Hi everybody. Not sure whether this one slipped under the radar or not, my search turned up nothing on the forums so I thought I'd do some snooping and grab some stealthy photos. Should liven up the Belconnen CBD a bit in the residential sense, even though it's not a very tall building. Photos follow:

Here is the promo picture on the corner of the site. Notice the cafes at the bottom:

http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s354/Euphoria12_2004/Belconnen/Belconnen-Oracle-1copy.jpg

Here's the right side of the site - looks like a nice deep excavation, and a retaining wall has been put up as well:

http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s354/Euphoria12_2004/Belconnen/Belconnen-OracleUC2.jpg

And the left - note the ABS building in the background on the left side of the photo, and the buildings marked for demolition just to the right (there used to be offices on the right of this as well that were demolished - dirty concrete things - the old Cameron Offices):

http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s354/Euphoria12_2004/Belconnen/Belconnen-OracleUC1.jpg

Here's one of my wonky panoramas of the bottom half of the Belconnen CBD, the construction site sits behind me to the left:

http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s354/Euphoria12_2004/Belconnen/Belconnen-Panorama-CBD1.jpg

And finally, a photo showing the site in relation to the above panorama:

http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s354/Euphoria12_2004/Belconnen/Belconnen-OracleUC3.jpg

Cheers, Euphoria

looks alright. low height is ok in a place like Belconnen. If this was in Civic 8 storey's would be ridiculous in my opinion. Is this in the same spot as that residential high rise that was supposed to be like 20 storeys which never got started?

I think that one's meant to be further around, near the lake opposite the lakeside carpark for westfield.

Thanks for the heads up and the pics Euphoria. But if you refer to the lost masterpiece that is the Cameron Offices as "dirty concrete things" again I'll have to hunt you down and bitch slap you to Tuesday.

It's where the old Cameron Offices were, accross from the new Benjamin Offices, corner of Benjamin Way and College St.

Yes, they were the old Cameron offices. Excuse my ignorance, they were just "not my cup of tea". I wouldn't mind seeing some 15-20 story res towering behind this block instead of them, but that's just my opinion. Were they not heritage listed? Or am I confusing them with something else.

I'll have to agree that the Cameron offices were worthy of demolition.

Euphoria: There's pieces of a tower crane on an empty lot just east of the site. They've been there for over a week now. I was disappointed that there wasn't a tower crane over Belconnen on Monday.

I'll have to agree that the Cameron offices were worthy of demolition.

Euphoria: There's pieces of a tower crane on an empty lot just east of the site. They've been there for over a week now. I was disappointed that there wasn't a tower crane over Belconnen on Monday.

I'll have to agree (with myself) that you clearly know nothing about architectural history. The Cameron Offices were a masterpiece. The lack of foresight that has enabled them to be two-third demolished is a tragedy.

The Cameron Offices were a masterpiece.

Only to people who never had to work in them.

Only to people who never had to work in them.

I don't give a shit about them. They'll die - beauty lives 4eva

I think the Cameron offices were a masterpeice of form and a complete failure of function. I know many at the ABS who hated the buildings because they were such a shit place to work.

My own opinion is that they should have been converted to some other purpose. The RAIA rated them as one of the most significant Australian buildings of the 20th century.

I think the Cameron offices were a masterpeice of form and a complete failure of function. I know many at the ABS who hated the buildings because they were such a shit place to work.

My own opinion is that they should have been converted to some other purpose. The RAIA rated them as one of the most significant Australian buildings of the 20th century.

Agree 100%. Who cares if they were a shitty Tax Department. Why didn't they turn them into a beautiful uni campus or something similar? It's a travesty.

Tower crane was erected this morning.

EDIT

http://www.liveatoracle.com.au/

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/emerbot/IMG_1591.jpg

I thought I'd revive this topic with a few progress pics (excuse the crappy 2 minute photography):

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n208/Sherman369/IMGP1496.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n208/Sherman369/IMGP1494.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n208/Sherman369/IMGP1493.jpg

Instead of making 4 seperate tiny buildings, why couldn't they have made 2 bigger ones?

