Collins Arch.

• Location: Melbourne, Australia
• Client: Cbus Property
• Scope:
  • Architecture
  • Interior Design
• Size:
  • 162,500 sqm
  • 1,749,135 sf
• Completed: 2020
• Collaborative Partner: SHoP Architects

A once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-imagine a full city block in the heart of Melbourne.

Occupying a whole city block in Melbourne's central business district, Collins Arch creates a new epicentre, linking Collins Street to a network of dynamic spaces back to the Yarra River. The project demonstrates how an underutilised part of the city can be transformed into an internationally significant precinct that energises the central core with a 24-hour life.

The design process was influenced by three key drivers. Firstly, increasing connectivity, secondly, activating the western grid of Melbourne CBD’s and lastly, creating a globally-renowned destination for one of the world’s most liveable cities. With striking dual towers connected by a sky bridge, the form of Collins Arch will be instantly recognisable and is destined to have a significant place on Melbourne's skyline.

With 49,000 square metres of premium office space, 184 apartments and 294 hotel rooms in Melbourne's first five-star W hotel, along with 1000 square metres of ground-level retail, the precinct pushes the boundaries of how space can and should be used.

In addition to being part of a broader network of open plazas taking shape throughout downtown Melbourne, the greatly expanded spaces will be a larger-scale counterpoint to the city’s famous system of intimate, art-filled laneways.