Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings under $3M 
Le Meridien is a Marriott-branded 5-star hotel and flagship hotel in Australia. It was critical for L.U. Simon Builders to go above and beyond in a number of areas to ensure the finished building met the client hotel operations and, ultimately, guests’ expectations. The design and construction of the hotel incorporate the history of the previous building and pays homage to its previous uses as a theatre, cinema and nightclub. The project included 235 hotel rooms, including executive suites across 12 floors with sweeping views across Parliament, the MCG and all the way to the Dandenong Ranges. It included public amenities, including a restaurant, bar, cafe, two function rooms for events, multiple meeting rooms and breakout lounges, a gymnasium and a signature outdoor pool overlooking the entire Bourke Street and Parliament House.
The project comprises of the construction of a new three-level library and refurbishment of the Heritage listed Customs House. The new library structure is connected to the impressive Customs House via a glazed linkway. An overall gross building area of approximately 2479sq m accommodates a wide range of library and learning functions. The new library building is wrapped with a complex façade consisting of feature precast cladding, glazed curtain wall and brass panelling. Internally, each floor offers a bespoke layout and ceiling finishes to achieve the architectural intent throughout. The interiors reference both the Warrnambool CBD grid and the gridded coffered ceiling within the 1868 Orderly Room. This intentionally extends an existing architectural relationship with the city and the heritage building and serves to bind the contemporary and Heritage buildings together.
Harris HMC Senior Project Manager Kabir Sidhu is a qualified Civil Engineer from Melbourne University and has been in the industry for the past 13 years. Joining Harris HMC in 2014 as a contract administrator, he was soon promoted to Project Manager through internal training. Kabir’s prides himself in achieving success through benchmarking, rigorous testing, and prototyping, all of which help him ensure client satisfaction and reduce onsite coordination issues.
The task was to transform the very tired Maryborough Art Gallery (formally the original town fire station) into a contemporary and friendly space. The additions, alterations and state-of-the-art mechanical and electrical upgrades allow the gallery to exhibit many more collections now that the building will be certified and can be adjusted to suit individual collections. The project included redeveloping the entrance to the building, restoring existing infrastructure and redesigning internal space to create an open, contemporary reception and retail area, and removal of the false ceiling to reveal the original 19th-century beams, as well as improving accessibility.
The project involved the aesthetic upgrade of more than 1600sq m of public shopping malls over two levels on opposite ends of Highpoint Shopping Centre, following on from the Phase 1 works completed in 2020, which successfully won the 2021 Commercial Master Builder of the Year and Master Builders Australia Excellence in Building & Construction – National Commercial / Industrial Construction Awards $20 - to $50M category. The scope of work in Zone 4 included the replacement of all floor finishes, ceiling and soffit treatments, upgrade of balustrades, feature lighting and service modifications. The Zone 1 works included the installation of a water feature that funnels down from Level 2 to Level 3, surrounded by GRC seating and landscaping on both Levels 2 and 3 and a feature ceiling light installation on Level 2.
Harris HMC was engaged to deliver the cutting-edge new Louis William Arts Precinct at Firbank Grammar School. The refurbishment and extension have transformed an original school hall built in 1909 into a significant cultural and creative arts precinct dedicated to all forms of creativity, including performance, dance, digital and studio arts. With state-of-the-art facilities and acoustically designed spaces, it is the newest addition to the precincts of the Brighton Campus. The project entailed the refurbishment and reconfiguration of existing classroom spaces and the construction of new specialist spaces, including a lecture theatre and ceramics facility, all tied back into the existing building. During the demolition phase, latent conditions and unique features, including original fonts hidden behind dado walls, were detected, requiring a sensitive approach to their preservation and management.
Under a design and construct contract, SJ Higgins delivered the redevelopment of St George’s Uniting Church, a heritage brick Presbyterian church of 1877-1880, by the esteemed architect Albert Purchas, including a Lewis & Co. organ of 1881. The project repurposed the building for St Michael’s Grammar School to provide dedicated facilities for music, drama and performing arts, and general use. It included a complete reworking of the interior to include a centre stage surrounded by seating to the north and south, a backstage extension to the east, and a tiered seating mezzanine to the west. Beneath the tiered mezzanine, a box office/welcome foyer and plant/storage area was also created. Along with the adjusted internal layout, we delivered significant upgrades to services and acoustic treatment to enhance the atmospheric quality of performances. Heritage preservation works formed a significant portion of our programme, requiring consultation with Heritage Victoria and a specialist heritage consultant to ensure relevant compliance.
