Melbourne's Exhibition Centre, designed by Denton Corker Marshall in the early 90s, is about to have a large shopping centre/cocktail lounge land on its front lawn. The buildings shown in today's newspapers (print editions) cram up against the Polly Woodside Maritime museum.
The Herald Sun says that the, "fan shaped convention centre will... feature... a foyer able to host up to 11,000 guests for cocktail functions." The developement, which will also contain lots and lots of shops (more than Southgate), and a 50,000 sqm homemaker centre.
This giant shopping and convention centre will be constructed by Multiplex, and will be funded to the tune of $370M by the State Government.
The Government architect, John Denton (also a director of Denton Corker Marshall), has been asked to, "ensure the state-of-the-art design is delivered properly." Which he'll presumably have to do without cringing.
The development is seen by Bracks as 'linking' Southbank to Docklands.
The new centre is part of a public-private partnership project that will complete the urban renewal of the Yarra Rivers edge linking Southbank to Docklands and creating a commercial and lifestyle district down the rivers spine to the bays edge and port districts.
There is a link at the moment, but one has to cross the MEC gardens. After the convention centre fills this 'gap' there will be continuous commercialism from Princes bridge through to the Mirvac docklands precinct.
No mention anywhere about who the architects are in the news, but according to web forums like
this one, Woods Bagot are involved.
THE AGE 23.02.06
MAJOR PROJECTS MEDIA RELEASE 22.02.06
PHOTOS
Comments
I can see the Grand Opening now. Red Carpet arrivals, Eddie, diamante gees, MX vending machines.......
A pretty dull but informative government page that outlines the details of the project can be found here: http://www.partnerships.vic.gov.au/CA25708500035EB6/0/0902EAD8013746EDCA2570B1008095BC?OpenDocument
THE AGE 05.12.06
Royce Millar's article also notes that the retail component of the development is designed by the same folks who brought you the DFO at Southern Cross Station. Apparently state architect John Denton has "raised concerns" about the retail elements.
The photo accompanying the article (see link below) is surprising - I hadn't realised that this development was to fill the entire block. Soon we will have a belt of fair to middling high rises running continuously from St Kilda Road to Fishermen's Bend, all less than 15 years old, most poorly connected into the public transport network, and between them creating a big fat wall to South Melbourne.
It's a shame that since the potential of the river was first unveiled by the Southgate development, there has been such a stream of bland buildings down there that have no need to be near the yarra other than that the views from inside will increase their rents - they are contributing nothing to the yarra precinct except to help turn it into a cavernous concrete gully.
THE AGE 21.02.07
State Architect John Denton appears to have tried to do something about the big-boxes-on-the-yarra but has he thrown his hands up? "I think we've done the best we can within the constraints of the agreement in place."
THE AGE 28.08.07
He said the Government had allowed the successful consortium to squeeze too much commercial development onto the site, crowding out the convention and the existing exhibition centre.
"I guess this was in order to get commercial component on to the end of it and get a dollar out of it."
Mr Denton is careful to highlight that his own company designed Jeff's Shed.
He accepts that there is demand for the retail outlets attached to Southern Cross and the convention centre, but asks whether Melbourne's "urban realm" is improved by them. "The convention precinct doesn't grab me as a good outcome. But with PPPs you have to accept what you're offered, not what you've thoughtfully decided you need."
www.theage.com.au/national/departing-architect-warns-state-to-keep-watch-on-its-legacy-20080725-3l38.html