Argus Centre

Last updated

Argus Centre
Argus Centre photo 1.jpg
Street level photo of Argus Centre
Argus Centre
General information
TypeHighrise office building
Architectural style Postmodernist
Location Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Address300 La Trobe Street
Construction started1991
Completed1993
Cost$64 million AUD
Height144 metres (472 ft)
Technical details
Floor count34
Design and construction
Architect(s) Nonda Katsalidis

The Argus Centre is a postmodernist highrise office building situated on the corner of La Trobe and Elizabeth streets, Melbourne. [1] It was designed by architect Nonda Katsalidis whilst he was a director of AXIA Pty Ltd for client Ryssal Three. The building was constructed between 1991 and 1993 with a contract value of AUS $64 million. [2] The current value of the building is $173.9 million. [3]

Contents

The Argus Centre is a separate but adjacent building to the Argus Building next to itwhich was constructed in 1926 and was the former premises of The Argus newspaper for 30 years (1926 – 1956). [4] It is opposite to Melbourne Central Shopping Centre and railway station, in the Flagstaff precinct of the North of the Melbourne central business district. The building underwent refurbishment in 2012. The building was originally used as an office and carpark space, which to this day has not changed. [3] The Argus Centre is a significant building in Australian Architecture as it was one of the finest office tower buildings of the time, managing to explore intercepting masses, with precision and decisiveness. [5]

Description

The Argus Centre is a 34-storey office building achieving 132m in height to its roof, and 144m in height to its pinnacle. [1] There is public access to its ground level foyer and Klik's café which has been split into two separate ground floor serving areas – one circular area in the rotunda, and one rectilinear area opposite the rotunda with the foyer in between these areas. The rotunda forms the elliptical cone bridge between the Argus Centre and the Argus Building, and was the design result based upon wind tunnel tests. [6] The building has 520 carspaces over 10 levels. [3] The buildings carpark is sloping which gives a distorted perspective view of the design. [7] The Argus Centre is composed of various geometric rectilinear shapes assembled such that the building looks different from numerous angles, and resembles a number of buildings unified into one mass. [1] The building appears to be one big collage of shapes cutting across each other in different finishes. [7]

The building is 1,487 square metres in size. One square metre is worth $5,259, of this floor space, Telstra holds the lease for 23,482 square metres over levels 17 to 34, which is about 70 per cent of the building. [3]

Key influences and design approach

Nonda Katsalidis refers to his peers work as a key influence in his design approach for the Argus Centre. In particular Wood Marsh architects, and the TAC house at 222 Exhibition Street, Melbourne by Denton Corker Marshall architects. [6] He is also influenced by the work of modernists in the late 20th century and the development of modernism. In this area Nonda Katsalidis is particularly interested in the work of Spanish architects. [5] The design approach is very direct and disciplined and has been noted by some, as seeming to be the work of one man with a specific vision. Nonda Katsalidis has referred to his own work as "a response to a practical requirement and the context into which it will be placed". and stated that he likes to include "a strong sense of scale and proportion, which creates a sense of rigour, a sense of control" in his work. His work on city buildings like the Argus centre is a look at the overall city rather than the Argus centre itself, as Nonda attempts to "influence the way in which the city evolves". Nonda Katsalidis also has a big interest in sculpture and art and takes inspiration from this for his own buildings. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eureka Tower</span> Skyscraper located in the Southbank precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Eureka Tower is a 297.3 m (975 ft) skyscraper located in the Southbank precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Construction began in August 2002 and the exterior was completed on 1 June 2006. The plaza was finished in June 2006 and the building was officially opened on 11 October 2006. The project was designed by Melbourne architectural firm Fender Katsalidis Architects and was built by Grocon. The developer of the tower was Eureka Tower Pty Ltd, a joint venture consisting of Daniel Grollo (Grocon), investor Tab Fried and one of the Tower's architects Nonda Katsalidis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Elizabeth Hall</span> Concert hall in London

The Queen Elizabeth Hall (QEH) is a music venue on the South Bank in London, England, that hosts classical, jazz, and avant-garde music, talks and dance performances. It was opened in 1967, with a concert conducted by Benjamin Britten.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fender Katsalidis</span> Australian architecture firm

Fender Katsalidis (FK) is an architecture firm which originated in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and now has additional studios in Sydney and Brisbane. Founded by Karl Fender and Nonda Katsalidis, the firm has been notable since the early 1990s, producing many landmark buildings in Melbourne and other Australian cities. The firm has previously been known as Nation Fender, then Nation Fender Katsalidis and later Fender Katsalidis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queensland Cultural Centre</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

The Queensland Cultural Centre is a heritage-listed cultural center on Grey Street, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is part of the South Bank precinct on the Brisbane River and was built from 1976.

