Earlier this year Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) revealed the designs for the second of two projects it is currently working on in Melbourne. The first, originally unveiled in 2015, will be in Collins Street and will be occupied by the Mandarin Oriental hotel group.
The new 19-storey tower, a joint project with Elenberg Fraser Architects, will be on St Kilda Road on the site of the old police building. Called The Mayfair, it will comprise 158 apartments and feature two swimming pools on its roof.
With a couple of years to go before the project is due for completion, ZHA and property developer UEM Sunrise have used the space for an exhibition dedicated to ZHA’s architectural oeuvre to date.
Originally displayed in Kuala Lumpur before a stint at Singapore’s ArtScience Museum, the exhibition is now located at 412 St Kilda Road and will be open to the public until 20 December.
Collated in one large room, the exhibition includes an array of three-dimensional printed resin models, plus large-scale photographs of the practice’s most arresting and ground-breaking designs – some completed, some under construction and some never built.
Also on display is a selection of ZHA designed furniture, object and lighting pieces, as examples of the fixtures and fittings that will be included in the new development when it is completed.
And for a more adventurous view of some ZHA projects, there are a number of virtual reality goggles on hand to explore the creations in another dimension.
Zaha Hadid Architects: Reimagining Architecture is presented in collaboration with developer UEM Sunrise and is open daily from 10.30am to 5.30pm. Entry is free, but registration is required for admission.