Victoria State Police and the Australian Federal Police HQ

311 Spencer Street, Melbourne Australia

Design Director while at Unispace Global

65,000 sqm (700,000 sqft) NLA / 80,000 sqm (860,800 sqft) GFA

To be completed 2019

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A clever business approach to the Victoria Police by CBUS Properties saw the old Australia Post site become the location for a very complex new commercial tower. The Victoria Police were to relocate from the World Trade Centre buildings on the Yarra River by 2020 after working from the complex for over 25 years.

As a bizarre twist, the Victorian Government approved the expenditure on the proviso that the Australian Federal Police, also looking for new premises as they have outgrown their LaTrobe Street building, was to co-locate into the same tower and share resources and amenity.

The architecture was developed by Woods Bagot and I ran the interiors team working with the briefing consultants Jacobs and a large team of engineeers (including SCEC certified specialists) to modify and manipulate the onerous tenant's needs into the 2,100sqm floor plates.

The 44 storey tower includes 5 levels of basement storing the emergency operational vehicles and specialist storage equipment. The ground floor has a museum, press gallery, reception areas and security rooms while the upper levels houses everything from standard open plan administration areas up to a 6 lane firing range.

The new building also links into the existing City West Police Station and emergency situation rooms are shared between the building along with the restaurants and training facilities for the 6,000 plus police men and women.