UNStudio + Cox Architecture's “Green Spine” wins Beulah Tower competition

The verdict is out! As one of six big-name finalist teams in the “Southbank by Beulah” tower competition in Melbourne, UNStudio in collaboration with Cox Architecture were crowned the winner with their proposal, “Green Spine”, which comprises of two mixed-use towers with intertwining greenery. If all goes smoothly, the whopping $2 billion development will be the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere.

The project will be located on the corner of City Road and Southbank Boulevard on a 6,061 square-meter block that local developer Beulah International purchased for $100 million. The project is part of the City of Melbourne's extension of Southbank Boulevard, which is currently being converted into a linear public park. 

The Green Spine's taller, 356.2-meter tower will completely house residential units and will be topped by a “publicly accessible” garden. The shorter 252.2-meter tower will accommodate commercial spaces and a hotel. The ground-level podium has a terraced design featuring platforms for public performances and art installations. 

“In its details, the scheme displays a strong intent for well-considered public and private amenity, and at street level, the proposal displays qualities that will truly transform the public realm by eroding the hard edges that is prevalent in Southbank,” said Beulah International Executive Director Adelene Teh in a statement.

A construction start date for the project is yet to be announced.

In case you missed it, you can check out Green Spine in more detail here. You can also revisit the other finalist proposals here: MAD Architects; OMA; BIG; Coop Himmelb(l)au; MVRDV