Oh well I guess it looks better than the shitty old Cameron offices.

They aren't the most interesting designs though. Oh well, anything to improve the state of Belco. Thanks and welcome to the boards Canberra Raiders.

Thanks for those pictures, it's coming along great. Belco needs absolutley anything :|

Wow I'm so glad they chose to replace an internationally-recognised brutalist masterpiece with this off-the-plan shit. Canberra has really benefitted.

Hmmm the Cameron Offices (thats what they were called?) were hideous but I guess they showed some crazy architecture from their time. This thing looks fairly cheaps thus far. They have kept some of the Cameron offices though haven't they? Behind the oracle?

Hmmm the Cameron Offices (thats what they were called?) were hideous but I guess they showed some crazy architecture from their time. This thing looks fairly cheaps thus far. They have kept some of the Cameron offices though haven't they? Behind the oracle?Yeah they've kept three of them (I work in one of them lol). They've been heritage listed. I think Bovis? reburbished the building i work in a few years back. Its schmick inside even though it looks like a big concrete turd from the outside.

Haha, my dad used to work there years ago. He said it was horrible inside back then and nothing was practical. Nice to hear they have sorted it out on the inside.

Wow I'm so glad they chose to replace an internationally-recognised brutalist masterpiece with this off-the-plan shit. Canberra has really benefitted.

Completely agree - i loved the Cameron offices, but i do concede that they didn't really integrate at all at street level. IMO, that's Belconnens main issue, it desperately needs to get rid of it's dead street frontages if it's ever going to shake off the feeling of being a dead wasteland. These new apartments have what appears to be a few shop frontages at street level, so hopefully that will liven up the area a bit.

am totally with you shaggers on this one. the salt on top of the lemon juice already squeezed into this wound is that there is still so much at grade car parking that could have accommodated this crud, I mean WTF! didn't cameron offices have a tennis court on the roof (although apparently it leaked into some important IT room - oops), and surely anyone who works in a cube now would love the idea of running creek to look out onto. anyway, before i get carried away - are comcare still in the part that's to remain?

am totally with you shaggers on this one. the salt on top of the lemon juice already squeezed into this wound is that there is still so much at grade car parking that could have accommodated this crud, I mean WTF! didn't cameron offices have a tennis court on the roof (although apparently it leaked into some important IT room - oops), and surely anyone who works in a cube now would love the idea of running creek to look out onto. anyway, before i get carried away - are comcare still in the part that's to remain?Dunno about comcare but I work at ComSuper & they occupy 2 of the 3 units. I think the other unit is vacant? not sure.

Completely agree - i loved the Cameron offices, but i do concede that they didn't really integrate at all at street level. IMO, that's Belconnens main issue, it desperately needs to get rid of it's dead street frontages if it's ever going to shake off the feeling of being a dead wasteland. These new apartments have what appears to be a few shop frontages at street level, so hopefully that will liven up the area a bit.

Well there is that big apartment development which is yet to start construction on the lake which has a lot of that kind of stuff planned. What kills Belconnen the most though is the Westfield, which is scheduled to get an extention.

Kills Belconnen?
i think thats where all the life is,so packed it was like japan in there yesterday

Kills Belconnen?
i think thats where all the life is,so packed it was like japan in there yesterday

It's sad when all the 'life' is crammed inside some shopping mall.

Same with civic, it practically revolves around Canberra Centre, the traffic in there is usually ten fold of outside.

Civics a bit different thought, theres a million cafe's there that are packed every weekday and fri and sat night. Belconnen has nothing but the Westfield. Even Woden has the strip outside the mall with a couple of cafe's. Out of the town centers Tuggeranong actually has the most life outside the shopping mall.

Civics a bit different thought, theres a million cafe's there that are packed every weekday and fri and sat night. Belconnen has nothing but the Westfield. Even Woden has the strip outside the mall with a couple of cafe's. Out of the town centers Tuggeranong actually has the most life outside the shopping mall.

spot on

it's really sad to see a town centre with no life outside of the Westfield

Tuggerz has a lot of potential with its axis from the Hyperdome entrance to the waterfront but no active street frontages and no people

Yeah but it has cafe's on the street and stuff, some decent bars and an Irish pub for fighting. What could be better?

