WSP Property & Buildings team recognised for excellence

180 Flinders Street

An iconic new development in the heart of Melbourne CBD, 180 Flinders Street won an Excellence award on the night.

WSP collaborated with multidisciplinary partners Dexus, SJB Architects, Lovell Chen and John Holland to design the lighting for 180 Flinders Street’s heritage façade lighting.

Kim Straatemeier, former WSP’s Senior Lighting Designers, says, “We are extremely proud of this iconic project, it was a real team effort. Heritage lighting, such as 180 Flinders St, helps bridge the gap between our history, our present and our future, so it is extremely important.

“It allows the spaces we inhabit to better reflect our whole identity by maintaining and appreciating our past. This building is a perfect example of restoring this glorious façade from its recent life as an unloved carpark back to its former glory.”

Judges’ comments on our winning entry:
“The layered lighting approach to the façade was fantastic.”
“Excellent use of grazing with an understanding of material physics and minimal use of product.”
“Great contrast between the two buildings.”
“Elegant and sensitive lighting approach to a heritage façade.”

405 Bourke Street

405 Bourke Street is a luminous addition to an iconic Melbourne Street. For our lighting design of the main lobby and façade, WSP has received a Lighting Design Award of Commendation.

The lighting design by WSP focusses on the core design ideas of lamination, reflection and verticality in line with the architectural inspiration drawn from the sculptural work of artist Gerhard Richter.

In order to enhance the expression of the building as an assembly of stacked glass panes, the WSP design team incorporated a combination of internally illuminated stone clad walls and the feathering of light both up and down the glass façade castellations to create a unique lanternesque effect. Coined by the Client and Project design team as ‘The Lantern’, the softly glowing façade visually activates the urban fabric by creating an inviting landmark that adds character and a sense of simple elegance to a busy and bustling part of the city.

In addition, we incorporated further visual dynamics through the use of time based tunable white luminaires which allow the subtle transition of the facade from warm white to cool white during the course of the evening.

Our team also paid particular consideration to the method of installation. Working with the supplier and installing contractor, we developed a customised mounting bracket and tie bar detail which could integrate into the glass framing structure, expedite the installation time and support adjustment and ease of maintenance into the future.

The design was recognised by the judges to have demonstrated professionalism, ingenuity, and originality in the selection of luminaires. The judges also recognised our application of lighting techniques to emphasise the architectural form and create a unique and memorable activation of the lobby and Bourke Street façade at night.

Craig Carroll, Principal Director, led the design team and says, “Special thanks to the team at Woods Bagot for providing such a wonderful architectural solution for us to work with, and for embracing an open and collaborative design process which has resulted in such a great outcome.

Special thanks to Brookfield Property for the opportunity to work together on what has been a memorable project journey, and Multiplex for ensuring WSP’s design solutions were turned into reality.”

Specialist lighting design 

Well-designed lighting can enhance all aspects of the human experience