The Centre for Higher Education Studies (CHES) supports high-achieving Victorian government secondary school students with state-of-the-art learning spaces, specialist facilities and leading expertise, offering a unique pathway for students to transition from secondary to tertiary studies. CHES is set among the dense urban fabric of South Yarra. This site presented a challenge, being sleeved between buildings with a high-rise to the south. Innovation in both design and construction was required to deliver this first-of-its-kind school. Catering for approximately 325 students in physical attendance, the project comprised of four agile learning neighbourhoods located on Levels one and two with informal breakout spaces leading through to the specialised learning settings, including tertiary stand laboratories and fabrication workshops.
St Joseph’s College is a secondary Catholic boy’s school located at the base of the Dandenong Ranges in Ferntree Gully. The first two stages of the redevelopment form part of a master plan to upgrade and rejuvenate the campus. Works comprised the construction of two double-storey buildings, which are the Science and Year 7 Building and the Arts and Senior School Building, each measuring approximately 3000sq m. Both buildings were designed with feature louvred façades, curtain wall glazing, and shading fin elements and are well linked to existing facilities, including an elevated link bridge providing access into the art building.
The Le Meridien Melbourne development is a state-of-the-art, purpose-built, 5-star hotel located at the former Metro/Palace Theatre site within the Bourke Street heritage precinct. The design and construction of this flagship hotel incorporates the history of the previous building and pay homage to its previous uses as a theatre, cinema and nightclub. Works included the demolition of the existing theatre and rebuild of a new hotel consisting of 235 hotel rooms, including executive suites across 12 floors with sweeping views across Parliament, the MCG and all the way to the Dandenong Ranges. Public amenities include a restaurant, bar, cafe, two function rooms for events, multiple meeting rooms and breakout lounges, a gymnasium and a signature outdoor pool overlooking the entire Bourke Street and Parliament House. There are also three basements for various BOH staff uses, including a carpark in Basement 3 accessible via a car lift.
The Department of Transport Ringwood Office is located immediately adjacent to the Ringwood train station and domestic bus terminal. The project involved the Construction of a new 10 Level commercial office tower consisting of four levels of multi-storey carpark, six levels of commercial office space, ground floor retail/office space, rooftop sky deck and roof plant and services. The building provided approximately 27,000sq m of lettable office space for potential tenants and holds 278 on-site car spaces across the four levels of the carpark. Maben commenced construction in June 2020 and completed the project 24 months later on time and budget, despite the challenges of COVID.
Kane Constructions was responsible for the Iglu Russell Street Student Accommodation project, which consists of building a 28-storey, plus basement and roof plant with a total site area of 467sq m. The redevelopment of the 374-bed student accommodation facility includes communal shared areas for socialising and studying. Located on a busy CBD corner, interfacing with high vehicular traffic, pedestrian traffic, narrow streets, commercial businesses, people’s homes and other major building sites. All of these factors, combined with the small footprint and vertical build, immediately presented a challenge to ensure safety in every aspect of the building’s design and construction. The entire site management team undertook daily walks and general observations to proactively monitor safety on-site and allow workers the opportunity to provide feedback or work through any potential issues, which allowed for a positive and transparent safety culture to evolve over the life of the project. Subcontractors with large numbers and/or permanent site presence were encouraged to undertake daily site toolboxes to ensure that all workers are up to date with any changes to site conditions and communicate drop zones.
The scope of works was to deliver a high-end fitout on Level 45 of 101 Collins Street, which is regarded as Melbourne’s most prestigious commercial building. The client already had a presence within the building, but were expanding into a larger space. The fitout works included a double boardroom separated by an operable wall that could become one larger boardroom, a number of meeting rooms and offices, along with a large breakout & lounge area for staff members to socialise. The space also includes a gym and amenities. The design took inspiration from high-end residential elements to create a homely feel for people to feel comfortable within their workspace.
The Pentridge Adina Hotel fitout involved the design and construction of the hotel’s public areas, including the reception and lobby, level 1 conference rooms and pre-function space, while also completing fitout works within the existing prison facilities within Division B’s chapel, atrium lobby, Cell Bar, Annex Restaurant and Outdoor Dining and the ground and first floor amenities. This project formed part of the overall Pentridge Adina Hotel and Apartments project and is a part of the historic H.M. Pentridge Prison - founded in 1851 and closed in 1997. It is recognised by the National Trust as a place of state significance and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as “the most well-known and used gaol in the state’s history”. Original elements from the site were incorporated in the design and construction, including the existing bluestone interior walls. These elements provided challenges in how to integrate the new structure with the Heritage listed components.
SHAPE were trusted by BHP to deliver their Melbourne Office Consolidation at 171 Collins Street. The aim of the project was to better accommodate the reduced office floor space requirements of their staff due to changes in work patterns and maximise the office design in line with their ‘Future Ways of Working’ principles. The project was completed in two stages across five floors. Firstly, the refurbishment of the BHP Business Centre, which involved the rejuvenation of meeting rooms, café and event spaces to better support BHP operations for both internal and external users. Secondly, the delivery of work areas across Levels 16 to 18, which prioritised how BHP employees work. This involved the creation of open workspaces and flexible zones to promote collaborative and concentrated work for BHP Executives and their team.
