STH BNK by Beulah, previously and still commonly referred to as Green Spine,[3] is a dual skyscraper development proposed for Melbourne’s Southbank precinct by Beulah International, and designed by architectural firms UNStudio and Cox Architecture.[4] The site previously hosted a BMW dealership.[5] One tower will reach a height of 366 metres, making it the tallest building in Australia. Both towers feature a twisting geometric glass façade and terracing with pocket parks and green spaces, up to a publicly accessible botanic garden in the tallest building.[6] The project will serve a range of mixed-use functions, including residential, retail and commercial.
| STH BNK by Beulah | |
|---|---|
 STH BNK by Beulah towers, as proposed in 2018 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Site Preparation |
| Location | 60 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank, Victoria |
| Construction started | 2024 |
| Completed | ~2029 |
| Cost | ~AUD$2 billion |
| Height | |
| Architectural | |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count |
|
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | UNStudio Cox Architecture |
| Developer | Beulah |
| Website | |
| sthbnk.com | |
History
editSite
editThe site for the development is 60 Southbank Boulevard, located in Southbank, an inner-city suburb of Melbourne, and is an amalgamation of two adjacent properties – 102-156 City Road and 158 City Road.[7][8] The former property, with a land area of 6,191 m2 (66,639 sq ft), hosts a purpose-built multi-level car showroom which was BMW’s flagship sales store in Melbourne.[7] In December 2017, Beulah International purchased the site from BMW for $101 million.[9] In April 2021, Beulah acquired 158 City Road, with the intention of expanding the development.[8][10] The 1,515 m2 (16,307 sq ft) site is currently home to Hanover House, a seven storey commercial building, the tallest in Southbank between 1973 and 1990.[8] The purchase brought the total land area of the development to 7,706 m2 (82,947 sq ft), and the property is now an 'island' with four frontages: Power Street, City Road, Southbank Boulevard, and Waterfall Lane.[8][11] The development will be situated in an area of Melbourne that has some of the tallest buildings in the city; for instance, the city's current tallest building, Australia 108, sits opposite the property at 70 Southbank Boulevard, whilst the previous tallest, Eureka Tower, is also in the vicinity.[7][11]
Southbank competition
editBeulah conducted a contest to determine the architect for the project, and dubbed the competition "STH BNK by Beulah". All six solicited bids involved two architectural firms, and partnerships included BIG Architects and Fender Katsalidis, MAD Studio and Elenberg Fraser, and Woods Bagot and MVRDV.[12] The collaborative bid by UNStudio and Cox Architecture ultimately secured the commission. The winning design was announced in August 2018.[13]
Project
editThe structure is part of the larger development on Melbourne's Southbank, estimated to cost AUD$2 billion. Green Spine is composed of two skyscrapers; Tower 1 will comprise 102 storeys and reach a height of 366 metres, surpassing the height of the current tallest building in Australia, Q1, which stands at 322 metres.[1] The second tower will comprise 59 storeys and reach a height of 251 metres; as with Tower 1, the second building will include hotel rooms, residential apartments, and offices.[2][14] Both skyscrapers will seem to curve in a twist and will have foliage and trees growing on balconies along their exteriors.[13]
Approval
editIn March 2020, the plan received approval by the City of Melbourne.[15] Planning Minister Richard Wynne approved the project on 23 April 2020; like other developments, STH BNK by Beulah was identified by the Victorian Government as a project needing to be "fast-tracked", amid the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the Victorian economy.[16][17]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b Southbank by Beulah Tower 1 – The Skyscraper Center. Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- ^ a b Southbank by Beulah Tower 2 – The Skyscraper Center. Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "Green Spine, Australia's tallest building, approved for site in Melbourne's Southbank". Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 24 April 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ Block, India (15 August 2018). "UNStudio to design Australia's tallest building". DeZeen. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ Farquhar, Peter (15 August 2018). "The stunning 'Green Spine' will be Melbourne's newest skyscraper -- and the Southern Hemisphere's tallest". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ "STH BNK By Beulah - Mini Metropolis". Beulah International. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ a b c Birmingham, Jane (3 March 2020). "Ministerial Planning Referral: TPMR-2019-24 - 102-156 City Road, Southbank" (PDF). Future Melbourne (Planning) Committee. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d Pallisco, Marc (12 April 2021). "Beulah buys Southbank's first 'high-rise' for sky-rise". Realestate Source. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ Lenaghan, Nick (20 December 2017). "Developer Beulah parks up at BMW in Melbourne's Southbank". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "Beulah Acquires Iconic Site with Plans to Extend Melbourne Southbank Project". UNStudio. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ a b McKeon, Renee (13 April 2021). "Beulah Adds Hanover House to Melbourne's Tallest Tower Site". The Urban Developer. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ Block, India (27 July 2018). "BIG, MAD, MVRDV and OMA on shortlist to design Australia's tallest building". DeZeen. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ a b Holland, Oscar (15 August 2018). "Twisting 'garden' skyscraper to become Australia's tallest building". CNN Style. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ Lenaghan, Nick. (6 August 2019). "Beulah aims high for BMW site in Southbank". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ "UN Studio, Cox Architecture's Southbank towers inch closer to approval". ArchitectureAU. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ Neilsen, Inga (24 April 2020). "Australia's tallest building fast-tracked at Melbourne's Southbank". 9 News. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "Green Spine, Australia's tallest building, approved for site in Melbourne's Southbank". ABC News. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.