Melbourne Buildings

Old County Court: 223 William Street, Melbourne

This 16 storey building on the corner of William and Lonsdale Streets was first constructed in 1968 after the abolition of local county courts and the creation of a central court, it was refurbished inside and out in mid 2010.¹

It was originally a rather plain international style modernist curtain walled structure with an exposed concrete service well with a total letable area of over 10,000 square metres.  Linear shades along Lonsdale Street generalte a horizontality to contrast and counter the verticality of the service core and glass curtain wall of the William Street facade.  The curtain wall features splashes of colour, with patterned angled linear highlights in red and orange on the glass.  Shaded pixel patterns covering the service well from ground to roof and giving the facade a contemporary techno feel.  Red cladded boxes provide interest and contrast to the lower and upper facade.

The $43 million update by construction company Hansen Yuncken was to meet new minimum environmental standards for government achieving a 5 Star Green Rating including a photovoltaic array on the roof.²  The principal architectural consultant in the refurbishment was V Arc.³

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