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2001 International Design and Development Awards

CHADSTONE SHOPPING CENTRE

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Owner:Gandel Retail Trust/Gandel Group Management Company: Gandel Management Limited Architect/Designer: RTKL Associates Inc.; Buchan Group General Contractor: Probuild

It is Venerable…
…having been built more than 40 years ago. It has also had staying power: Chadstone Shopping Centre, one of Australia’s first regionals, has remained in the forefront through a series of well-planned expansions and a solid tenant mix. It has long positioned itself as “The Fashion Capital,” and has long been renowned for its array of local and international retail brands.

But market research showed that its international fashion component needed a boost. Early in the 1990’s, a master plan was conceived to move Chadstone Shopping Centre ahead as a super-regional urban center of world-class standards. The result, adding 354,000 square feet to bring the property past the 1.3 million-square-foot mark, is the single most significant expansion—from both a retail and a design sense—that the property has ever had. That begins with the addition of two department stores, Myer and David Jones, plus nearly 70 new Australian and international designer boutique and lifestyle stores.

The Design is Spectacular…
…a dynamic, sweeping curve that serves as a counterpoint to the classic linear galleria that shapes existing center. It presents a new, signature, landmark identity that is architecturally distinctive and clearly indicative of what lies within. The expansion’s frontage rises from the fashion galleria with a continuous wave of glass set off by nautilus-shaped knuckles at both ends. The look is clean and minimalist.

So, too, is the interior, from its French limestone flooring to its dramatic bamboo plantings. Significant art works add further drama, both internally and externally. It is exceptional and timeless, an integrated external and internal shopping experience.

Best of All…
…construction was completed on budget and ahead of schedule. Ultimately, the design of the project is deliberately sympathetic to the existing center, while retaining its own distinctive personality. It blends with the environment, with its abundant use of natural light.

The redevelopment of Chadstone Shopping Centre has been an economic and retail success because of careful planning and deliberate execution. It is an example of design excellence without sacrificing economic return. And it successfully integrates with its urban community to create a level of retail amenity not previously seen in an Australian shopping center. In short, Chadstone Shopping Centre, long in the forefront in its market, has set yet another benchmark.