October 2026
I quite like this new office tower on the corner of Bourke and Queen Streets. First properly big one for a long time.
It actually takes up a very big site, previously four buildings, but what I like is that it’s broken down into various volumes with different facade treatments (probably disguising huge floor plates). It’s all done with applied patterned panels but they create quite three-d effects – the main corner uses panels that are curved and slightly angled, and a good earthy terra cotta colour. That part goes up to the 80m allowed on corners (instead of 40) which I think is a silly idea but at least here it’s a limited section, rather than going for max. The main corner was previously the early 60s classical -modern Prudential, designed by Bates Smart McCutcheon, now Bates Smart – who designed the new one! The grid facade on the queen street side sort of references the minimalist modern 1960sScottish Amicable there before (7, demolished despite heritage listing). The corner on McKillop Street is more spindly, didn’t get a good shot. Down the lane there’s some fun parabolic arches, but I’d prefer this side to have a more varied small scale feel.
The tower above it all, which slopes inward on one corner, has skirts of solar panels, which are going to supply 20% of the power, which is nice, and they’ll buy green power for the rest. They also used low carbon methods in the construction, be great if everyone did that!
The previous iteration was taller and had the tower angling at the base, looking rather odd (15,16). It was begun back in 2019, before WFH – it’ll be the Comm Bank HQ, so the old state bank tower will be looking for tennants. And before that it was going to be a wiggly apartment tower by Elenberg Fraser, last pic.
