3D model of rapidly-growing Melbourne skyline revealed

An Australian-first online three-dimensional model of how the Melbourne skyline will look as the city rapidly expands has been made available on Thursday.

Robert Doyle, lord mayor of Melbourne, said the initiative, launched by the City of Melbourne, was similar to other services which allowed users to see cities in 3-D with the major difference being that some buildings in the model didn't exist yet.

The model shows existing buildings as well as those that are under construction, have been approved for construction or are awaiting approval in different colours.

"It shows what Melbourne will look like through the windscreen, not through the rear-view mirror," Doyle told Australian media on Thursday.

In analyzing the data, the City of Melbourne found that the amount of office space in Melbourne was booming.

In the first four months of 2017, 90,000 square meters (sqm) of office space was built in the Central Business District (CBD) compared to 60,000 square meters in the entirety of 2016.

"(It) reveals a large upswing in office construction in Melbourne as our reputation as a knowledge city and business hub continues to grow," Doyle said.

"We're going to need in the next seven to eight years something like 2.5 million sqm of office and retail space and there's probably only 1.5 million in the pipeline.

"Even though it looks like office space is booming, if you look at the big picture, there's a shortfall."

Among the skyscrapers which have been approved but not yet begun construction are the One Queensbridge and Australia 108 towers which, at 323 meters and 319 meters in height respectively, will be the two tallest buildings in Australia.

Original plans had Australia 108 at 388 meters tall but it had to be scaled back due to building restrictions within the city.

One building of a 64-storey twin towers development on the northern fringe of the CBD has been confirmed as the location of Melbourne's first Shangri-La hotel.

The 500-room hotel is expected to create 1,000 ongoing full-time jobs for the Victorian economy.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)