The main works of the Aurora project consist of two divisions known as the Base Fractionation Facility (BFF) and the Warehouse, Freezer, Links and Hubs (WHF) projects. The delivery of the main works also included many satellite projects designed to develop the site and to provide supporting infrastructure to both the BFF and WHF buildings. This includes extensive infrastructure works across the site, including upgrades to utilities, construction of a new electrical switch room, pump house, roadways, carparking, pipe racks, boiler house and a separate tank farm (trade waste processing, ethanol storage and recovery areas). The BFF is a four-level manufacturing facility comprising of a specific process waters and utilities area, Grade C to D cleanroom manufacturing areas, plant areas for air handling systems, and associated administration and office areas. The BFF building ties directly into the south of the WHF. The WHF is a mixed-use five-level pharmaceutical facility that streamlines site operations and supports the wider site.
Flux was engaged to deliver a timeless Carr design that would positively contribute to the Armadale streetscape for many years to come. In ensuring relevancy that would also bring value, the design needed to be driven by quality. As such, the brief was to raise the bar on multi-residential living, believing that higher density doesn’t have to mean poorer design and construction. The building’s intent was to provide luxury apartment living to the high-end market. Spread across five residential levels, the building provided 24 luxury apartments in a range of 2, 3 and 4-bedroom options. The grid pattern of the façade references a similar classical rhythm of the more historical shopfronts and heritage homes, while the weighted masonry of its structure ensures a grounding in place.
The Domain House project is a bespoke 22-storey multi-level residential apartment complex comprising of a staggered podium from levels 2-6 with apartments, car parking and common areas, all of which are concealed with the feature cladding and columns. Above the podium, the towers unique intricate facade with more than 600 individual feature columns and solid aluminium cladding frame 169 contemporary apartments, with a total project GFA of 19,000sq m. At the podium level, there are various spaces, including a communal dining room, lounge room and yoga room with access to the podium, opening on to spacious hard and soft landscaping. Car parks are provided via 11 independent multi-level car stacker systems from level 1 down to the basement, with access via a single drive-through car lift at the lowest level.
Completed in June 2022, Nightingale Village is the combination of six individual projects combined into 1 development over a 4012sq m site comprised of 203 homes and extensive communal and open spaces. Incorporating energy-efficient and sustainable design principles across the site and in each building, Nightingale Village exemplifies principles of passive design, material reductionism, quality architecture, shared amenity, and low operational costs for tenants with extensive open and communal spaces helping to provide to an integrated community for residents. Hacer Group was engaged in an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) role by Duckett Acquisition Collective Pty Ltd, to resolve the designs and confirm buildability and achievement of the Village’s ambitious Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) objectives and was then appointed as the Design and Construct (D&C) contractor.
The restoration of heritage buildings is a delicate task, requiring expertise and dedication to ensure that the site’s historical integrity is preserved while meeting modern standards. The task of rebuilding the 55m long and approximately 10m high wall was no exception, presenting unique challenges that required careful planning and execution. Originally built over 150 years ago, the wall was demolished during the late 1990s with the majority of the original bluestone blocks scattered over the 12-hectare site. As part of the overall approved planning permit which was issued in consultation with Heritage Victoria the wall needed to be rebuilt while incorporating modern engineering and construction techniques. This required extensive collaboration between engineers, contractors, and suppliers to develop a design that met the requirements of Heritage Victoria while preserving the historical significance of the site.
Works to the Heritage Listed Supreme Court of Victoria include significant upgrades to the laneway that runs between Lonsdale St and Little Bourke St between the Supreme Court of Victoria and the Court of Appeal/Old High Court. The key outcome was to refurbish and preserve the Heritage listed entrances and roadway while addressing long-standing functionality, access, and security issues. Works predominately involved the removal of the original cast iron gates at each end of the laneway and replacing these gates with custom-made automated HVM (hostile vehicle mitigation) gates designed and fabricated in the UK and shipped to Australia.
Wamarra’s mandate is unambiguous: they build large and small quality construction projects while strengthening Aboriginal participation and engagement within the construction industry. They’re an Aboriginal-owned and operated Victorian-based civil contractor, providing meaningful long-term economic independence and career opportunities for Aboriginal people and their communities. They currently employ 55 full-time Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. Wamarra was engaged by John Holland to deliver the hard and soft landscaping at Bell and Preston train stations as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project. The entire open space has been connected by walking and cycling paths and the continuous use of native planting was used to create a story across the whole revitalised area. The scope of works included 11,000sq m of concrete (exposed aggregate and E-Mesh SUP), construction of a retaining wall, road works, street furniture installation, play equipment installation to add to the urban profile, soil and mulch installation, planting and creation of 1km of shared user path between Preston and Bell Station.
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