The Project
The Waterside Hotel, a 150-year-old pub located in Melbourne’s CBD, underwent a major redevelopment in 2022. The project involved constructing an eight-level, mixed-use hospitality venue while still preserving the heritage-listed masonry façade of the original building.
WGA was engaged by Sand Hill Road and TSA Riley to deliver the structural and civil engineering design, along with geotechnical and environmental investigations, to support the transformation of this iconic landmark.
Technical Scope
WGA’s scope of work included structural engineering design of the hotel—preserving and integrating the existing 1925 façade and turret with the new eight-level building within the retained shell. A defining feature of the new building is the tiered internal façade, with floor slab edges shifting at each level.
Precise design strategies were implemented to tightly manage cantilevered slabs and slab deflections, maintaining structural efficiency without compromising architectural intent. To preserve the openness of the internal atrium, the floor slabs were designed to cantilever into the void areas, allowing the adjoining bar and function spaces to remain free of visually intrusive columns. The floor slabs are engineered to accommodate live loadings of up to 500 kg per square metre.
Additionally, an elevated groundwater table required the basement level floor slab to be designed to withstand uplift pressures of up to two tonnes per square metre. A waterproof retention wall, supplemented by an internal lining wall, was incorporated to prevent water ingress into the kitchen and administration spaces.
Client Focus
WGA collaborated closely with the client and project partners to engineer a bold, functional structure that preserves the site’s heritage significance while meeting all relevant code requirements. Through a highly collaborative approach, the team supported the architectural vision, delivering a venue that enhances Melbourne’s urban landscape.
Photo Credits: Sand Hill Road
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