City of Melbourne vets Southbank plan for Australia’s tallest building
A developer has plans to build Australia’s tallest building in Melbourne, with a rooftop garden and a fresh food market among some of the features, but the ambitious project has several hoops to go through.
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A proposed $2 billion Southbank tower that would be Australia’s tallest building is being vetted by city authorities.
Southbank by Beulah could soar up to 360m - 63m higher than Eureka Tower and more than 40m taller than the new Australia 108 building nearby.
Planned for the corner of City Rd and Southbank Blvd, Beulah’s design features two twisting towers, a rooftop “sky garden”, a fresh food market at street level, apartments, offices, a health precinct and conference and entertainment centre.
Beulah has launched a global search for a hotel brand to make its Melbourne, and possibly Australian, debut in the tower.
The five-star hotel comprising at least 150 rooms would boast a rooftop Michelin star restaurant and bar, and several event spaces.
Beulah managing director Jiaheng Chan said the vision was for guests to arrive via a Sky Lobby on level 57 with panoramic views of Melbourne’s skyline.
“Southbank by Beulah will be a multifaceted destination, unlike anything the city has
seen,’ he said.
“As a result, it has attracted interest from world-class brands yet to make their
mark on Melbourne.”
Malaysian-backed Beulah lodged plans with the state government last year, and the application has been referred to City of Melbourne planners for comment.
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A council spokeswoman said: “The proposal is under assessment and will be considered by councillors at a Future Melbourne Committee meeting in the coming months.”
A decision on the permit will be made by state Planning Minister Richard Wynne.
While Beulah has sought a height of about 360m, the outcome will depend on the planning process.
In recent years the state government introduced tougher controls limiting the height and scale of CBD towers.
Beulah’s design comprises two towers with a twisting glass facade and terracing, and featuring pocket parks and other green spaces all the way up to a publicly-accessible garden.
A BMW showroom currently occupies the site, while the tower will include a BMW “experience centre”.
Dutch firm UNStudio and local outfit Cox Architecture are the designers.