Can everybody that knows of future proposed buildings please notify everybody on this thread.

So far from sites like Emporis and skyscraperpage, The only proposed buildings being made will be the 18 marcus clark building.

This is an exact picture of canberra in the future, as in 30 years...
http://img302.imageshack.us/img302/2051/futurecanberra24ci.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

That picture was made in paint by me, it was originally this:
http://img302.imageshack.us/img302/796/canberracity9hg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

well, i try to get info from Canberra but hard from sydney. Im sure there are many projects in pipeline. As for tall bldgs, the CBD height limit is approx 15st/60m, so not sure about super scrapers yet.

Perhaps with the new expansion of the airport more people will come to canberra which = more buisinesses, which = more buildngs, which = more density, which then = less space to build buildings on, which = the need for taller buildings, which = in 30 years many more tall buildings in canberra!
go to http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=349537 read my thread about the airport.

I don't think you'll ever get very tall buildings in central Canberra. I think they are trying to keep them lower to not take attention away from Parliament House. Woden on the other hand.....

Why have every city in Oz with tall ones? I like the way Canerra has kept it low and it does monumental architecture better than any other city here IMO.

It's low-rise high-density around the downtown and inner-city areas is proving quite unique too.

..

^^
I agree. Along with the weather, it gives Canberra an almost European feel...

This is an exact picture of canberra in the future, as in 30 years...
http://img302.imageshack.us/img302/2051/futurecanberra24ci.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

What wikkyd paint skillz.

Thanks, I just stole skycraper pictures from other cities and pasted them on an average canberra picture.

A nice thought but I would be very surprised to see this in 30 years time, 100 years maybe, but I think Canberra would need to see a dramtic population rise and inward investment to see this happen.

yeah, it just ain't gonna happen. But it would be nice to see at least one 20+ storey building in Civic.

The fact that the ATO (one of the biggest employers in the city) is only getting a building that tops out at 12 storeys says pretty much everything about Canberra's long term development. There will be new buildings, but they won't be particularly tall.

But on the plus side we are getting more density in Civic. I took a wander around section 84 on saturday and it is really filling out. East Civic will have a really decent streetscape when the projects are finished. It feels like Canberra is shaking off the country town/suburbia feel and getting a more modern urban feel.

is there a height limit in canberra, is it like 100m

^ its 60m/200ft.the RL at lake Burley griffith is 555m and base of Telstra tower is 617m, thus 62m. so if you build down near shoreline at Rl2m, then 60m can be achieved. the CBd itself is RL571m, add 46m/150ft and you get RL617m -- base of telstra tower. hence height controls.maybe they think they dont want bldgs higher then base of telstra tower?
i dont think having 100m+ blgs would destroy cityscape of canberra. only enhance it.

I absolutley Agree.

I seem to remember from when I was a kid that one of the reasons for the height limits in Canberra was so that none of the buildings were taller than the surrounding hills, thus keeping the bush capital feeling. Personally, I like the fact that Canberra doesnt have lots of talls, I think a low dense cityscape makes Canberra stand out.

Huge land release in city, suburbs
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/1552/502439thumbnail400gv1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Kanchan Dutt
Wednesday, 16 August 2006

A huge injection of land into the residential and commercial sectors will come on line later this year under plans announced by the ACT Government.

A 40,000sqm block of Civic office space capable of accommodating up to 3000 workers will be the "trigger" for an overhaul of City Hill, while 1200 greenfield sites will be released in Gungahlin and Bonython to soak up the acute need for housing.

Planning Minister Simon Corbell hailed the news as proof the Government was listening to growing calls for land release, which have heightened since the Federal Government announced it was to create as many as 5000 public-sector jobs in Canberra. But he denied it was a reaction to fears that Commonwealth departments were considering moving out of the city because of a shortage of sites for expansion.

The ACT Property Council expressed concerns yesterday that a lack of affordable housing in the territory would force the Federal Government to close down offices and move elsewhere, but Mr Corbell labelled the comments "exaggerated".

