Melbourne Central Tower Lobby
By BAMSTONE
An ageing icon once in need of a new and improved identity, Melbourne Central Tower has been reactivated through significant upgrades to its lobby. Cox Architecture’s design has created an amenity-rich address that seamlessly transitions from a bustling public realm to active internal spaces using light, technology, and materiality. The architecture is transparent, reflecting contemporary design through materiality and finishes that complement the tower and strengthen its connection to the streetscape beyond. A sculptural bluestone plinth rises from the ground plane to contain retail space, an auditorium, and a business hub, wrapping into the internal space to further blur the boundaries between inside and out.
“Bluestone was used extensively as the key material across the ground plane and internal/external wall cladding. The team were able to prototype and work with us and the team at Built to achieve the complex stepped curved bluestone pieces that are used across the entire façade and landscaped public realm. This was enhanced with the use of both sawn & blasted bluestone in different stone thickness to create the playful & layered wall cladding system which compliments the other warm materials of timber & anodized aluminum used in the lobby” – Johannes Lupolo-Chan, Cox Architecture.
Featured Products
- Civil + Commercial + Streetscapes
- Paving + Tiles
- Edge Profiles + Dimensional Stairs
- Facades + Wall Cladding
Completed: 2020
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Photography: Peter Clarke
Products used in
Melbourne Central Tower Lobby
Professionals used in
Melbourne Central Tower Lobby
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BAMSTONE
About the
Professional
Meticulously extracting the finest natural Australian bluestone since 1975. Our bluestone products are available in a variety of finishes and can be tailored to meet the unique requirements of civil, commercial and residential projects across Australia and around the world.
Our story is centred in historical origins, unique craft, and natural landscapes. A story of discovery, hard work, family and beauty.
The Australian landscape is one of stark contrasts and rugged beauty. The harshness of the environment has woven the natural elements together to forge materials that are tough in formation and stunning in appearance.
The volcanic lava flow of Mount Rouse journeyed down the mountain, across the valley to the coast of Port Fairy in Victoria’s south-west, resting in place for thousands of years as it formed to create Australian basalt bluestone, a stone equal in both strength and beauty.
This rich basalt stone source was discovered by Don and Yvonne Bartlett in 1975. The uniqueness of the stone, and the opportunity that lay within the soil, was the beginning of Bamstone. A quarry facility was erected on the site, where all extraction and pre-processing of raw materials continues to take place.
Bamstone has remained in the family for three generations, with Michael and Cheryl Steel taking over the reins in 2001, and Sam Steel joining the team in 2021. The sense of family is evident throughout the business, we operate with deep pride in all we produce and genuinely value the relationships with customers, partners and each other.
We are intrinsically Australian. Our product and our people. We remain local, placing value and respect on the land. We are dedicated to ensuring the longevity of this natural resource.