Australia’s most productive Big Gun centre – GPT’s Melbourne Central, is set to undergo its biggest transformation in almost 20 years as part of a quest to become a ‘temple of meaning’ for Melburnians and evolve into a globally-recognised place of cultural and social exchange that nurtures and inspires its users.

As of 2021, the centre will reinvent itself with the addition of an expansive open air space offering a 2,000m2 public oasis atop the city, a series of unexpected experiential spaces, a surprising new large-scale art installation, exciting hawker stalls and much more.

An experiential space, it will be a haven for emerging retail and cultural concepts, a place for events, education and learning.

Coupled with the centre’s recently announced new 10-storey commercial office tower Frame, as well as its newly opened 1,800m2 boutique food and drink retail hub ELLA, it marks the largest transformation of the site since its 2001 redevelopment following the departure of Japanese department store Daimaru.

And in a nod to the past, Melbourne Central’s owner The GPT Group has brought back the original architects, ARM Architecture, responsible for the dramatic makeover that reimagined it as the distinct collection of precincts and laneways it is now known for.

“Melbourne Central has long been a groundbreaker in the design and experience of urban retail centres, with a progressive approach that has kept pace with the city’s urban fabric,” said GPT Group Development Manager, Romina Edwards.

“The centre has brought first-to-market concepts and experiences to the people – and always in a way that is raw and real. This redevelopment and bold vision for Melbourne Central will deliver a new generation of compelling experiences that will set the benchmark for Australian inner city living.

“It will be the first retail centre to shift away from being a place of solely consumerism, to a temple of meaning. The new Melbourne Central will deliver genuine cultural experiences with new and unexpected partners and challenge the way people perceive and experience retail.”

SCN recently interviewed Romina Edwards as part of its ‘Women in Development’ feature.

Its full designs will be unveiled in the coming months but the new look will involve the addition of two new retail levels that transition to the new timber office tower’s skylobby and surrounding rooftop.

Existing Drewery Place will be reactivated, becoming an additional entry for the commercial tower and featuring a small cafe; while the rooftop will face to the north, commanding plenty of light and views of the iconic Melbourne Central cone.

ARM Architecture Principal Ian McDougall said Melbourne Central was the first CBD site to explore such dramatically transformative changes to its offer in order to maximise its relevance.

“Melbourne Central is really reconceiving the notion of what retail is and exploring what else it can be and seeing its own rooftop as a valuable site for more than just financial exchange,” he said.

“This redevelopment will create a new street level for Melbourne – but in the air. It will be a meeting place where our work and play selves will convene. Not only is Frame a new idea of the workplace, but Melbourne Central will be a new benchmark for inner city culture.”

With an MAT of $14,763 per square metre, Melbourne Central was named Australia’s most productive Big Gun centre for turnover per square metre in 2019.

Melbourne Central’s redevelopment plans are currently being considered by Melbourne City Council for approval, with construction projected to commence in early 2020 with minimal impacts to trading.

Colliers International expressions of interest for Frame are already underway with construction of the office tower set to commence in early 2020, with the project is scheduled for completion late 2021.