Urban transport design series
Construction crews in Melbourne, Australia are working apace on the Hassell-designed Town Hall Station underground concourse beneath City Square, which is now set to open to passengers in 2025 — a year ahead of schedule.
Passenger experience is at the heart of the design, offering large, inviting spaces when entering the station from City Square.
State-of-the-art Town Hall Station will be a new gateway to some of Melbourne’s most popular destinations, including Federation Square and Southbank. Its underground spaces feature extraordinary cathedral-like arched ceilings as well as some of the widest – most accessible – platforms in the world.
The concourse will be directly beneath Melbourne’s City Square, which will be returned to the public as an open space for relaxation, gatherings and events, amidst city landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral and Melbourne Town Hall. Native trees and planting will embrace the square, creating an urban oasis amidst bustling CBD streets.
“The spectacular Town Hall Station concourse will take people from City Square to turn-up-and-go train services connecting the city and suburbs.”
— Jacinta Allan MP, Premier of Victoria
“City Square will once again become an activated and lively public space, a key destination and meeting place as well as a beautiful new arrival experience amongst the fabric of Melbourne for residents and visitors alike.”
— Hassell Principal and Board Director Mark Loughnan
Also in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD and also designed by Hassell is Town Hall Place, a mixed-use development. Located at the intersection at Flinders and Swanston Streets, the tower sits above the new underground Metro Tunnel Town Hall Station, which it will be connected to when finished. Once complete, the ten-storey building will feature 16,000 sqm of A-grade commercial space for 1,600 workers, activated laneways and a number of arcades and retail installations on the ground level.
“Town Hall Place is a rare opportunity to reinvigorate this iconic part of Melbourne’s CBD with new laneways and arcades, retail and dining and a next generation workplace that will contribute to the vibrant culture of this renowned area,” says Lendlease Managing Director of Development, Tom Mackellar.
“The transformation of this site will showcase how smart over-station development can unlock the potential of our cities by linking key transport interchanges with exceptional retail, workplace, and lifestyle experiences.”
As part of the Metro Tunnel Project, Town Hall Station is one of five new stations being designed and delivered by Hassell, Weston Williamson + Partners, and RSHP, through the CYP Design and Construction Joint Venture.
Related
Metro Tunnel Project, Melbourne
Insight | The design philosophy shaping Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel stations
CONTACT US
Isabel Tang
Media Relations
T +86 21 5456 3516
E itang@hassellstudio.com
Thomas Xu
Business Development Leader
T +86 21 5456 3525
E TXu@hassellstudio.com
See more Hassell urban transport projects.
