The District Docklands, Melbourne, VIC

When Ashe Morgan identified surplus car parking in the Docklands precinct, they set about redeveloping land to offer what was missing in the largely commercial and residential area. The District Docklands is a mixed-use development that fills that gap, revitalising the Docklands through an injection of retail and lifestyle offerings. Enticing the 25,000 professional workers in the area and 125,000 cars passing by daily, the precinct includes anchor tenants H&M and Hoyts Cinemas alongside a fresh food precinct and a variety of stores and hospitality options.

Delivering the project via a mix of new and repurposed buildings, NDY worked to provide cost effective solutions for our client, first understanding tenant needs in order to provide suitable solutions and integration into the base building. Upgrades throughout the precinct include the installation of new all-weather roofing and wind solutions, overcoming the battle to trade well in Melbourne’s cooler, wetter months. Light fittings were also updated, with modern selections meeting performance and cost goals.

The $45 m Hoyts Cinema and Entertainment complex sits across 8,300 m² and 8 screens, providing Australia’s most technologically advanced Hoyts experience. Our team undertook heavy coordination with key stakeholders in order to successfully integrate specific Hoyts and base building requirements. Taking inspiration from the Market Lane precinct rounds out the convenience offering through the inclusion of specialty food outlets and cafes in addition to major retail in the form of a Woolworths supermarket, Dan Murphy’s and a large-scale Asian Grocer. The services design considered different systems to complement various usage requirements and facility types. For example, the cinemas required central chiller and boiler plant solutions suitable for simultaneous use across 8 screens. A different solution was applied to the retail area, with a distributed air conditioning system providing individual temperature and operational control within tenancies. Our design further considered operational control through a Building Management System, enabling central control and system monitoring.

The major upgrades to The District Docklands give both locals, greater Melbourne residents and tourists staying in the Docklands superior entertainment and shopping options, making it an attractive prospect as our client continues to establish the precinct as Melbourne’s leading lifestyle and entertainment destination.