Welcome to Melbourne’s Tallest Building
‘High-rise’ barely begins to illustrate the scale of Australia 108; reaching far above the clouds in what stand as Melbourne’s – and the Southern Hemisphere’s – highest residences. The grand spectacle of the tower is difficult to comprehend from a street view as clouds shroud the gold blush of the Star façade feature beginning at level 72. It is incredible to think another 28 levels extend beyond this point as the Sky Lounge sits loftily at 312 metres of elevation.
The Centrepiece of Melbourne’s Skyline
The glistening glass frontage reflects the beauty of Melbourne back onto itself, confidently asserting its position as a keystone of the city skyline. First-class facilities reside within, defining the resident experience in style every step of the way. The aesthetic and functional vibrancy of Australia 108 is crafted from a wildly imaginative architectural vision by Fender Katsalidis.
Pioneering Systems
From the moment you enter Australia 108, you can see the grand design come to life from frame to finish. From the sweeping stone entrance to the elaborate dining halls and luxurious poolside area, Studco’s engineered framing solutions are there. For the heavy wall linings like stone and marble, Studco top hat sections and matching brackets were used.
In the apartments themselves, Studco’s unique Vortex high-performance framing system was used along with the Studco concealed ceiling system. Around the central core of the building, Studco’s furring channel were fitted directly to the concrete walls with Studco’s adjustable Betafix mounting clip.
In the pool area, Studco’s top hat sections were again used to support the heavy marble wall lining and the gold panels of the ‘starburst’ itself. The eye-catching timber feature panelling in the dining rooms is mounted on Studco’s top hat sections. Architectural finishing systems from EZ Concept were also used throughout formal dining areas to create the complex ceiling features.
The Framework to Rise Above
In line with Studco unique service offering, an extensive engineering service was provided alongside the supply of building products to Australia 108. Studco’s in-house engineers worked closely with site personnel establish a comprehensive specification document that covered the walls and ceilings. Additionally, Studco provided on-site technical support for those tricky questions that arise as the construction phase progresses. Regular site meetings were held to ensure the architectural vision could be achieved whilst maintaining strict compliance with the relevant standards and building codes.
The distinctive height of Australia 108 meant that special attention had to be given to the internal design pressures, inter-storey drift and seismic considerations. Extensive wind engineering reports laid the foundation for Studco’s solution and close collaboration with the builder, contractors and consulting engineers throughout the three-year build cycle ensured the success of project.
Acoustic Solutions with Resilient Mounts
The ambience of the premium entertaining at Australia 108 was achieved through acoustic engineering. Sound isolation systems from Resilmount were installed in the dining rooms and common areas to reduce transfer of airborne noise from area to the next and to ensure compliance to NCC acoustic levels.
Resilmounts were also employed on levels where services were installed, and acoustic transmission concerns were present. The nearby apartment levels are free from the noise of generators, pumps and ballast tanks thanks to engineered acoustic solution from Resilmount.
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Forward Thinking Construction
The grand design of the tower is demonstrated by opulent interior pieces, the likes of the spiral staircase and glass elevator of the uppermost apartment. Externally, the tower’s outstanding design can be seen in how it elegantly overlooks the city from its 318-metre vantage point.
Inside and out, Australia 108 expertly illuminates the sophistication of contemporary design whilst restlessly pushing the limits of technical possibility.
