623 Collins State Bank House, sits at one of Melbourne’s most historically rich intersections. Thinking about how we could reframe the site’s potential, we asked ourselves, how could a new residential tower emerge from a heritage corner without diminishing its significance? Our vision draws directly from Collins Street itself; a street layered with architectural history and civic importance.

The idea was to create a place where the story of Melbourne’s past meets the experience of living in one of the world’s most liveable cities. The challenge lay in balancing boldness in new with respect to the old. We needed to introduce a contemporary tower that could complement the existing bank building, and offer contrast in scale and materiality while honouring its presence.

The design response is deliberately restrained yet inventive. A clean, vertical form rises above the heritage corner, its material language carefully chosen to stand in contrast without overpowering. Generous planted terraces are introduced as both a visual pause and a connective device, softening the shift between old and new while offering residents elevated green spaces in the heart of the city.

The resulting tower is a clever integration of heritage and contemporary architecture, where the weight of history and the promise of modern living co-exist on Melbourne’s Collins Street.