Work Under Way on CBUS’s 435 Bourke Street Tower

Work is under way on what has been called the largest basement in the City of Melbourne.

The 5½ basement levels and early works for CBUS Property’s 435 Bourke Street project are now under construction by builder Kapitol Group.

CBUS Property is building a 48-storey office tower at the amalgamated sitre of nearly 3000sq m at 435 Bourke Street in the heart of the city.

Bates Smart Architects designed the plans, which include a solar skin facade with bifacial solar leaves that will generate 20 per cent of the tower’s energy needs. 

There will be 60,000sq m of premium commercial office space, 1300sq m of retail space, 116 carparking spaces, a sky garden and several terraces. 

According to BCI records, a five-storey sports and recreation facility is also part of the project as are 56 showers and changerooms, and 585 bicycle storage spaces.

Buildings at 423 Bourke Street, 140 and 105 Queen Street, and 27 McKillop Street were demolished as part of the project.

It is expected to provide office space for more than 5500 workers.

The tower will achieve net-zero carbon during operation with the remaining 80 per cent of its energy needs powered by off-site renewable energy.

▲ A render of the Bates Smart Architects-designed tower, which will have an end value of $1 billion.

CBUS received development approval for the project in August, 2022 after submitting amended plans in November 2021.

It first won approval for a building of 58 storeys on the site in December 2019.

The developer also has other projects in Melbourne, at 313 Spencer Street, 720 Bourke Street in Docklands, 550 Bourke Street, 311 Spencer Street and Collins Arch.