The minister said the national budget had brought about a dramatic change in the need for land in Canberra, property groups changing from asking for land release to be restricted to pleading with him for space for development to be rapidly put on the market.

"I have been working on this for a couple of months, since the Federal Government budget, because we have known we will need to further increase land supply," he said.

"The Commonwealth public service is continuing to grow, which was not expected before the budget, and indeed people were saying do not release more land until there is demand for another major development in the city."

Mr Corbell said the Section63 Civic development, just south of the police station on the corner of London Circuit and Edinburgh Avenue, recognised one of the key recommendations of the Canberra Central Taskforce. "While noting that underlying demand might mean that development of the entire precinct might take many years, the taskforce recommended the ACT Government pursue a 'trigger project' to stimulate activity. This site will be that trigger project."

The office could be up to 12 storeys high, the same as the Rydges Lakeside hotel opposite, and the land is due to be auctioned in the last quarter of this year.

It is being used as a car park, and Mr Corbell stressed the need for these spaces to be kept under the future development, which could mean the car park stretching underground.

Market analysis indicated the territory's residential and commercial property sector was sufficiently robust to withstand the pair of interest-rate rises within the past three months and any future ones.

"The overall increase in residential land supply is confirmation that the market has strengthened in the last three months," Mr Corbell said.

Originally the Government had earmarked 900 greenfield sites for residential development, but had to revisit this estimate and increase it by one-third after the Commonwealth jobs boost. This will almost treble to 3500 in 2007-08.

Many of the main areas set to benefit lie within and around the ACT's fastest growing suburb, Gungahlin - Forde, Wells Station, Franklin and the town centre.
Source: Canberra Times (http://www.canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=political&story_id=502439&category=political&m=8&y=2006)

Full Article:
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k200/jezuez47/landrelase.jpg

New Article from today:
ACT property sector welcomes land release
John Thistleton
Thursday, 17 August 2006

The ACT's commercial and residential property sectors have welcomed the release of a huge office site in Civic and more greenfield blocks in Gungahlin.

Planning Minster Simon Corbell said yesterday a 40,000sqm site on the corner of London Circuit and Edinburgh Avenue, Civic, would be auctioned later this year.

Property groups praised the significant land injection but asked for more sites to be added quickly.

Mr Corbell said land to be released in Molonglo in coming years addressed the need for new homes in the south while the "incremental" addition of sites in Civic tackled plans to see the city centre grow.

Most of the residential blocks to be released are in the new Gungahlin suburbs of Forde, Wells Station and Franklin.

Builder David Howarth said Canberra, as a planned city surrounded by sheep paddocks, had no excuse for having the second highest land prices in Australia and the additional land was far too late coming onto an under-supplied market.

ACT Property Council spokesman Chris Wheeler said there would be no shortage of interest in the Civic site, known as Section 63, which is likely to be occupied by a 12-storey building for 3000 office workers.

Its price would be ruled by how much floor space was permitted.

The council welcomed the decision to auction the land because it was the most transparent method of sale but warned the development would create more parking pressure.

Part of the site had previously been earmarked for a multi-storey car park to handle demand from development under way across the road from Section 63.

Mr Wheeler said the residential land release was centred on Gungahlin and there was no mention of Molonglo, identified in the Spatial Plan as the next new development west of Canberra.

"The Government is making the right noises; we have got to see the sites actually coming on line. Demand is there now, the issue is how long will it be before [the home sites] actually come on line," he said.

The Housing Industry Association's ACT executive director Caroline Lemezina said 1200 additional greenfield sites was a pleasing response to the association's strong lobbying over the past three months.

But HIA wanted more developments competing with one another, including Molonglo.

Mr Corbell said the Government was acting on the need for more land in the south, and realised inaction would see a continued residential flow to Queanbeyan and Jerrabomberra.

