A cohesive retreat above the clouds – Melbourne
This week we were invited to the unveiling of the Southern Hemisphere’s highest swimming pools at its Australia 108 super-skyscraper in Melbourne, located within its iconic golden ‘Starburst’. The dual trapezoidal-shaped ‘twinfinity pools’ on level 70 of the 319-metre-high luxury tower perch 212 metres above ground and cantilever four metres over the streets below to offer a swim experience like no other and for us we were treated to some delightful synchronised swimmers.
They are the highest pools built in an apartment setting and the second highest in the world, trailing only the Ritz-Carlton’s level 118 pool in Hong Kong at 484 metres high. Stretching 18 metres long and 5.3 metres at its widest point, the north-facing pool offers unrivalled panoramic views of the Melbourne skyline, while its south-facing twin looks out across Port Phillip Bay, Albert Park Lake and the Dandenong Ranges.
Both pools have been unveiled for their first official laps as part of the launch of Australia 108’s Star Club, two levels of unparalleled resident experiences spanning 2,800 square metres within the building’s Starburst.
Other amenity to keep residents busy for life include resident lounges, meeting spaces, dining rooms, a theatre, two expansive gyms, as well as a vertical sky-garden – envisaged to become a sky-high community hub and remote working option.
All residents at Australia 108 can access all level 70 Star Club amenity, while purchasers in the tower’s premium collection of Cloud Residences above the Starburst have their own exclusive level of amenity, including a private infinity pool on level 70 and an entire floor on level 71 that includes an exclusive gym, dining rooms, a cinema, lounges and plenty more to enjoy. This adds to an already impressive list of conveniences on level 11 including a sauna and steam room, gym, lap pool and golf simulator.
Nicky Drobis, director at Fender Katsalidis, the architecture firm behind Australia 108, said the Star Club was designed to create a genuine sense of community at the megatower, which comprises 1105 apartments.
“A key objective for us when designing the Starburst was to create a civic-style environment that would help foster an authentic sense of connection among residents.
Carr managing director Chris McCue said the interiors inside the Starburst were created with a focus on resident wellbeing and flexibility. The building provides a cohesive retreat with an abundance of amenities to genuinely enrich the lives of residents to foster community,” Mr McCue said. “From an early design phase we recognised the role design has to play in the creation of the vision for a vertical community.”
The Star Club is furnished with a selection of exclusive designer furnishings including artwork by South Africa’s Zarah Cassim, Melbourne’s Valerie Sparks and Laelie Berzon as well as Brooke Holm. Pieces by Molteni and Moroso with stunning display items by Lowe Furniture, Flexform, vases by Anna Varendorff and Bitossi as well as lighting by Roll & Hill.
Craning and affixing the Starburst’s cantilevered architectural components into position required new construction techniques specifically created for the project by Multiplex, including special construction platforms allowing workers to safely install the structure over 200 metres from the ground.
