Cbus Property has enlisted global construction company Multiplex to construct the cutting-edge $1 billion commercial office tower at 435 Bourke Street in Melbourne’s CBD.
According to Multiplex, 435 Bourke Street is set to be complete in Q4 2026, and approximately 3,500 jobs are expected to be created over the life of the project, with a focus on supporting employment of underrepresented cohorts and training and upskilling the next generation of skilled trades persons in the industry.
With a site footprint of 33,000 square metres, 435 Bourke Street will be amalgamated with the recently demolished 40 and 150 Queen Street and 27 McKillop Street sites to deliver new pedestrian connections in line with the city’s signature laneway culture. The building will accompany neighbouring landmark 405 Bourke Street, which was delivered by Multiplex in 2021.
The 48-storey tower, one of Multiplex’s most sustainability-focused projects, will feature innovative elements such as the first use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO100) renewable diesel in the state and the largest application of a ‘solar skin’ façade in Melbourne’s CBD.
This ‘solar skin’ is a groundbreaking feature, making 435 Bourke Street one of the world’s first office towers to showcase this technology.
“We are pleased to continue our partnership with Cbus Property and set a new benchmark for sustainable construction,” Ross Snowball, Regional Managing Director at Multiplex, said.
“As a business we’ve committed to having a positive and material impact on the environment, and on our projects that means finding ways to reduce embodied carbon. We’ve been able to do that at 435 Bourke Street with our low-carbon structural solution, and in addition we are introducing HVO100 fuel to power the tower cranes, which is expected to provide a 90 per cent reduction in carbon emissions compared to regular diesel fuel.
“The scale, complexity and sustainability credentials of 435 Bourke Street will combine to deliver a truly world-class tower to Melbourne’s skyline.”
The construction aims for an ambitious 30 per cent reduction in embodied carbon emissions, setting a new benchmark for sustainable development in Melbourne’s CBD.
The site will operate on 100 per cent renewable energy, utilising HVO100 renewable diesel, low-carbon concrete and low-carbon reinforcement.
Cbus Property targets a net-zero carbon in operation status upon completion, supported by the innovative solar skin, contributing to the building’s energy efficiency and achieving a 5.5-star NABERS Energy rating and 6-star Green Star Buildings rating.
Designed by Bates Smart, the 211-meter-high tower will provide 60,000 square meters of premium office space, 1,300 square meters of street-level retail space and a five-level basement with flexible parking and state-of-the-art end-of-trip facilities.
The ‘vertical village’ structure is tailored for post-COVID hybrid work patterns, accommodating over 5,500 city workers. Multiplex has previously worked on several projects for Cbus Property, including the Collins Arch precinct in Melbourne and 83 Pirie Street in Adelaide.
“Our vision is to create another world-class commercial building that represents Cbus Property’s leadership in resilient and sustainable people-centric development, while enabling a diversity of experiences and working environments that respond and adapt to dynamic and evolving customer requirements,” Cbus Property’s Chief Executive Officer, Adrian Pozzo, said.
“435 Bourke’s industry-defining sky garden, ground plane and mixed-mode terraces will set an incredible new benchmark for diverse and naturally ventilated extensions of traditional workspaces.
“Contributing to this new idea of a vertical campus in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD with atrium-style physical and visual connectivity, 435 Bourke will meet customer demand for a holistic and collaborative work-life approach as a truly world’s-best-practice office tower.”