BHP Billiton Wintergardens

BHP Billiton Wintergardens
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LOCATION: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
CLIENT: BHP Billiton & Grocon
Architect: Lyons Architect

The brief for this project was to create elegant, sustainable ‘gardens in the sky’ that could be enjoyed by the office workers and visitors in the new corporate headquarters for BHP Billiton, a leading global resources company, located in the center of Melbourne. A series of atriums, each with fountains, were created at multiple floor levels along the street façade to sustain a healthier human and plant environment within the building and help ameliorate the often-dry air created by air conditioning. Various bamboos, Raphis palms, figs and other low-level light loving species were selected to create a green oasis that flowed throughout the building. The main fountain structure was clad in Carrara marble “off cuts” sourced from unwanted pieces from the lobbies within the building. At night, the gardens are a green feature from the street, and a signature for the company, as they glow from within the building.