Encore Cremorne by Fieldwork

A bold yet ambiguous building that almost blends in with the sky, Encore Cremorne is hard to decipher at first. Looking beyond the buzz of Cremorne’s eclectic street life is a harmonious fusion of a seven-storey office tower and a heritage warehouse, once a Nuttelex factory and former recording studio.

Fieldwork has carefully retained, restored and integrated the existing 20th-century heritage building while maximising floor space on a long, narrow site. “We asked ourselves how a new commercial building could be inserted into the narrow street while still being respectful,” says Tim Brooks, associate director of Fieldwork.

“We asked ourselves how a new commercial building could be inserted into the narrow street while still being respectful,” says Tim Brooks, associate director of Fieldwork.

To achieve this, a pleated glass curtain wall and brick facade adorn the new office tower that floats above the original red brick single-storey building. This glass wall pays homage to the traditional sawtooth roofs of the area, while original bricked-in windows have been reinstated. “We wanted clear visual distinction between the textured brick base and the new tower, and this pleated crystalline glass form provides articulation and rhythm along the narrow street,” says Brooks.

The way the glass reflects the surrounding urban streetscape through a dynamic interplay of light, shadow and reflection means Encore Cremorne isn’t obtruding on the streetscape. Instead, “the glass reflects the sky, is recessive to the heritage building and speaks to Cremorne’s new identity,” notes Brooks.

“We wanted clear visual distinction between the textured brick base and the new tower, and this pleated crystalline glass form provides articulation and rhythm along the narrow street,” says Brooks.

Vertical glass fins to the west provide solar shading from the afternoon sun, with less glass to the north minimises heat gain. The building’s service core protects from harsh light and allows for a light-filled, naturally ventilated, fully glazed southern facade. “The building is dynamic, changing throughout the day as the light and weather shifts,” says Brooks.

In a locale characterised by cramped laneways, small openings penetrate the ground-floor building, allowing multiple entry points and invigorating the laneway with energy and activity. Much like this seamless transition from the street into the building, walking through Encore Cremorne feels easy and comfortable. Jungle-like gardens by Openwork immerse dwellers in lush greenery at every turn. On the rooftop pavilion, vegetation spills over the edge towards sweeping vistas of the city, while a series of nooks create intimate outdoor settings to work, gather and rest. The building stands as a shining example of nature and architecture blending together amid a bustling urban landscape.

On the rooftop pavilion, vegetation spills over the edge towards sweeping vistas of the city, while a series of nooks create intimate outdoor settings to work, gather and rest.

Fieldwork delivers a contemporary office tower that sensitively synthesises the site’s history with Cremorne’s identity and streetscape– it is respectful, functional and, ultimately, a joy to spend time in. In a suburb often identified as Melbourne’s Silicon Valley, the building represents the exciting evolution of its thriving entrepreneurial and creative spirit.

Architecture by Fieldwork. Interior design by Mim Design. Build by Hacer Group. Landscape design by Openwork. Structural and civil engineering by Webber Design. Services engineering by Stantec. Fire engineering by Omnii. Development by Monno. Heritage consulting by Bryce Raworth. Town planning by Contour. Building surveying by Reddo Building Surveyors.  ESD consulting by The Green Factory. Access consulting by Architecture & Access.