First opened in 1967, the Eastland shopping centre in Ringwood, an outer suburb to the east of Melbourne, has undergone some transformations in its time. Demolished and then rebuilt in 1995 before being expanded in 2002, the centre’s latest redevelopment is its most ambitious to date.
Unveiled in October 2015, the first stage of the $665m transformation is the product of a 15-year planning vision that, for the first time in Australia’s history, has placed a developer, QIC Global Real Estate, alongside the council and state government in an integrated public-private partnership.
Ringwood's Eastland shopping centre is undergoing its most dramatic redevelopment yet
The result is a design that places the local community at its heart. Working with Seventh Wave in collaboration with The Buchan Group and ACME, QIC’s development is centred on a new Town square and Realm that are modelled on a medieval town square plan. 'The creation of a world-class town square with quality retailing, contemporary dining, as well as generous public space for an integrated mix of activities will re-energise Ringwood's urban centre,' says QIC Global Real Estate managing director Steven Leigh of the project, which includes a 1000 sq m public library, a collaborative business hub, a Centre for Regional Knowledge and Innovation and an integrated transportation hub on the Maroondah Highway.
Wrapped by a double skin facade consisting of strip window glazing and an impressive glass reinforced polymer lattice frame, the Realm’s design creates a sense of arrival in Ringwood. ‘We employed the use of high quality tactile finishes, natural stone, patterned detailing and soft lighting to reflect the natural beauty of the surrounding region,’ says Buchan Group principal Grant Withers, referencing Eastland’s proximity to the Yarra Ranges.
More than 350 specialty brands now reside in the 131,000 sq m space, while the public gardens and landscaping around the Town host outdoor cinema screenings and music concerts and public art.
More than 350 speciality brands reside in the 131,000 sq m space
Eastland's atrium
The design places the local community at its heart
The development is modelled on a medieval town square plan
The materials used, patterned detailing and soft lighting reference Eastland’s proximity to the Yarra Range
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Acme website and the QIC website
-
The world’s best running brands, according to Wallpaper*Think you need to sacrifice style for performance? Think again. Here’s the 15 best running brands for feeling fast and looking fresh
-
A London exhibition celebrates the next generation of Ukrainian photographersFUTURESPECTIVE at Saatchi Gallery presents an intimate portrait of a country in the midst of conflict
-
Nothing expands its affordable offering with a new starter smartphone, the Phone (3a) LitePacking all the familiar Nothing tech tropes into a low-cost, high-powered device, the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite should open up the brand to even more customers
-
Spice up the weekly shop at Mallorca’s brutalist supermarketIn this brutalist supermarket, through the use of raw concrete, monolithic forms and modular elements, designer Minimal Studio hints at a critique of consumer culture
-
Neometro is the Australian developer creating homes its founders ‘would be happy living in’The company has spent 40 years challenging industry norms, building design-focused apartment buildings and townhouses; a new book shares its stories and lessons learned
-
The Melbourne studio rewilding cities through digital-driven landscape design‘There's a lack of control that we welcome as designers,’ say Melbourne-based landscape architects Emergent Studios
-
A Republic Tower apartment refresh breathes new life to a Melbourne classicLocal studio Multiplicity's refresh signals a new turn for an iconic Melbourne landmark
-
A Japanese maple adds quaint charm to a crisp, white house in SydneyBellevue Hill, a white house by Mathieson Architects, is a calm retreat layered with minimalism and sophistication
-
A redesigned warehouse complex taps into nostalgia in QueenslandA warehouse in Queensland has been transformed from neglected industrial sheds to a vibrant community hub by architect Jared Webb, drawing on the typology's nostalgic feel
-
Australian bathhouse ‘About Time’ bridges softness and brutalism‘About Time’, an Australian bathhouse designed by Goss Studio, balances brutalist architecture and the softness of natural patina in a Japanese-inspired wellness hub
-
The humble glass block shines brightly again in this Melbourne apartment buildingThanks to its striking glass block panels, Splinter Society’s Newburgh Light House in Melbourne turns into a beacon of light at night
