Britain's WilkinsonEyre Architects has proposed a new mixed-use skyscraper for Melbourne, Australia. Boasting a luxury hotel, upmarket apartments, and a publicly accessible restaurant at its top, the Queensbridge Tower would rise to a height of 84 stories.
The project hasn't been given the final go ahead yet, and depends upon planning permission and financing being secured. Assuming all goes well, Queensbridge Tower will be built on Melbourne's Southbank area and rise to an impressive height of 313 m (1,026 ft), just 9 m (29.5 ft) short of Australia's current tallest building, the Gold Coast's Q1.
WilkinsonEyre is keeping its cards close to its chest at this early stage and we currently know relatively few details regarding the design of the tower – with the sole render available to the press not shedding much light. That said, the tower will comprise three interlocking plectrum shapes, and its glass facade will feature stone blades.
"Our holistic design approach has resulted in a fully integrated form," a WilkinsonEyre representative told Gizmag. "The tower concept considers both structure and environment, whilst also being significantly influenced by context, aspect and views."
In addition, the proposal calls for a luxury hotel with approximately 400 rooms, plus roughly 600 apartments, retail spaces, and a restaurant, lounge, and garden terrace at the top of the tower that's open to the public.
A sculptured pedestrian link is slated to offer covered access between the tower and the nearby Crown Melbourne hotel complex (Crown Resorts Limited and its joint venture partner, Schiavello Group are funding the project). The developers also propose to beautify Melbourne's Queensbridge Square for locals and visitors during as part of the project.
Sources: WilkinsonEyre, CTBUH
