Melbourne Metro Tunnel Eastern Portal Bridges
Melbourne Metro Tunnel Eastern Portal Bridges
Client:
RNA (Rail Network Alliance comprised of John Holland Group, CPB, AECOM, MTM and PTV)
Location:
South Yarra, Victoria
Status:
Completed
Contact Person:
Olaf Detering
The Melbourne Metro Tunnel is creating a new end-to-end-rail line from Sunbury in the west to Cranbourne and Pakenham in the southeast, with the Western Portal at Kensington and the Eastern Portal at South Yarra.
Architectus provided the architectural services for the William Street road bridge and Osborne Street pedestrian bridge over the Eastern Portal works as part of the Rail Network Alliance (RNA) comprising John Holland, CPB, Alstom, AECOM, RPV and Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM).
The new declining rail alignment leading into the twin tunnels of Metro Tunnel triggered a number of works within the densely populated precinct of South Yarra.
Along with the entrance to the tunnels, the Eastern Portal project comprised a ventilation and access shaft with surrounding landscaping, and the road and pedestrian bridges ensuring the continuation of William and Osborne Streets over the tracks.
The large exposed steel girders of the William Street Bridge span 60 metres and have a depth of 3.8 metres. As a result, it was important for our design team to find synergies in the structure, function and architectural expression of the bridge.
Rising 2.4 metres above the bridge deck, the girders act as an oversized balustrade and throw screen. Although the massive structures allowed for little transparency, we were able to coordinate view openings punched into the beams every 3.4 metres. This allows for visual connections over the tracks and into the surrounding environment.
The view openings and vertical fins along the beams playfully break up the visual mass of the structure. They are accentuated in a red terracotta shade resembling the brick and roof tiles of surrounding buildings.
A generous footpath on the eastern side of the bridge deck tapers to make space for seating and First Nations features on the pavements that continue along the precinct’s footpaths next to the rail tracks.
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Client:
RNA (Rail Network Alliance comprised of John Holland Group, CPB, AECOM, MTM and PTV)
Location:
South Yarra, Victoria
Status:
Completed
Contact Person:
Olaf Detering
Key People
Michael Raeburn
Associate
Melbourne
Registered Architect VIC (19921)