Civic has some potential too - there's a really really nice spot in a little laneway on Garema Place. It was so warm and cosy on Friday which was a horribly wet and cold day

Did you go to mycafe in that laneway? or Gus? That laneway plus Bunda Street have a great vibe on fri and sat nights.

mycafe sounds familiar - sounds like the place i'm talking about there. stopped for a drink but not dinner on friday arvo. I wouldn't have thought Bunda Street would have that much of a vibe - not enough active street frontages from what I could see. Those traffic signals under the Canberra Centre overbridge are really trippy!

will have to go out on the town next time I'm down there - it's been a few years since I had a good night out in Civic

Watchu smokin? Bunda street has cafe's and bars along most the street haha. Go to Tongue n groove next time.

From today:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n208/Sherman369/Oracle4-Sep09.jpg

Watchu smokin? Bunda street has cafe's and bars along most the street haha. Go to Tongue n groove next time.

i missed this before - there's still dead spots along bunda street. but maybe i expect too much coming from sydney :tongue2:

Yeah down the crossing where the mall is its a bit dead. Must be ok in comparison to Newy though?

haha don't start me on newcastle CBD - definitely not the sort of place you want to compare with regarding active streetfronts. i love newy but it certainly has its faults.

haha fair enough. I guess we should be comparing Canberra to the other capitals anyway. I think its too hard to compare though because the big capital cities are a lot bigger but Hobart and Darwin are also quite a lot smaller. Maybe thats why we always get compared to Sydney and everyone hates us lol.

hobart CBD certainly has its issues

but north hobart is pure sex - feels like a smaller newtown or a balmain

i should get around to posting some pics from my tasmanian sojourn when i get the time

That's pretty cool.
Fyshwick is sex, I wouldn't say it was pure though.

hobart CBD certainly has its issues

but north hobart is pure sex - feels like a smaller newtown or a balmain

i should get around to posting some pics from my tasmanian sojourn when i get the time

Love Hobart, especially Battery Point area, and North Hobart, the CBD and harbour area is also quite pretty, I was actually surpirsed when I went there a couple of years ago. The Botanic Gardens are also top notch if your into that sorta thing.

Seconded about Hobart, went there earlier this year and it felt like a mini-Sydney in terms of there being a great amount of history behind the place. I think if you somehow fused Sydney's historical sensibilities onto Canberra's size, you'd end up with something pretty closely resembling Hobart.

Back on topic.......

2 buildings nearing completion now, scaffolding coming down:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n208/Sherman369/Oracle5-Sep09.jpg

Crane going up for the 3rd building:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n208/Sherman369/Oracle6-Sep09.jpg

Is the 3rd going to look identical to the other two?

Is the 3rd going to look identical to the other two?
Hope not lol. No idea mate. A more of an inspiring design would be nice hey...

Sure would. Looks like anything goes in Belcompton.

Sure would. Looks like anything goes in Belcompton.

Yep that's how we roll.

Don't get me wrong it doesn't look fantastic but when seen in person, there are far worse looking apartment buildings in Canberra. Will be interesting to see if the 3rd building is any different.

Yep, like the ones opposite Canberra Uni on the the lake lol. they look tacky as. I like the apartments in Tuggeranong. Too bad Tuggerz is so far away, I'm sick of living so far out in the burbs :(

Two more of these aparments are nearing completion with one more just beginning. Will take a picture tomorrow.

guys, not sure wehre to put this
new 9storey across from racecourse
cnr mouat st and northbourne ave
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5036/5876574420_3128f3d56e_o.jpg

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1121249

The oracle apartments have been completed. Looks ordinary...

Ugly as hell but good for density

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o740/andydmcclure/2012-10-08_17-06-40_753_zps04e71369.jpg

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o740/andydmcclure/2012-10-08_17-06-33_375_zpsb8606688.jpg