The Rubik Cube

Since 2001, Baldasso Cortese has been collaborating with Fivex Commercial Property on the redevelopment of their Riverview House building at 276 Flinders Street in Melbourne, Australia.

Originally constructed for the Commonwealth Bank in 1967, the building holds significant presence nestled on top of one of Melbourne’s busiest intersections.

Early projects saw podium levels converted into retail, fitness, and childcare spaces, with a revitalised ground floor transformed into a modern precinct comprising of food and retail outlets.

The client wanted to release greater potential in the site, and approached Baldasso Cortese to explore how this tight urban site could be developed to ‘future-proof’ the site and react to the changing environment of this busy junction.

Baldasso Cortese’s response to this tight site and brief was to propose an additional 5-storey tower over the existing podium level, providing a significant increase to the leasable area without impacting upon current and surrounding retail and commercial spaces.

In order to achieve this, taking into account the load and connection limitations of the existing development, the design team proposed a lightweight structural solution for the new tower.

Working with Bonacci Group’s engineering team, the structure was designed to sit above the existing podium with linkages to the original tower, eliminating the need for an additional stair and lift core.

This innovative construction system comprises cross-laminated timber panels spanning between steel floor framing located over the existing column grid, in an effort to minimise work to the existing structure.

The cube-like façade incorporates an external lightweight grid, with elements designed to harness and control sunlight through the use of low E glass to provide a contemporary and sustainable design solution.

Combined with rainwater harvesting and natural ventilation, this allowed the building to achieve a 5-Star Green Star design solution.

The principal contractor, Multiplex Constructions, worked closely with the architect and consultant team during the pre-construction period in order to value-manage the design.

This collaborative project saw significant savings achieved in façade design, services and finishes, that resulted in a reduction of roughly 10% of the original project cost estimate, and subsequent time saved during construction.

Construction works commenced in March 2018 and reached practical completion in March 2019.

This short construction period was achieved by maintaining a close working relationship with the principle contractor to overcome site issues that arose from building over and adjacent to existing tenanted buildings within an intensely active CBD environment.

Realisation of this complex project has provided Fivex with considerable additional property value, leasing flexibility, reduced operating costs and an enhanced long-term income stream to secure and protect this significant Melbourne CBD building.

Project Details

Completion date – 2019

Building levels – 5

Project Team

Architecture

Baldasso Cortese Architects

Baldasso Cortese is a large architectural, interior design, and master-planning practice based in Melbourne, Australia.

They’re recognised for design and customer service excellence across a number of core sectors: Education (Primary, Secondary and Tertiary), Care (Aged Care, Child Care and Health Care) & Lifestyle and Community (Residential, Retail and Commercial).

www.bcarch.net

Building Services and ESD

Irwin Consult provided Building Services and ESD for the project.

They are now part of global engineering practice WSP.

www.wsp.com/en-AU/

Structural and Civil Engineering

Bonacci

Founded in 1981, Bonacci Group is an employee-owned Engineering Design consultancy specialising in structural, civil and facade engineering.

They have accumulated extensive experience in a wide range of sectors including high rise, health, education, government and public, and defence.

www.bonaccigroup.com

Construction

Multiplex

Multiplex was established in Australia in 1962 and have successfully delivered over 1,000 iconic projects, with a combined value in excess of US$80 billion.

www.multiplex.global

Photography

Jaime Diaz-Berrio

Melbourne-based photographer Jaime Diaz-Berrio trained in architecture and has worked in Mexico and Australia designing residential, commercial and industrial spaces.

He specializes in architectural and interiors photography.

www.jaimediazberrio.com

Click on a thumbnail image to enlarge.

Design © 2020 Baldasso Cortese. All Rights Reserved.| Images © 2020 Jaime Diaz-Berrio. All Rights Reserved.

Other Commercial Office Projects

Melbourne Theatre Company HQ, Target Head Office, Cubitt Street, Cremorne.

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