeah i would think so too

Great building! The facade and antennae make this the second best in Melbourne for me. I give it a 9/10. :okay:

http://img46.exs.cx/img46/5796/p92421564lj.jpg

nothing special, 7/10 for quality

Very nice building!

reminds me of Central Plaza in Brisbane(shape), mixed with bank of china(glass etc.)

gets an 8 from moi :D

Its OK.

Decent tower 7.5/10 :cheers:

OK I'l see if it grows on me 6/10

Why are this one and 101 Collins Street not included in Emporis' top 200 ?

Btw, I don't like its evil-robot look. The glass seems too dark, and the transition in the cladding colors is not very well done, I think. Huh, it seems that I'm not rating Melbourne scrapers very well so far, let's hope that Eureka will change that (crossing fingers for the spire's design ^^ ).
4.

Strangely similar to Bellsouth in Nashville. I like the design a little better, though; I always thought Bellsouth was a little too squat for the double-spire appearance. This one looks a bit more graceful and I like the shape a bit more. 8.5

they should extend it to 400m :D
2 reasons - 1 the core is like twice as thick as Eurekas
2 the tower its self is thicker than Eureka
9/10 :) -1 for the stubbiness

Beautiful, but would be more impressive if it was 200m taller. 8/10

On some pics it looks like it is only 80 meters tall!
7.0

Why are this one and 101 Collins Street not included in Emporis' top 200 ?

I think it's because they don't count the spire height.

8.5/10

Great facade and the spires fit very well.

Great looking building 8.5/10

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Melbourne/Melbournecentral4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Melbourne/MelbourneCentral3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Melbourne/Rialtoview4.jpg

8/10

7/10

8/10

I like the shape. 8.

In the flesh, it actually seems taller than it is, because relative to Melbourne's CBD clusters, MC is off by itself a bit, and has no other tall towers around to detract.

I think it looks "evil" :evil: and that's why it's great :D But it could be a little bit taller ;) 8,5/10

8/10

I love it. 9/10.

interesting design, 8/10

http://img46.exs.cx/img46/5796/p92421564lj.jpg

10/10. Stunning, futuristic looking building. The best scraper in Australia IMO. Height is perfect as is, don't buy into the argument that it should have been taller. Classical building ahead of its time. :)

It might be able to carry this design better if it were taller.

6/10

10/10

Stunning design, a bit fat 8.5/10

8/10.

I always liked this skyscraper.. 9

Supertower! 9.5/10

8.5/10

magnificent 10/10

not bad 7/10

Nice tower 8/10

Wierd to see the building you actually work in in a thread. Nice building, stands out somewhat because there is nothing of similar height near it, but needed an extra 100m or so on the top to make it a 9 or 9.5 (I gave it 7.5).

9/10

9/10

7/10.

4.5/10

8.0/10

8/10

8/10 :cool: though

only 7/10 for me
:)

7/10 they look like devil horns

7/10

8/10

7.5/10

Not feeling it

6/10

It is a very futuristic tower for the 90s', the atrium looks nice. 7/10

8/10

7.5/10 not bad

5,5/10

7/10

looks good

yeah, great tower 9/10

7/10

a little too short.

8.5/10

I quite like it. 8

Nice design. 8/10

8/10

8/10

7.5/10

7/10

10. superb!

6.5/10

wow. i like it. 8.5/10

8/10

10/10

This beauty should have been over 300m :bash:

great tower, but what´s greater about this tower is the mall complex inside of it.

i just think the similarities between this building and the one in nashville are enormous.

but sincerely, this tower goes for a well deserved 8

nice 7.5/10

9/10!

6.5 / 10

8/10

Nice colors and patterns. Poor choice on the spires. A bit short.

