This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
CBUS Property has lodged a new development application for its updated $1 billion commercial office tower in Melbourne’s CBD, which will have solar skin façade to generate 20% of the building’s power.
The DA for the 435 Bourke Street tower has been submitted to the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), after updates to the development since it was previously approved in January 2020.
The Bates Smart-designed tower will comprise around 60,000sqm of premium commercial office space spanning 48 levels. Additionally, there is a planned 1,300sqm of retail space, 116 car spaces, a sky garden and open-air or mixed-mode terraces.
“Our vision is to create another world-class commercial building that represents Cbus Property’s leadership in resilient and sustainable development, while enabling a diversity of experiences and working environments that respond and adapt to evolving workplace trends,” said Adrian Pozzo, CEO of Cbus Property.
435 Bourke Street, which is set to accommodate over 5,500 workers, would also become one of the first towers to utilise a sustainable “solar skin façade”, globally.
“When it welcomes its first tenants, it will be Melbourne’s most flexible, sustainable and, frankly, human commercial building. It is architecture designed for the future, which is already here,” said Cian Davis, director at Bates Smart.
The solar skin façade is derived of translucent vertical glass photovoltaic panels, designed to generate as much as 20% of the base building power.
“We didn’t want to design a building that would be outdated by its completion. Instead, it will cater to any work setting and scenario, engage with its surroundings, be open to the neighbourhood at the ground, and achieve the best tall commercial tower performance in Australia,” added Davis.
The tower has been designed for net zero carbon emissions in operation, with power not generated through the solar skin technology to be sourced from off-site renewables. Leading to emissions savings of 430 tonnes each year, with materials used for the building also reducing embodied carbon by 30%.
Further, 435 Bourke Street is targeting a 6 Star Green Star New Buildings raring, in addition to a Platinum Well certified rating.
“With the onset of the pandemic, we were not content to rest on the laurels of our first DA and strove to future-proof the design of 435 Bourke to bring workers back to the city and respond to an ever-evolving Melbourne workforce with a greatly enhanced focus on sustainability, wellness, collaboration, connection to the public community, nature and productivity,” said Pozzo.
Pozzo anticipates Melbourne’s commercial office market will rebound from the recent set back brought on by the global COVID-19 pandemic, with in excess of 800,000sqm of prime CBD office space scheduled to expire between 2025 and 2026.
“Future work practices are expected to trigger a flight to new developments that are able to respond to shifting tenant needs calling for a holistic and collaborative work-life approach,” said Pozzo.
The development site has amalgamated 140 and 150 Queen Street, 27 McKillop Street and 423 Bourke Street , with all but the last already demolished to make way for the tower.
Construction on 435 Bourke Street is excepted to commence in 2022, pending approvals.
