While many in the Australia architecture and construction sector, and more specifically the Melbourne industry, have criticised the Docklands precinct for being underused and underdeveloped, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle reminded spectators at the Property Council of Australia’s Sustainable Urban Development conference that the overall scheme is still as yet to be completed.
Slowly but surely, the spaces are filling out, with each new building bringing with it a plethora of new, innovative and generally highly green developments.
Newly-released plans for a 20-storey Medibank building serve as a example as to why Doyle is optimistic that gaps will be filled up.
The building will be situated in the midst of a 1000 square metre parkland area, with an entertainment area and edible garden. Staff will be encouraged to make the most of the organic produce, with this kind of holistic, healthy mentality leading the overall design foundation.
“It will be a great place to work,” says HASSELL managing principal Ingrid Bakker. “Medibank provided an inspirational brief based on its ‘for better health’ brand. They want a building that promotes employee health and encourages healthy lifestyles, a workplace that serves as an exemplar of a healthy work environment.”
The triangular building itself will be clad with green walls, with a central atrium bringing in natural lighting to the building in order to optimise comfortable working conditions.
“Our design responds to the brief, creating a workplace that employees will want to work in,” says Bakker.
According to the principal architect, the overall design, both inside and out of this 16,000 square metre development, will focus on fostering teamwork and collaboration, contextualised to offer the same kind of working lifestyle that Medibank promotes in its services.
This kind of considered and modern design is leading the plethora of ongoing office building works that are still being undertaken in the Docklands area. This mix of green elements combined with the very best in considered collaborative workplace design is being exemplified in these cutting edge buildings. While critics will always critique, the precinct is gradually becoming a more promising and exciting reality with each new development announced.
