Prima Pearl
Prima Pearl tower
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeResidential
Location35 Queensbridge Square, Melbourne, Australia
Completed2014
ManagementConnect Facilities
Height
Roof254 m (833 ft)
Top floor244 m (801 ft)
Technical details
Floor count72
Floor area102,000 m2 (1,100,000 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators7
Design and construction
Architect(s)Disegno Australia
DeveloperPDG Corporation and Schiavello
EngineerMeinhardt Group
Main contractorMultiplex
Website
www.primapearl.com.au
References
[1][2]

Prima Pearl (also referred to as Pearl Tower and Prima Tower[3]) is a residential skyscraper completed in 2014, in the Southbank precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. As of 2022, the skyscraper is the seventh–tallest building in Melbourne and the 13th–tallest building in Australia.

History

Initial project

In 1984, the Schiavello group bought the 35 Queensbridge Square site in Southbank; among the group's first land purchase in Melbourne.[4] By 2002, the group formally submitted plans to the State Government for a 225–metre (738-foot) tall residential skyscraper – in the midst of oversupply or "glut" concerns within the inner–city apartment market.[5] Nevertheless, the $AUD230 million project, then dubbed 'Prima on Southbank', would have been one of the tallest residential buildings in Melbourne, only surpassed by the nearby Eureka Tower (under–construction at the time), but considerably taller than Freshwater Place North, which was also being constructed in 2002 adjacent to the Prima development. The 63–level skyscraper was designed by Australian architect, Ivan Rijavec, and the project would have comprised 332 residential apartments.[5]

Approval was granted for the skyscraper in 2004, by then–Minister for Planning Mary Delahunty; however, one of the conditions of approval was that the skyscraper be reduced in height to 160 metres (525 feet), a move supported by the Melbourne City Council which recommended buildings in Southbank to not eclipse such height. Schiavello challenged the condition for approval at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which upheld the skyscraper's initial height on the basis that the design was "exemplary".[6] Despite the win, the project never proceeded to sales, and was henceforth shelved by the developer until 2009.[7]

Subsequent development

The project was relaunched by Schiavello in 2010, this time with the collaboration of fellow developer PDG Corporation. Initially, the proposal submitted to the Minister for Planning was for a skyscraper which would be identical in height to the previous design; however, the number of apartments within the building almost doubled to 616. Other amendments included: a reduction in the number of car park spaces, and an increase to the number of floors within the building (from 63 to 66).[8] During this planning phase, the developers were also pursuing a height increase for the skyscraper, which they later submitted and gained approval. Pursuant to the final plans for the project, the building would comprise two main residential lobbies; 'Prima' would contain half of the residential apartments across the higher section of the building, whilst 'Pearl' would contain the remaining apartments within the lower section of the building. Overall, the skyscraper would reach a height of 254 metres (833 feet), with 72 levels; among amenities such as a swimming pool, the 67th level features a sky–lounge for residents of Prima Pearl.[4][8]

Early works and construction, which was undertaken by Multiplex on the AUD$292 million skyscraper,[9] commenced as early as March 2012.[10][11][12] By July 2014, Prima Pearl had topped–out and was completed later that year.[13] Upon completion, Prima Pearl was the fourth–tallest building in Melbourne and the fifth–tallest building in Australia.[2] As of 2022, it is the seventh-tallest building in Melbourne and the 13th–tallest building in Australia.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Prima Pearl Concept Design for Public Spaces". Bates Smart. Archived from the original on 15 August 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  2. 1 2 Prima Pearl – The Skyscraper Center. Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Prima Pearl Tower – Emporis". Emporis. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  4. 1 2 Baljak, Mark (9 July 2014). "A bronzed icon takes its place". UrbanMelbourne.info. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  5. 1 2 Millar, Royce (7 December 2002). "Another Southbank high–rise on the way". The Age. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  6. ↑ Millar, Royce (9 October 2004). "Tribunal backs 225–metre tower". The Age. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  7. ↑ Pallisco, Marc (18 February 2008). "Trump Tower May Be Coming to Melbourne". Real Estate Source. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  8. 1 2 Dobbin, Marika (7 April 2010). "High hopes for skyscrapers as recovery kicks in". The Age. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "Prima Pearl". Skyscraper Centre. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  10. ↑ "Southbank's new "pearler" of a place". Docklands News. 27 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  11. ↑ Hopkins, Philip (15 August 2012). "Pearl of a tower heading skyward". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  12. ↑ Prince, Madeline (13 September 2012). "Construction begins on Pearl tower of Southbank". Architecture & Design. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  13. ↑ Chua, Geraldine (22 July 2014). "Second tallest tower in Melbourne by Disegno Australia tops out". Architecture & Design. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
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