An important piece of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia‘s history is about to be reborn as part of Lendlease‘s new 2.5 hectare Melbourne Quarter neighborhood redevelopment project.
Melbourne Quarter
Melbourne Quarter is the largest mixed-use urban regeneration development in central Melbourne in more than a decade. With more than 50 per cent of the 2.5 hectare site dedicated to public open space, Melbourne Quarter will be an exciting addition to the world’s most liveable city and the perfect place to relax and unwind.
New public spaces will include Melbourne’s first Skypark elevated above Collins Street, a large retail square on Collins Street, a neighbourhood park off Flinders Street and a new Melbourne laneway connecting Collins and Flinders streets.
In addition, the historic 174-metre heritage retaining wall, constructed in 1890 by Victorian Railways, will be restored.
Melbourne Quarter at night
Before World War II, the wall was where dockworkers would congregate in the hope of getting a day job. Soon, local residents will similarly gather, only this time to linger for relaxation in those same public spaces and laneways, only this time with shops added to the mix.
The restoration will be lead by designs informed by leading heritage experts Lovell Chen, the precinct’s residential architects Fender Katsalidis and landscape architects Aspect Oculus.
New openings through the wall will give the public access to the precinct’s new plaza and retail laneway, which will reconnect parts of the neighborhood that wall has long severed. The site also connects to Melbourne’s former railyards.
Image credits: LendLease