Project description by SJB
The Ball and Welch building opened in 1889 as Melbourne’s most prominent department store up until its closure in 1970 and was subsequently renovated a number of times up until the front façade was eventually incorporated into the Flinders gate car park. “The latest adaptation revitalises the building as a new 5-star Green Star co-working space for Dexus to expand its capacity for the recent boom in the growing co-working and flexible workspace industries.
The project breathes new life on a historic Melbourne street overlooking Federation Square and adjacent to a range of period buildings including St Paul’s Cathedral, the Forum Theatre and the former Melbourne Gas Company and Masonic buildings.
The Heritage façade restores original elements of the early tall-arched Romanesque style, including cement render decorations upon the spandrels of the window arches and first-floor piers. Above, a contemporary glass insertion is set back from the street and responds to the established datums along the Flinders Street elevation.
Internally, the neglected original Heritage shopfronts and offices were upgraded, connected and