Nonda Katsalidis is a Greek-Australian architect. He is currently a practising director of architecture firm Fender Katsalidis Architects in partnership with Karl Fender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Capitol, Melbourne</span> Historic theatre in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The Capitol is a theatre on Swanston Street in the central business district (CBD) of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Opened in 1924 as part of the Capitol House building, the art deco theatre was designed by American husband and wife architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin. It is the oldest of Melbourne's large picture palaces and is known for its extravagant decor and abstract motifs, including an intricate geometric ceiling containing thousands of coloured lamps designed to evoke the walls of a crystalline cave.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Department of Education Building</span> Heritage-listed government building in Sydney, Australia

The Department of Education building is a heritage-listed state government administrative building of the Edwardian Baroque architectural style located in Bridge Street in the Sydney central business district in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The large public building was designed by Colonial Architect George McRae and built in two stages, the first completed in 1912, with John Reid and Son completing the second stage in 1938. It is also known as the Department of Education Building and the Education Building. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melbourne Terrace Apartments</span>

Melbourne Terrace is a set of 60 apartments at the corner of Franklin and Queen Street, Melbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One One One Eagle Street</span> 194.7-metre (639 ft) office building in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

One One One Eagle Street is a 194.7-metre (639 ft) office building at 111 Eagle Street, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, located in the city centre. With 6 star Green Star office design rating, the building is part of the CBD's 'Golden Triangle' district. Its location is the site of the old Indigo House building, which was demolished over a period of six months starting in 2008. 95% of all waste from the old building is to be recycled or reused.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Potter Museum of Art</span> Art museum in Victoria, Australia

The Ian Potter Museum of Art at the University of Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia was established in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RMIT Building 8</span> Education in Victoria, Australia

RMIT Building 8 is an educational building, part of RMIT University's City campus in Melbourne, Victoria. It is located at 383 Swanston Street, on the northern edge of Melbourne's central business district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Melbourne</span>

The architecture of Melbourne, Victoria, and Australia is characterised by a wide variety of styles. The city is particularly noted for its mix of Victorian architecture and contemporary buildings, with 74 skyscrapers in the city centre, the most of any city in the Southern Hemisphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia 108</span> Residential skyscraper in the Southbank precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Australia 108 is a residential supertall skyscraper in the Southbank precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Having officially topped out in June 2020, it became the tallest building in Australia by roof height, surpassing the Eureka Tower, and the second-tallest building in Australia by full height, surpassed by Q1 Tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AON Centre (Royal Insurance Building)</span> Office in Victoria, Australia

AON Centre is a commercial office complex located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia at 430—444 Collins Street, in the heart of the Melbourne CBD. A product of a rigorous design process from Australian architecture firm Yuncken Freeman Architects in 1962, the building undertook a two-year construction period and in 1965 it was first opened revealing a 70 metre high 18-storey structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarrabee Flats</span> Building in Victoria, Australia

Yarrabee Flats is a building located at 44 Walsh street, South Yarra, Melbourne, Australia consisting of five flats. Built in 1940. it was designed by the Australian architecture firm, Romberg & Shaw, and is known for introducing European Modernist architecture into flat development in Melbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edgewater Towers</span> Melbournes first privately developed high rise apartment block in 1961.

Edgewater Towers is a high rise apartment block located in the suburb of St Kilda in Melbourne, Australia. The building, completed in 1961, was Melbourne's first, high rise residential apartment block and the tallest in Victoria until Domain Park Flats was completed in 1962. The building was designed by émigré architect Mordechai Benshemesh who designed many multi-storey buildings in St Kilda and Elwood. Edgewater Towers is considered to be Benshemesh's most iconic design. Edgewater Towers stands at 44 m tall (architectural), 39 m tall, and 13 storeys tall.

171 La Trobe Street is a building in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, by architect Nonda Katsalidis. 171 La Trobe Street is a 13-storey structure glazed with a green glass exterior and designs overhanging the building on each side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City Mutual Life Assurance Building</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

The City Mutual Life Assurance Building is a heritage-listed commercial building located at 60-66 Hunter Street, in the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built during 1936. It is also known as CML Building and 10 Bligh Street. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qantas House</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Qantas House is an Australian heritage-listed office building at 68–96 Hunter Street, Sydney. It was designed by Rudder, Littlemore & Rudder and built from 1955 to 1957 by Concrete Constructions Pty Ltd. It is also known as No. 1 Chifley Square. The site was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 25 May 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Post Office, Launceston</span> Heritage-listed building in Tasmania

Launceston Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 68-72 Cameron Street, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. It was designed by William Waters Eldridge, with alterations prior to opening designed by Corrie and North. It opened in 1891, while the clock tower was completed in 1903 and altered in 1910. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Argus Centre: 300 Latrobe Street, Melbourne". Walkingmelbourne.com. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  2. "Nonda Katsilidis: Argus Centre". Aardvark.tce.rmit.edu.au. Archived from the original on 21 March 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Argus Centre". Charter Hall . Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  4. "Former Argus Building". Vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Kennedy, Emery; Gary, Ken. "The rise and rise of Nonda Katsalidis". Monument.
  6. 1 2 Van Schaik, Leon. "Office Buildings: Katsalidis Towers". No. Architecture Australia Vol 81 No 6 Sep/Oct 1992. Architecture Australia.
  7. 1 2 Bill MacMahon (2001). The Architecture of East Australia: An Architectural History in 432 Individual Presentations. Edition Axel Menges. pp. 175–. ISBN   978-3-930698-90-5.

37°48′37″S144°57′38″E / 37.810358°S 144.960672°E / -37.810358; 144.960672