After Rialto, this is my fav in Melbourne. The only bad thing I can say about it is that I wish it were taller. It has the powerful look that would suit what could've been the tallest building in Melbourne (before Eureka). The design is so strikingly simple, yet leaves such an impression. Like everyone else says; it has a menacing look and I really like the twin antennae. Up close it looks a lot taller than it is. It's very similar to BellSouth in Nashville, but BellSouth seems almost whimsical and over-done. This one is elegant and modern and has an almost "Melbourne meets Japan" feel to it. Lovin' it! A totally deserving "9.5"

I really like this tower, however, mabey they should have made it a little more origanal. 9/10 though. I actually like both bellsouth and this the same. I don't think the one in nashville is overdone btw

i really like this buidling when i was small i used to think it looked like a cat lol

i really like this buidling when i was small i used to think it looked like a cat lol


You're not alone Jayme, I did too when I was little. It looks like a cat when it's upset and aggitated. I was just to afraid to admit it first, thanks!

i remember always driving on the eastern freeway and seeing it when i was a kid..my family called it the cockroach building :D

This building has a twin Central Plaza One in Brisbane from the same architect.http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=113314

6.5/10

9.5/10.

Truely one of the best in the world and Australia. I just don't like the cone on the podium but.

7/10

Need to see more pictures, for now a 6,5 out of 10.

9.5/10

:)

This is where Darth Vader would stay if he ever conquered Melbourne. I like it - 7.5/10:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1121/567405365_385f7c2e1f_b.jpg

This is actually inside the podium for MC.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1430/530917172_6581839102_b.jpg

Exterminate! Exterminate!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/193/524663013_c240d24142_b.jpg

It must be lonely over there by yourself.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/192/501506543_b622acfd03_b.jpg

Would probably look better with a some other towers nearby.

This beauty should have been over 300m :bash:
Well supposedly the core is large enough to go on higher, if they ever want to make it a tad taller. Though i doubt that'll happen, if they need more office space they'll build something new nearby instead of extending an existing tower.

Long live the robot building! :lol:

I give it an 8.5

It looks sleek from some angles, stumpy from others. I do love its facade treatment and it's holding up well and not dating IMO. High-tech looking @ its best, yet could've done with a bit more height to roof.

Don't like one little bit 5/10

Need to see more pictures, for now a 6,5 out of 10.

more shots of this Batman building - one of Melbourne most recognised towers

(my own photos)

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g228/AdeMelbourne/P1010002-1.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g228/AdeMelbourne/Melbourne%20Skylines/P1010150.jpg

i dont like the white stuff on the wall of the tower

8/10 would have looked much better and scored better if height was over 300m+

7/10

7/10

awesome 9.5/10

9/10

9/10

10/10!

10/10

9/10 a Melbourne icon

10/10 - My favourite building in Melbourne:)

Here are some pics taken by Mugley
http://i22.tinypic.com/2cwvdq8.jpg
http://i21.tinypic.com/4u99h1.jpg

I like the frames- 8/10

Modern design and architecture!

8.5/10

4/10

9 ;)

Nice building, not too boxy.

4/10

its sexy. 9

9/10

nice design 8/10

8/10

7.5/10 :cheers:

nice building!!
10/10

8/10

7/10

9.5:) For some reason Melbourne Central Tower is looking better with age, a fantastic 80s building that has a strange resemblez to a ancient Egyption cat statue...

8.5/10

He is beautiful, black, smooth, with details, symmetrical.

In my taste. I am greeting.

10/10

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/Towers/melbcent5277.jpg

8.5/10

10. Excellent building. Regards.

9/10

9.5/10

9/10

8/10

9/10 ;)

7/10

10/10

8/10 :)

8/10 :)

8/10

Closed poll! :cry:

9/10

I would like it better if it was plain black glass, with no white detailing. 7/10

8.5! Very nice building! :applause:

10/10
http://trixiefantastic.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/melb-central.jpg
http://trixiefantastic.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/melb-central.jpg

7.5/10

8/10

It looks imposing. But in a good way. If that makes sense.