A residential tower, which at its narrowest point will measure just 12 metres wide, has received the go ahead from Australia’s Victoria government, sourceable.net reports.

Planned for Clarke Street on Melbourne’s Southbank, the design follows the newest trend for tall and skinny skyscrapers, as seen in Hong Kong and New York. Architect BKK said the tower will stand at 240 metres – 73 storeys – tall and house some 10,000 residents in 256 apartments.

The building, which the developers have already called ‘sophisticated’, takes the form of an innovative twisted flower stem rising from a unique webbed foundation. It will incorporate sky gardens, its own on-site power generation facilities and car ‘storage system’. The facade has been designed to allow in as much natural light as possible.

Lucky residents will additionally have use of a sky bar, spa, sauna, shops and pool.

Innovative ‘skinny’ skyscraper designs are expected to continue

The ‘skinny’ boom has come about as a partial solution to the increasing lack of building space, coupled with the public’s desire to live in the city. It’s a trend that is widely expected to continue.

Approving the scheme, Victoria’s planning minister, Matthew Guy said that the Clarke Street tower was one of seven new structures that have been given the green light – but none of them so slender as this.

“Melbourne is proud to be developing some of the most innovative and advanced skyscraper designs in the world,” he told urbanalyst.com.

“Melbourne’s engineering, design and construction skills base provides a strong foundation for investment and highly skilled employment growth into the future.”

Author: Elizabeth Smythe    Date Written: 19 January 2014