Melbourne’s architectural landmark

Over on the other side of the world, another incredible building that has been described as ‘minimalist-deconstructivist’. It stands in the heart of Melbourne, Australia, and is a public space which dominates its setting. A complex combining office space with cultural facilities, with brash, apparently chaotic exteriors grouped around a central plaza.

Aesthetically, the Federation Square building offers a radically fragmented reading of minimalism. The façades combine glass, zinc and exposed metal frames in jagged geometric forms. The building was designed by Lab Architecture Studio, led by Donald Bates and Peter Davidson.

Its interior contains art galleries, cinemas, restaurants, TV studios, shops and much more.

The site of the Federation Square building straddles the railway lines separating the city from the Yarra River. Like so many contemporary projects, it mixes shopping and culture.

The structure comprises steel struts with concrete partitions. Rubber shock absorbers deaden the vibrations caused by the trains passing under the building.

Lo destacable del edificio es la forma única en que utiliza formas geométricas para diferenciar los distintos espacios que contiene. Los paneles de vidrio tienen un aspecto "destrozado", como espejos rotos. La fachada crea el efecto de una telaraña gigante, motivo que se repite en todo el edificio y da identidad a su entorno, Federation Square.