■ 86-88 Collins Street, Melbourne
This retail fit out on behalf of luxury watch retailer Vacheron Constantin within a pristine heritage listed building required planning approval in an area where heritage conservation controls are exceptionally rigid. On account of our demonstrated experience in the area CS were selected to guide the architect team through the required approvals.
CHALLENGE
The starting point for the project required the completion of exceptionally detailed architect’s drawings of the existing features of the building. These drawings had to exactly match the as built conditions of the building before any discussions on what modifications could be made were held. This was a collaborative effort between the client, the architect and our team to gather photographs and historic plans of the building to accurately draw up and document the existing conditions. On completion of this we turned our attention to identify the heritage features that were important to be retained and those modern elements that could be removed.
SOLUTION
We quickly identified that the external balustrades and embellishments within the building frontage were significant and had to be retained along with the pillars across the façade. The glazing along the frontage was identified as non-significant to the heritage fabric and correctly classed as a modern addition that could be removed or modified. With the guidance of the CS team the client was able to present an acceptable demolition plan to Council as part of the planning application that was approved by councils heritage advisor with no amendments required.
“We found the CS team to be highly diligent and provided a fast and comprehensive service. We would happily recommend this agency for your town planning and council requirements.”
ADAM WEEKS