The City Hill development will come ahead of the planned growth of the precinct, which Mr Corbell has said would not happen before the start of the next decade but which was happening sooner because of a surge in the number of new Commonwealth jobs. "At that time we predicted a significant development in City Hill in about 2010. We will see incremental growth of City Hill, it cannot sustain a short, sudden burst," Mr Corbell said.

Shadow planning minister Zed Seselja said Mr Corbell's announcement was a "complete turnaround".

"Last year, the minister ruled out any development of the precinct until at least 2010 and failed to support the Opposition's legislation setting up a statutory authority to drive development on City Hill," he said.

City hill etc Future Design:
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/3139/futurecanberravi5.png (http://imageshack.us)
From: www.nationalcapital.gov.au

Everyone go to: http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/planning_and_urban_design/national_capital_plan/draft_amendments.asp#DA56
It's new, It shows future urban designs including heights new buildings it's all so amazing.
And by the way, I don't think canberra buildings will be past 60-70m till some time around 2050 and what does the height RL617 mean?

As I was saying before I was so rudely cut off by maintenance! Harumph!

The caption of the model of Future Canberra is not correct. The view is FROM the north west so is looking south east to Parliamentary Triangle and South Canberra. The ANU is to the west, ie, to the right of this image. Correct me if I am wrong.

Blame the government

I have heard the limit is the top of Parliament house. Ie no building can be higher than the flagpole.

The height will never be increased no matter how much developers ask, the NIMBY's in canberra will have a big cry/whinge.

The next stage of Kingston Foreshore has just had the land released. It will be caleld "first edition" (dud name) and will be built ASAP.

Yeah I saw it on the news, They will be super expensive townhouses. Atleast 2 mill each I think.

I can't find renders... anyone had better luck?

I've seen one on citynews.com.au but it contains 2 politicians so I don't want to post it, wrecks the feeling.

Oh, go on!

I looked at the land the other day, it is really small! Thats why these will be 2 story townhouses, like terraces, so there should be some density.

Poor Govt planning wasteful: McMullan
Marika Dobbin


Federal Labor has attacked the Government for its "poor planning" in the rapid expansion of the public service in Canberra.
The Canberra Times has learned the purpose-built AusAID headquarters on London Circuit is already too small, even though staff only started moving in three weeks ago.

A second building has been fitted out on Allara Street and leased for $6.6million over six years.

Opposition spokesman for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan, said yesterday the Government was being short-sighted at taxpayers' expense.

"It's inefficient, it's wasteful and it is the result of the Government not coordinating its accommodation and employment strategies," he said.

"It's costing taxpayers excessive amounts of money."

It follows revelations in an article yesterday that the $218million national head office for Centrelink in Tuggeranong is yet to be completed, but is also too small for the department's expanding workforce.

The Federal Government has called for expressions of interest to build a second Centrelink office complex in Greenway, Tuggeranong, for 2000 staff.

The Department of Education, Science and Training is also expected to fill its new headquarters at an old hospital site in Civic to capacity once constructed, with no room for growth.

"In all cases the Government has said there are great efficiencies in having one building per department and that's why the projects went ahead in the first place," Mr McMullan said.

"You can only deduce that obviously there must be great inefficiencies in implementing policy to have two separate buildings."

A spokeswoman for AusAID said plans for the new headquarters were well under way before the Government decided to almost double its aid program to $4billion by 2010.

"It's not a matter of bad planning, actually it's a good news story that we have a stronger and bigger aid program," she said.

"All of this pointed to a need to increase staff, at least temporarily."

An estimated 10,000 extra public servants for Canberra were provided for in the last three federal budgets.

Another local Labor MP, Annette Ellis, said, in the case of Centrelink, taxpayers now faced a higher cost to construct another building.

"In such a short time they haven't predicted their own growth," she said. "The then minister for human services, Joe Hockey, announced the project less than two years ago ...

" He made a great deal about the benefits of consolidating Centrelink staff into [one location].

