Building on the past
Melbourne’s historic South Yarra Coffee Palace is being reimagined as a mixed-use anchor for a thriving retail corridor. Sensitively integrating old and new elements, SOM’s design serves as a model for the thoughtful redevelopment of a heritage site. The careful restoration of the building’s 19th century facade and an expressive 11-story addition introduce contemporary workspaces and expand on the site’s history to create a meaningful connection to place.
Originally constructed in 1887 during Melbourne’s land boom, the building was one of many such ornate “coffee palaces” that emerged from the era’s temperance movement. The redevelopment of 189 Toorak Road honors this rich heritage by revitalizing the lower levels with 2,500 square meters of retail and wellness spaces across four floors, which combine with the new workspaces above to offer a mixed-use contribution to the cultural resurgence of the neighborhood.
Designing 189 Toorak Road was as much an exercise in reduction as it was in addition. The undulating forms that float above the historic building reflect a sustainable approach made possible through cutting-edge structural engineering—where materials are significantly reduced to the bare essentials.
