Rialto Towers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rialto
Rialto as viewed from the base of the towers, in May 2017
Record height
Tallest in Melbourne from 1986 to 1991
Preceded by	Sofitel Hotel at Collins Place
Surpassed by	101 Collins Street
General information
Type	Office
Location	Melbourne, Australia
Coordinates	37°49′08″S 144°57′30″E / 37.81889°S 144.95833°E / -37.81889; 144.95833
Construction started	1982
Completed	1986
Height
Architectural	251 m (823 ft)
Antenna spire	270 m (886 ft)
Roof	251 m (823 ft)
Observatory	234 m (768 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	55 (plus 3 underground)
Floor area	84,000 m2 (904,200 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect	Gerard de Preu and Partners Perrott Lyon Mathieson
Main contractor	Grollo Australia

The Rialto Towers, often just called Rialto, is a very tall building, also known as a skyscraper. It is located at 525 Collins Street in the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. When it was finished, it was the tallest office building in the Southern Hemisphere (the part of the Earth south of the Equator).

The Rialto Towers was home to Melbourne's very first public observation deck in a skyscraper. This deck was open from 1994 until the end of 2009. It was also the starting point for Melbourne's first Tower running event, where people race up the stairs!

What Was There Before?

The Robbs Building, which was taken down in 1980 to make space for the Rialto's base.

The old Rialto Building was kept and became part of the new development.

The area where the Rialto Towers now stands used to have several older buildings. These included small warehouses and a large five-storey office building called Robb's Buildings. There were also two other old buildings on Collins Street: the Rialto Building (built in 1889) and the Winfield Building (built in 1890). These buildings were part of a historic street scene.

In the 1970s, the land was empty and owned by a company called National Mutual Life Association. Around 1979, the first plans for a new building were made.

Not much happened until 1980, when a construction company called Grollo Australia bought the land with another company. Even though some people wanted to save Robb's Building, Grocon said it had to be removed to build their big twin-tower project. However, the old Rialto and Winfield buildings were saved. They were turned into a hotel with a new central area between them.

How Was the Rialto Towers Built?

The Rialto Towers at night.

After Robb's Buildings were taken down, construction of the Rialto Towers began.

The building was designed by architects Gerard de Preu and Partners, along with Perrott Lyon Mathieson. It was built between 1982 and 1986, opening in October 1986. The name "Rialto" comes from the older Rialto Building next door. A key feature of the building is its huge glass outer wall, which is made of blue-tinted mirrored glass. This glass changes colour during the day, from dark blue to a bright gold when the sun sets.

The Rialto Towers is 251 m (823 ft) tall and has 55 floors above ground, plus 3 floors underground. It has two towers joined together. The shorter North Tower is 185 m (607 ft) tall with 43 floors. In total, there is 84,000 m² (900,000 sq ft) of office space inside.

Some businesses started moving into the lower floors as early as 1984, even while the top floors were still being built.

The Rialto Run-up Race

Inspired by the famous Empire State Building Run-Up race in New York City, the Rialto Towers also had its own stair race. This event was called the Rialto Run-up. It started in the late 1980s and became an annual race.

Competitors would race up the 242 m (794 ft) building, climbing 1254 steps to the 53rd floor. There were divisions for both men and women. Winners would sometimes get a trip to New York City to compete in the Empire State Building race. The Rialto Run-up event continued until 2005.

The Observation Deck

The Melbourne Observation Deck opened to the public on July 19, 1994. It was located on the 55th floor of the South Tower, at a height of 234 m (768 ft). On a clear day, you could see up to 60 km (37 mi) from the deck! Two passenger lifts took visitors up to this floor.

The observation deck closed on December 31, 2009. In 2010, a fancy restaurant called Vue de monde and a cocktail bar called Lui Bar opened on Level 55 instead.

Panoramic view from the Rialto at night, showing the Melbourne city centre and Southbank lit up.

A wide view of Melbourne's city centre and Southbank, as seen from the Rialto Observation Deck.

Interesting Facts and Figures

The Rialto Towers standing out in Melbourne's western skyline at night.

The Rialto Towers has two connected parts: the North Tower and the South Tower. The North Tower's roof is at Level 41, and the South Tower's roof is at Level 58.

Here are some cool facts about the building:

• There are 36 passenger lifts.
• It has 95 km (59 mi) of lift cables.
• There are 706 lift door openings.
• You would climb 1,450 staircase steps to reach the top.
• The outside of the building has 13,000 windows!

There are also five levels of underground car parking for people who work there or visit.

When it was finished in 1986, the Rialto Towers was the tallest building in Australia at 251 m (823 ft). It held this record for five years until it was passed by 101 Collins Street in 1991. Today, it is the tenth tallest building in Australia.

Images for kids

• 

  August 2007

• 

  August 2015

See also

In Spanish: Rialto Towers para niños