Addition to 1880 gothic bank complete, led by an all-female team

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An empowering example of championing women in the built environment, the architectural scope of an addition to an 1880 gothic revival bank in South Melbourne is now complete.

The project stands out as it was led entirely by an all-female team. Titled BVIA on Bank, the project was commissioned by Anne Michaels, the director of the female-led developer She Built. Michaels engaged Melbourne practice Agius Scorpo Architects to design an addition that replaces a 1970s extension. The brief was to design a commercial office building that was glamorous and contemporary, but that did not detract attention from the bank, which was designed by 19th century firm Terry and Oakden.

The seven-storey addition that now sits adjacent to the bank features inscribed concrete, curved glass and copper-coloured elements on its facade. In contrast, the now-demolished 1970s addition replicated the material and colour palette of the 1880 bank facade. The 1970s portion was setback considerably from the street, while the new addition sits parallel to the bank, greeting passersby with an activated street frontage and a ground floor hospitality offering.

"We were very mindful of how these buildings would engage with each other," said Agius Scorpo director Claire Scorpo. "Our focus was on creating a form that would complement the bank rather than compete with it - creating a companion building, rather than something separate and unrelated."

"While the bank is detailed and angular with strong contrasts in tone and materiality, we designed the addition to be softer, with no sharp edges and a continuous, fabric-like pattern rather than an articulation of floor plates."

One of the key strategies for visually tying the two structures together was to incorporate a large oculus on the facade as a playful scale-up of the ox-eye motif found on the bank's facade, visually tying the two structures together.

The design has allowed for the establishment of a courtyard between the two buildings, connecting elements of both buildings physically and conceptually and adding to the activated experience of the buildings.

"Our client has had a deep connection to this place since childhood […]. She was passionate about bringing back a sense of pride and glamour to this part of South Melbourne, building upon the existing businesses across the street and helping to reinvigorate the area. The project was designed with this in mind, aiming to encourage activation through its programmatic mix.

"Hospitality on the ground floor and offices above encouraged a steady daytime presence, contributing to the economic and social vibrancy of the neighborhood. The intention was for this building to create a ripple effect, supporting surrounding businesses and fostering a renewed sense of care and community."

Scorpo reflected that being part of a project that was facilitated by an all-female team was an incredible experience.

"From the outset, there was a strong sense of commitment and investment from everyone involved. Women often hesitate to put themselves forward, but this project created space for individuals to step up and be recognised. Our approach was genuinely collaborative and open, with many people remarking on the unique dynamic that emerged from this way of working."

"This shows that when given opportunities, women can step into leadership roles and thrive. It's a reminder that representation matters and that an inclusive industry creates richer, more thoughtful and more engaged outcomes for the wider public. We all bring different life experiences and perspectives, and the broader the team, the richer the outcome."

Beyond delivering the addition, the design team was also involved in upgrading parts of the heritage building. This included reactivating the first-floor rooms - frequently treated as underutilised storage spaces - and improving accessibility throughout the space.

The internal fitout of office floors is currently being undertaken by tenants.