New hotel and conference centre part of $2 billion development in Melbourne

Malaysian-backed developer Beulah International has lodged plans for a $2 billion development on Melbourne’s Southbank that will include a 202-key hotel with 120 hotel residences and 6600 metre² conference centre.

The proposed 5-star Southbank Skyscraper urban resort will be topped with a “world-class rooftop culinary experience”, with views of the Melbourne skyline.

The massive development also includes four distinct collections of private residences, commercial offices, a fresh food marketplace, food and drink precinct, cultural podium and wellness precinct.

Dutch architecture firm UNStudio and Melbourne-based Cox Architecture beat five other proposals for the landmark site which will consist of two twisting geometric towers.

The taller of the two towers which will offer residential apartments will rise 356.2 metres under the proposal, making it the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere.

Introducing the project, Beulah Managing Director Jiaheng Chan stated “our project is a vote of confidence in Melbourne’s economy, and it will transform Southbank.

“It’s our vision to improve the urban environment on City Road and create an internationally significant landmark that will be a vibrant mini metropolis for people to live, work, shop, learn, play and stay.”

The proposed mixed-use lifestyle precinct, dubbed Southbank by Beulah, will feature 13,500 metre²dedicated to arts and cultural programs.

Chan added “we have worked closely with both the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and the City of Melbourne and are inspired by their vision for Southbank.

“We see this project as an extension of the famous Arts Precinct and we are already in discussions with prospective prominent local and international art collaborators to create an experience to complement the current arts offering.”

Image: Artist's rendering of the Southbank Skyscraper urban resort.