"This Government's lack of planning and foresight means that some of the benefits of the project may not be realised."

A spokesman for Finance and Administration Minister Nick Minchin suggested Ms Ellis and Mr McMullan would have been happier if there was no increase in public servants, who were a boost to the local economy. He said it was up to individual departments to plan for their accommodation needs.

Centrelink did not answer questions about whether the new headquarters were too small.

http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=1025134&category=general

Defence's mega-office push

Marika Dobbin

The Department of Defence is considering embarking on the biggest office project in Canberra since new Parliament House.
If approved, the project could be worth about $600 million and herald a second wave of record construction activity in Canberra.

Defence is scouting for extra office space that is equivalent to double the size of the Australian Tax Office in Civic, and nearly three times the size of the yet-to-be-completed Centrelink headquarters in Tuggeranong.

It has picked up 3000 additional civilian staff since 2001 and expects further growth, which is behind the push for space.

Senior managers are believed to favour building a single complex on Commonwealth land at Russell, where it already has offices. But there are alternatives.

Any development would be in addition to the $300 million joint-operations facility under construction near Bungendore.

The Defence budget has increased to just under $22 billion this year, compared with about $12.6 billion in 2000-01.

Federal spending on the public service has driven a boom in local construction activity that eased slightly last year from record levels.

However, industry insiders say Defence and other Commonwealth projects in the pipeline will cause another surge.

Defence requires up to 125,000sqm in extra premium office space, but with vacant land in limited supply there are few sites apart from Russell big enough for a building that size.

The airport, which already has a Defence building, is another possible option, as is spreading the project over several sites.

Egan National Valuers general manager Richard Swinbourne said the mooted project was as big as they came.

Mr Swinbourne has more than 25 years of property experience in Canberra. "I'm not aware of any office complex in the region that is as large as what Defence is proposing," he said.

"The largest commercial leasing that has occurred was 63,000sqm by the Australian Tax Office."

He said Defence might consider several options, such as a joint-venture with a developer, commissioning a private project to lease back or going it alone. The Commonwealth provided $58.8million in its last budget to replace the Russell roundabout with a bridge, which it said would "contribute to the development and control of secure national precincts in the capital", among other things.

Defence's Russell site has thousands of car spaces for employees and developing the land would require moving them.

ACT executive director of the Property Council Catherine Carter said that would have an impact on other drivers.

"Major construction activity inevitably results in a displacement of car parks and both the Property Council and the ACT Government know there is already a major shortfall of permanent and temporary parking," she said.

"Projects of this size require a response from the Government in providing more space for car parking."

Defence Minister Brendan Nelson would not comment yesterday, citing a pending business case from Defence. The Government had planned in 2003 to sell Defence's Russell offices and lease them back.

It spent more than $2 million progressing the sale before abandoning the idea because of concerns it would compromise the site's security.

A spokeswoman for Defence could not respond before The Canberra Times went to press.

The Government announced the Bungendore project in the 2001 federal election campaign for the marginal seat of Eden-Monaro.

However, construction was delayed until last November, in part because of thousands of indigenous and white settler artefacts unearthed at the site.

It is now expected to be ready by the end of next year.

http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=1041568&category=general

The car park issue is an interesting one. I've always wondered why these major Canberra buildings don't all have underground carparks. The fields of car parks at Russell and especially National Circuit are hideous eyesores and look really cheap. Every time I go past i think of the Easter Show. What's the story? Is it just too expensive? Are all these carparks considered temporary?

The uninspiring drive down Constitution Avenue to a half-finished Russell Defence precinct surrounded by sprawling carparks is one of Canberra biggest eyesores. Hopefully these projects come together to address this problem. I know Canberrans love their carparks, but there's got to be a better way than putting them all the way around every major building.

NCA, ACT Government sign up for Griffin Legacy start

23 August 2007

The National Capital Authority and ACT Government have signed a memorandum of understanding on funding arrangements for the first stage of the Griffin Legacy.

