The reimagining and expansion of a historic Melbourne hotel breathes new life into the 19th-century structure, transforming it into a mixed-use destination within a vibrant retail district.
Building on the past
Melbourne’s historic South Yarra Coffee Palace is being reimagined as a mixed-use anchor for a thriving retail corridor. Sensitively integrating old and new elements, SOM’s design serves as a model for the thoughtful redevelopment of a heritage site. The careful restoration of the building’s 19th century facade and an expressive 12-story addition introduce contemporary workspaces and expand on the site’s history to create a meaningful connection to place.
Originally constructed in 1887 during Melbourne’s land boom, the building was one of many such ornate “coffee palaces” that emerged from the era’s temperance movement. The redevelopment of 189 Toorak Road honors this rich heritage by revitalizing the lower levels with 2,500 square meters of retail and wellness spaces across four floors, which combine with the new workspaces above to offer a mixed-use contribution to the cultural resurgence of the neighborhood.
Contemporary expansion
The new addition is an expressive lattice structure, with large bays enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glass. This light intervention, rising above the existing building in a series of cascading terraces, introduces flexible office spaces on the upper floor that integrate nature into the work environment and allow tenants to enjoy expansive outdoor areas and access to fresh air. The integrated design and engineering of the facade and structure reflects a holistic approach to reducing the carbon impact of construction and represents a sustainable strategy for transformation and urban growth.
Massing shaped by context
The expanded building plays an important role in mediating the low-rise character of Toorak Road and the greater density and height of the Forrest Hill Precinct to the north. From Toorak Road, the stepped upper floors recede from view, giving the historic Victorian facade center stage on an important retail corridor. Facing Claremont Street to the east, a series of metal cables wrap an extension to the historic building, covered with plantings that accentuate the contrast between old and new.
Team:
Client: V-Leader
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
