Melbourne Walk, a new mixed-use development in Melbourne’s retail centre designed by Buchan, includes Klay Tiles among its key collaborators. Klay supplied both the brickslips, and ceramic façade panels and rail system, helping bring the design to life. Melbourne Walk marks the first major Bourke Street Mall project in more than 50 years, stitching together six buildings across a 3,600-square-metre site and connecting 6,295 square metres of retail space via pedestrian links that reinforce the city’s urban fabric. The development has been designed to naturally integrate with its surroundings, becoming the missing link in the CBD’s retail scene and attracting international flagship and new-to-market concept stores (ArchitectureAU, 2025).
The project began on site as a collection of eight buildings, including four heritage-listed façades: Diamond House and the Public Benefit Bootery on Bourke Street, and the Allans and York buildings on Little Collins Street. Buchan’s design concept retained the sense of a “collection of buildings” while consolidating the block into a cohesive whole, with new infill façades drawing cues from historic neighbours, reinterpreting materials, geometry, and lighting, and reinstating distinctive blade signs once prominent in the 1890s. Heritage façades also bookend The Causeway, a laneway running north-south through the block, creating prominent corners and a layered, pedestrian-friendly experience.
To complement this careful restoration and unify the new infill, Klay supplied a coordinated palette of façade and brickslip products. Teres Brickslip in Crimson Red and Hanover Brickslip in Rustic Red were used to enhance the warmth and texture of the restored heritage façades, while custom Keratwin metallic tiles formed striking modern elements on the street-facing elevations. The metallic panels provide a contemporary counterpoint to the historic brickwork, offering non-combustible performance, low maintenance, and durability, while their reflective finish interacts dynamically with light and surrounding materials to elevate the visual presence of the building.
Installed by Ceramic Solutions across both heritage and new façades, these materials were carefully selected to respond to the fine detailing and tactility of the historic and contemporary architecture. Buchan architect Hayden Djakic reflected on the process: “The brickwork installation was challenging due to modern construction techniques. We had to lay entire façades at a 1:1 scale to ensure that all courses aligned perfectly with the building fabric behind.” By combining the brickslips and metallic panels into a cohesive material strategy, the project achieves a seamless dialogue between old and new, enhancing Melbourne Walk’s layered, visually engaging streetscape.
Klay’s products also enhanced textural depth and visual interest. On Little Collins Street, metallic Keratwin tiles interact with the copper cladding and window openings, providing a tactility reminiscent of the artisan tiled façades historically found in Melbourne at the turn of the century. Djakic noted: “The ability to maintain depth and tactility with these tiles really allowed the design to reference the historic materiality while delivering a modern performance solution.”
Sustainability and longevity were key considerations. Keratwin tiles are made from naturally occurring clay and kiln-fired, creating a long-lasting, low-maintenance product. By considering the full lifecycle of the materials; including their self-cleaning properties, the project ensures that these buildings, designed to last over 100 years, remain durable, visually engaging, and low-maintenance.
Djakic also highlighted the coordination required across the project: “It was essential to ensure all façades flowed seamlessly while meeting technical, aesthetic, and functional requirements. Balancing modern construction with heritage sensitivity and cost-effective compliance was key.”
Melbourne Walk is not only a triumph of heritage-led urban design but also a demonstration of careful material selection and high-quality construction. The project offers a cohesive, layered, and dynamic addition to Melbourne’s CBD, providing a seamless pedestrian experience and high-quality retail environment. Klay Tiles is proud to have contributed to a project that demonstrates architectural precision, sustainable material performance, and respect for heritage, setting a benchmark for future mixed-use developments in the city.
