List of tallest buildings in Melbourne

History and specifications

Buildings in Melbourne have a long history. Melbourne was one of the first cities in Australia to undergo a high-rise boom, after Sydney, with over 50 high-rise buildings constructed between the 1970s–90s. Melbourne has had the most skyscrapers above 150 metres in Australia and indeed within Oceania, for 31 years in total; from 1972 to 1989 (equal first with Sydney during 1972–74 and 1976–77), from 1991 to 1999, in 2006 (shared with Sydney) and again since 2015 (equal to Sydney from 2015 to 2016).

The APA Building (Australian Building) was one of Australia's first skyscrapers and the third tallest building in the world. Completed in 1889, it was built in the Queen Anne style popular in Victoria, Australia. The treatment of rooftop levels is said to have anticipated the skyscraper race of New York City and Chicago.

In 1972, 140 William Street (formerly BHP House) became Melbourne's first skyscraper to surpass the height of 150 metres. The William Street building was the city's tallest for a few years, and remains one of the few heritage registered skyscrapers in Melbourne. Slightly taller, the Optus Centre was completed in 1975; and then in 1977 Nauru House was crowned the tallest building in Melbourne, at a height of 182 metres. In 1978, what would be the first of two Collins Place towers was opened, at a height of 185 metres.

By the early 1980s, Melbourne had a total of 6 buildings above 150 metres, with the completion of the Sofitel Hotel at Collins Place in 1980. In 1986, the Rialto Towers surpassed Sydney's MLC Centre as the tallest building not only in Australia but in the Southern Hemisphere, with a height of 251 metres. At the time of its opening it was the 23rd–tallest building in the world. The 1990s brought Melbourne another 9 buildings over 150 metres; 5 of which exceed heights of 200 metres. Specifically, 1991 saw the construction of the 260 metre tall 101 Collins Street, which was crowned the tallest building in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere; it was surpassed in height later that year with the completion of the nearby 120 Collins Street. The skyscraper, which stands at 265 metres in height, held the titles for tallest building in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere for fourteen years, until the completion of the Gold Coast's Q1 in 2005.

During the 2000s, over 20 high-rise structures were completed, including the Eureka Tower, which overtook 120 Collins Street as the tallest building in Melbourne, and further became the second tallest in Australia (although tallest to its roof). Eureka Tower was also the tallest residential building in the world, until surpassed by Ocean Heights and the HHHR Tower in Dubai. It is currently the 15th tallest apartment building in the world.

The 2010s have continued this achievement, with Prima Pearl, 568 Collins Street and Vision Apartments being constructed, all of which stand above 220 metres (720 ft) in height. This feat has been described as the "Manhattanization of Melbourne". From the beginning of the decade, the city has experienced an "unprecedented" high-rise construction boom; of buildings expected to reach 150 metres (or above) in height, 3 have topped-out, 16 are under-construction, 30 have received approval, and another 20 have been proposed – more than any other city in Australia. Of those currently under construction, two projects will surpass 250 metres (820 ft) in height; Aurora Melbourne Central and Australia 108. The latter will be the tallest; reaching 317 metres (1,040 ft) in height, Australia 108 will become the tallest building in Melbourne upon completion in 2020, the tallest building to roof in Australia, Australia's first skyscraper to comprise at least 100 floors, and Melbourne's first building to be defined as a "supertall" skyscraper (buildings which reach heights of 300 metres to 600 metres).

Height limits

Following the construction of the APA Building in 1889, a 40-metre (132 ft) height limit was introduced to Melbourne in 1916, due to the theoretical reach of fire brigade ladders. The height limit was discontinued in the 1950s, which enabled the construction of ICI House at a height of 81 metres (266 ft), and Melbourne therefore became the first city in Australia to change its height controls.

In September 2015, the Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne, introduced a 12-month height limit of approximately 229 metres (750 ft) for all buildings proposed in the City Centre and segments of Southbank, as part of interim planning laws set to be reviewed and made permanent in September 2016. Should projects exceed the height limit, developers will need to make a special case to the Minister, outlining the proposal's state significance. Buildings proposed prior to the height limit, are exempt from the new law.

Precincts

The central business district skyline is broken down into two distinct sections: the east and west, divided by the Swanston Street. The tallest buildings on the eastern side of the skyline are 120 Collins Street and 101 Collins Street, while the tallest on the western side are the Rialto Towers, 568 Collins Street and Bourke Place.

Significant new skylines have emerged outside of the Melbourne City Centre, especially within the inner-city suburb of Southbank. This precinct, located adjacent to the City Centre, includes some of the tallest buildings in Melbourne, such as Eureka Tower, Prima Pearl and Freshwater Place North.

St Kilda Road, a locality of the City Centre (with a separate postal code) comprises one skyscraper above 150 metres in height, the Royal Domain Tower. Other inner-city suburbs, such as Carlton, Docklands, South Melbourne and South Yarra each have skyscrapers (of heights reaching at least 150 metres) in proposed/approved or construction stages of development.

Functions

Most of Melbourne's skyscrapers constructed by the 1990s were built for commercial purposes – specifically, used as offices. Exceptions to this, include the mixed–use building Sofitel Hotel (1980) on Collins Place, and the all-hotel Crown Towers (1997) in Southbank. 2005 ushered in the first residential skyscrapers in Melbourne, with two built that year. By 2010, 72% of skyscrapers built in Melbourne were of commercial use, 12% residential, 12% mixed-use, and 4% hotel. The trend towards residential skyscrapers has continued significantly; in 2015, 58% of skyscrapers present within the city were of commercial use, 26% residential, 13% mixed-use and 3% hotel. These figures are set to change dramatically by 2020; when factoring those buildings still under-construction (but to be completed by 2020), 41% of the city's skyscrapers will be of residential use, 37% commercial, 20% mixed-use and 2% hotel.

Overall

Melbourne comprises 36 skyscrapers completed or topped out within the city, which stand at least 150 metres (490 ft) tall, based on standard height measurement. Such measurement includes spires and architectural details, but does not include antenna masts. An equal sign (=) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings. An asterisk (*) indicates that the building is still under construction, but has topped out. The "completion" column indicates the year in which a building was completed. Height: S = Spire, R = Roof. Height is measured to the nearest metre.

Tallest buildings by precinct

This lists the tallest building in each precinct of Melbourne based on standard height measurement.

Tallest buildings by function

This lists the tallest buildings in Melbourne by their respective functions—office, hotel, residential and mixed–use—based on standard height measurement.

Skyscrapers at least 200 metres in height

Melbourne comprises 11 skyscrapers (completed or topped-out) which reach a height of at least 200 metres (660 ft) – more than any other city within Australia and Oceania. Of those, 9 skyscrapers are located within the City Centre, and 3 are located within Southbank. Another 6 skyscrapers are currently under construction, 5 of which are to be built in the City Centre, and the remaining 2 in Carlton and Southbank.

Historical tallest buildings

This section lists the ten tallest buildings in Melbourne for every decade since 1990. By 1980, all buildings within the top-10 listing reached a height of 100 metres (330 ft); in 1995, the threshold increased to 150 metres (490 ft); and again in 2015, to 200 metres (660 ft).

Timeline of tallest buildings

This lists buildings that once held the title of "tallest building in Melbourne".

Major future projects

This is a list of currently Topped Out, Under Construction, Approved and Proposed highrise / skyscrapers set for Melbourne.

Major cancelled or vision projects

This is a list of cancelled or vision skyscraper proposals that were previously set for Melbourne.