Setting the benchmark

While the concept of mixed-use development has been around for centuries, it has never been seen on the scale of the 30ha Victoria Harbour development that is currently transforming Melbourne's Docklands.

Victoria Harbour, developed by Lend Lease, has been designed to provide a lively mix of residential, office, retail and community facilities along with expansive parklands and promenades. It's a concept that fits with the company's vision for the future, says Maurice Cococcia, Lend Lease Development general manager for Victoria.

"It is always our intention to create vibrant, sustainable mixed-use precincts that cater for a range of residents, workers and visitors," he says. "But the scale and diversity of the Victoria Harbour project is unique. There are very few modern cities that can offer the amount of commercial, retail and residential opportunities that Victoria Harbour offers as a natural extension of an established and vibrant CBD. It is with good reason that the precinct is often referred to as the Jewel in the Crown of Melbourne's Docklands."

Cococcia says the burst of construction activity over the past 12 months is ensuring community infrastructure is developing in line with the residential and commercial facilities.

"Extensive planning has been undertaken to create a real mix of infrastructure facilities that will support a diverse community over the long term," he says.

This activity was recently acknowledged by Victoria Planning Minister Justin Madden.

"A thriving successful community requires balance, and the right infrastructure and facilities can deliver that balance," he says. "That's what's emerging behind the big business and residential towers that were among the first to become associated with Docklands."

The new Merchant Street retail hub is the latest such development to come on stream. The street runs north to the harbour across Bourke Street, and south to the Yarra River through Collins Street, with open water views provided along its entire length.

"The opening of Merchant Street signifies a culmination of several major milestones for Victoria Harbour," says Cococcia. "It coincides with the relocation of 200 Lend Lease staff to The Gauge commercial building. This newly completed project has just achieved a 6-Star Green Star Office Design Certified Rating and is aiming for similarly high accreditations for the as-built building and Lend Lease interior."

Retailers confirmed for the Merchant Street retail hub include banks, shops, cafes, restaurants and service outlets. Larger retailers include Docklands' only Australia Post and the first full-line Safeway Supermarket. There is also a new 150-space child-care centre under way.

Cococcia says the integrated urban solution has not been at the expense of the environment, however.

"In developing Victoria Harbour, Lend Lease is committed to ecological sustainability. The development is designed to ensure the short and long-term environmental footprints are minimised," he says. "Victoria Harbour provides a socially and economically sustainable community that will perform well into the future."

Sustainable design initiatives include the capture, storage and reuse of storm water within buildings, streetscapes and parks. River cooling, underfloor and chilled beam air conditioning systems are also utilised in some buildings. In addition, several buildings incorporate solar and wind power, and there is extensive grey and blackwater recycling and re-use.

"The two newest buildings at Victoria Harbour The Gauge and ANZ have been designed to achieve the highest environmental accreditations," says Cococcia. "With its 6-Star Green Star Office Design Certified Rating, The Gauge sets a new global benchmark for Lend Lease's green building project portfolio. The project also clearly demonstrates that leading sustainable technology and commercial viability can go hand in hand. Lend Lease delivered an environmental solution at a highly competitive construction cost."

The Gauge has been funded, and is owned by the Lend Lease-managed Australian Prime Property Fund (APPF) Commercial.

"The Gauge business model allowed Lend Lease to successfully refine the engineering processes, systems and materials, integrating and streamlining the techniques from beginning to end," he says. "Every component of The Gauge has been reconsidered and researched, not only in how it performs independently, but how the system interacts as a whole."

The new Safeway Supermarket also sets a new benchmark for sustainable design. As Safeway's first "green" store, the supermarket reflects the company's ongoing commitment to incorporate sustainability into all aspects of its business. Michael Luscombe, CEO of Woolworths Limited, which owns Safeway, says the store will serve as a blueprint for future Safeway and Woolworths developments.

"We are continually looking for innovative and practical ways to reduce our environmental footprint," he says. "Our new Victoria Harbour store shows that sustainable development in action. The environmental innovations are more than just skin deep. They tackle the main contributors to carbon emissions in store air conditioning and refrigeration."

The store uses a cascade refrigeration system that replaces conventional refrigerants and produces around 25% fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The refrigeration cases also include high-efficiency fans, LED lighting and low-heat glass doors. Other initiatives include energy-efficient lighting, the use of natural light, and reduced water usage and waste creation.

Victoria Harbour will soon be the location of the new landmark ANZ building, which, when completed, will be the largest single-tenanted office building in Australia and home to more than 6500 ANZ employees. The building is a low-rise, 10-storey groundscraper with a large, dynamic central atrium. Floor sizes range between 3500 and 9800m².

"This building is not only pushing the envelope in terms of size," says Cococcia. "ANZ is aiming to make this building amongst the greenest of its size in the world. ESD initiatives include the on-site generation of up to 25% of the base building energy requirements through vertical wind turbines and solar cells. The building will also recycle its blackwater and capture rainwater, which will irrigate the landscaped areas."

Other new commercial buildings in Victoria Harbour include Ericsson House the purpose-built national headquarters for Ericsson, which sits alongside the National Australia Bank headquarters, National@Docklands.

Cococcia says all the commercial buildings in Victoria Harbour are typical of the new-generation workplaces that now demand large, flexible floor spaces with an abundance of natural light and a strong connection to the outdoors.

Construction has just commenced on department store giant Myer's Corporate Support Offices on Collins Street. The building will incorporate a wide range of ESD initiatives, including rainwater collection, recycling tanks, the use of recycled timber and energy-efficient lighting and air delivery systems.

New residential projects are also in the limelight. These include The Mosaic, (shown below) which has just been completed, The Montage, which is under construction, and The Merchant, which is shortly to commence construction. These apartment buildings all join the renowned Dock 5, which was the first apartment building in Victoria Harbour.

This north-facing tower, which comes with its own marina, provides 148 apartments, with 38 different floor plans, which means on most floors the apartments are different. Other special features include a wine cellar and tasting room in the basement of the building, and a large commissioned artwork in the foyer, which is representative of the Docklands history.

"In the next three years, the population of Victoria Harbour is set to exceed 15,000 residents and workers," says Cococcia. "Lend Lease is delivering a diversified community that will ensure Victoria Harbour becomes the premier place in Melbourne to live, work and visit."

For more details on the Victoria Harbour development, contact Lend Lease, phone (03) 9643 0000. Or visit the websites: www.lendlease.com.au and www.victoriaharbour.com.au.

Story by: Trendsideas