Under the arrangement more than $70 million will be spent over four years for the redevelopment of Constitution Avenue and replacement of the Russell Roundabout with an overpass.

An initiative of the 2007-08 Australian Government’s budget, $58.8 million will be spent redeveloping Constitution Avenue into an elegant high street and replacing the Russell Roundabout with an overpass.

Road maintenance worth $3 million annually will be spent on roads in the parliamentary triangle, including Parkes Way, between Commonwealth and Kings Avenue.

Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads Jim Lloyd said the funding relied on a cooperative approach between the Commonwealth and Territory Governments. Under the proposal, the roads would be declared national land at no cost to the Australian Government, enabling it to continue its commitment to developing and maintaining Canberra as the national capital.

“This is an opportunity for long term, sustainable development that will deliver safer roads and provides for development of commercial office space and inner-city residential living,’’ Mr Lloyd said.

The Griffin Legacy is an exciting and visionary blueprint for the future development of the central national areas of Canberra. It projects a big planning picture, identifying endearing features of Canberra which will be protected while allowing the flexibility to respond to emerging needs and opportunities.

Constitution Avenue will be redeveloped to create a new quality streetscape. From Russell to Vernon Circle there will be two traffic lanes in each direction (one with bus priority) and on-street parking on both sides of the avenue.

Mr Lloyd said the NCA would bridge Kings Avenue over Parkes Way through to the Defence Headquarters at Russell. It will be a full diamond interchange, with on and off ramps to enable traffic to turn in all directions without the delays caused by the roundabout.

Another day, another story on plans for expanded office space for Government Agencies....

25 August 2007

$1b plan: Fortress Canberra New digs for top agencies

Marika Dobbin

Four Commonwealth departments responsible for national security are negotiating to spend more than $1billion to build themselves lavish new headquarters in Canberra.
The Australian Federal Police, the Defence Department, ASIO and the Office of National Assessments are all seeking to substantially upgrade their accommodation in new high-security premises.

The Federal Government has ramped up its funding of security bodies since the September11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, with a rapid expansion in the workforce leaving existing public-service buildings bursting at the seams.

The AFP confirmed yesterday it was preparing a business case to submit to the Government with several alternatives for a new headquarters.

It is believed to favour incorporating most of its operations, including the training college and forensics, into a new high-security complex on its land at Majura.

The AFP recently abandoned plans to move into the Anzac Park West building beside the lake, despite two years of construction work on the project and $50million in spending. It decided the building was too small after a doubling of its workforce since 2001 and a quadrupling of its annual budget to more than $1billion.

While the AFP has been given more responsibility than ever before, other security departments are also enjoying increased influence.

The Government revealed yesterday a $460million price tag for the new central office of ASIO and the Office of National Assessments, planned for Constitution Avenue in Parkes.

It announced that Bovis Lend Lease had won the tender to manage the planning phase of the project that will include 40,000sqm of secure and high-quality space.

The Government said the project was necessary because of staff and budget increases to the departments, with ASIO's annual funding up by 500per cent since 2001 to $340million last financial year.

The departments' move in several years will free up space next to the ageing Department of Defence complex at Russell.

Defence confirmed yesterday it was about to submit a business case to the Federal Government for what could be the biggest office construction project since the new Parliament House. A review of future space requirements found a need for up to 125,000sqm, double the size of the new Australian Taxation Office in Civic.

While the department has been tight-lipped about the project, a spokeswoman acknowledged it was seeking approval to start a formal tender process.

"Defence is currently planning to address its long-term office accommodation and car parking requirements in Canberra," she said. "The scope of the project is still being developed."

If the project goes ahead on Commonwealth land at Russell, thought to be preferred, it could cost more than $600million.

Local developer John Hindmarsh said he would offer his site on Constitution Avenue as another option.

