Collins Place Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids 35 and 55 Collins Street

Record height
Tallest in Melbourne from 1978 to 1986
Preceded by	Nauru House ANZ at Collins Place
Surpassed by	Sofitel Hotel at Collins Place Rialto Towers
General information
Type	Hotel and Office
Location	Melbourne, Australia
Coordinates	37°48′51″S 144°58′22″E / 37.81417°S 144.97278°E / -37.81417; 144.97278
Construction started	1971
Completed	1981
Cost	A$270 million
Owner	AMP Wholesale Office Fund andAMP Capital Investors
Height
Roof	185
Technical details
Floor count	46 levels - 55 Collins Street 50 levels - 35 Collins Street
Floor area	94,600 m² (1,018,000 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect	Architect: Pei Cobb Freed and Partners

Collins Place is a very large building complex in the heart of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was designed around 1970 by the famous architect I. M. Pei and his team. The whole project was finished in 1981.

This complex was Melbourne's first and Australia's biggest project of its kind. It combines many different uses in one place. You can find underground parking, a shopping area, offices, and a tall hotel. It's all part of two main towers, 35 and 55 Collins Street.

How Collins Place Was Built
What Collins Place Looks Like
Who Works at Collins Place
- Companies at 35 Collins Street
- Companies at 55 Collins Street
See also

How Collins Place Was Built

The idea for Collins Place began in the late 1960s. A bank called ANZ bought some old buildings in the "Paris End" of Collins Street. They wanted to build something big and new. They decided to work with other landowners, the AMP Society and Mainline Corporation.

They hired well-known architects, I. M. Pei and Partners from New York. A local Melbourne firm, Bates, Smart and McCutcheon, also helped with the design. The plans were ready around 1970.

Building Collins Place took much longer than expected. There were money problems in the 1970s. One of the main companies, Mainline, also had difficulties. Plus, there were strikes by construction workers.

The complex opened in two parts. The ANZ Bank's office tower opened first in 1978. The hotel, named The Wentworth, and the shopping area, called 'the Great Space', opened on May 18, 1981. It was a big event! The final cost was A$270 million.

For many years, the hotel's restaurants on the 35th floor were famous for their amazing views. People could even see the views for free from the public toilets on that floor! The cinemas, known as The Kino, opened in 1987 with two screens. Today, they have seven screens and are still open.

The shopping area and hotel have been updated many times. They haven't changed the main structure. But the old 1970s colours and materials have been replaced with more modern ones. More shops now face the streets around the complex. This makes the building feel more open.

What Collins Place Looks Like

The design of Collins Place is very unique. It has two tall towers that are angled at 45 degrees to the city's street grid. The triangular spaces between the towers create an open area facing the street. There is also a shopping court behind the towers.

All the open spaces are covered by a special roof called a space frame. This roof has clear plastic panels, letting light in. The hotel is located on the top 15 floors of the 35 Collins Street tower. You can tell it's the hotel because its windows are smaller. Inside the hotel, there's a dramatic open space called an atrium that goes up all 15 levels. The entire complex is covered in light brown stone panels.

Who Works at Collins Place

Many different companies have offices in Collins Place.

Companies at 35 Collins Street

Some floors used to be for Telstra, but not anymore.
The Victorian Auditor-General's Office is here.
Agora Asset Management and Amdocs also have offices.
Other companies include ITS Global, Jetro, AMP Capital Investors, and Victory Corporate Serviced Offices.

Companies at 55 Collins Street

All the floors in this tower are rented by the ANZ bank.
Some smaller companies also rent space from ANZ. These include Drake International, Clark and CG Associates, and GTA Consultants.