Innovative timber technology achieves new heights

55 Southbank Boulevard

Bates Smart’s design for the development utilises cross laminated timber (CLT) to accommodate an additional ten levels on top of a previously commercial building built in 1989. Significantly lighter than concrete and with lower transport costs and carbon emissions, CLT represents a new paradigm for sustainable construction.

The Adina Hotel is situated within the innovative adaptive reuse project 55 Southbank Boulevard. Located close to the CBD, St Kilda Road, and the Royal Botanical Gardens, the hotel capitalises on the premium location.

Rather than simply echoing the spandrel banding of the prevailing building, the new addition responds with a series of large and small recesses which complements the original but delivers a more elegant and dynamic façade expression.

The standout feature of the design is the large, recessed balcony which helps to celebrate the corner and the building’s new height, but also importantly allows for an outdoor space where guests can enjoy panoramic views of the nearby parkland and city skyline.

Internally, the design was inspired by the building’s architecture. The ground-floor lobby is lined with timber aligning with the new method of construction, providing spaces with a warm and welcoming ambience. Curved walls also distinguish the space and work in accordance with the curved façade and sinuous lines of the new extension.

 

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Julian Anderson

Director, Bates Smart

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Details

Client

Hume Partners Property

Location

Melbourne | Wurundjeri and Bunurong Country, Australia

Year

2020

Status

Completed

Area

27,000 sqm

Sustainability

Forest Stewardship Council certified timber

Awards

CTBUH Award of Excellence, Winner Renovation Award 2022

Photography

Peter Clarke, Bison United