Meanwhile, property group GE Real Estate has purchased a commercial building in Tuggeranong for $19.42million from Trinity. The five-level building is currently rented out to Defence, but the lease expires within a year.

http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=1042819&category=general

Wow, so you'd consider this big right?

It's sad because the 125,000m2 of floorspace will be scattered.
that equals 1.3 million square feet.

If only that would all be combined into a 300 metre tower.
I can only dream.

City hill etc Future Design:
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/3139/futurecanberravi5.png (http://imageshack.us)
From: www.nationalcapital.gov.au

Wow. It will be fantastic. At the end will look like a real city. Are some of these buildings under construction now?

Well, Yes kinda. One of those land parcels bordering the hill in the middle will have a massive office, likely to be 60 metres, and the avenue in the top left will start getting developed soon.

Oh what a news!!!! Will be great! I wish for Camberra a great boom. I love gardens and park, but a city must be a city with buildings, shops and streets. :banana:

Since I get very bored sometimes, Sometimes I do this:

A Magical Canberra:

Population 1.5 million
A True international destination
Tallest skyscraper = 260
Including convention centre by Zaha Hadid on the lake.
Constitution Avenue is developed with Apartments, Restaurants and Cafes.
Civic has a population of 50,000, not including surrounding suburbs includes suburbs Reid, Turner and Braddon.
Has a light Rail system.
Also a metro/rail system, To main town centres Airport, Civic, Woden, Belconen.
On the south eastern Corrider High speed Rail line (Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney)
Magical picture:

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/3235/canberracopyhe0.jpg

Too much... isn't it?
I see with pleasure you put the Curvo from Milan City Life. Gr8! :cheers:

Very cool chris_underscored. Love the skyscrapers so close to the mountains. (Reminds me of something science fictiony)
Who said Canberra should have its height limit? Daft idea.

For a Capital city would be better a flat panorama. I prefer it.
No more than 15 floors, like Washington DC. So You can spot easily the main buildings, like Parlament, Library ecc...

Yes, I agree with Skymino. Canberra won't and should never have talls. It's a different kind of city. We need kick-arse low rises instead tgo create big, scary boulevards you can drive a tank down.

^^ Agreed, Canberra should have high quality low rises such as:

http://www.iqc.ca/~dstebila/pictures/2003/london/photos/City_Hall__London.jpg

The Fed Health Dept is planning on building two 10 level buildings at Woden. In Wednesday's CBR Times.

^^ Agreed, Canberra should have high quality low rises such as:

http://www.iqc.ca/~dstebila/pictures/2003/london/photos/City_Hall__London.jpg

You know, I really have never liked that building. It just screams "look at me!!!" - there is nothing subtle about it. And I just don't find it aesthetically pleasing. It looks like a giant testicle.

^^ LOL!

You know, I really have never liked that building. It just screams "look at me!!!" - there is nothing subtle about it. And I just don't find it aesthetically pleasing. It looks like a giant testicle.

Dude, I dunno what your testicles look like but my advice is, see a doctor.

i agree with the height limits as Canberra should not build buildings that are taller than parliament etc but the buildings for government departments and such should be iconic and somewhat unique, more so the department buildings.

i agree with high quality low rise buildings concept.
although i know it must be boring to live in Canberra for a long time,
but if you come from sydney, melbourne, or brisbane,
canberra just provide a different feel..

imagine when you have to walk along the sidewalk of George or Castlereagh street in wynyard area of sydney CBD - in between those tall skyscrapers - where sunlight may can not reach the road..
and when you come to canberra for a short holiday,
its just the same as sydney..

City hill etc Future Design:
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/3139/futurecanberravi5.png (http://imageshack.us)
From: www.nationalcapital.gov.au

this is a cool design! they need to make the circle a big plaza... our own tiananmen circle!!

Theres a massive 3d model of this in that building across from the memorial jet (can't think of what it's called lol). I think it's more updated because it includes the Civic foreshore and that crap. It also say's to take note that the buildings don't represent the scale of the real developments so hopefully we will get a few tallies.