SOM designs Gurner's $1.75bn Cunningham Pier precinct in Geelong

Both outlets say SOM was chosen after a nine-month international design competition. The Urban Developer lists Zaha Hadid Architects, Bjarke Ingels Group, UNStudio and 3XN among the other practices that competed.

The Urban Developer also notes that the City of Greater Geelong adopted a waterfront masterplan in December, and places Cunningham Pier in its Convention and Creativity precinct. Build Australia quotes Tim Gurner, the company’s founder and executive chair, as saying the company has been working with council on the project. For another Victorian project, see our earlier Northcote report.

The numbers

Figures below are as reported by the two outlets, which agree on each one.

• Homes: 280 luxury residences. The outlets also describe 12 water villas at the pier’s end, each with a private superyacht berth.
• Hotel: a 200-room five-star hotel.
• Tower: 34 storeys, which The Urban Developer says houses the hotel and apartments.
• Commercial: 5,050 sqm of office space.
• Public realm: more than 10,500 sqm, including a waterfront promenade with retail and hospitality, and an Aqua Plaza with a play area and amphitheatre-style seating.
• Floating pontoons, including a pickleball court, and measures to protect marine habitat.

The Urban Developer says the historic pier structure would be retained beneath the new buildings, with an elevated public promenade.

Build Australia quotes Gurner as saying: “We love creating what others say is impossible, and then showing the world it can be done.”

What’s next

Neither outlet gives a lodgement date, approval status, construction start or completion date. Build Australia says further updates are expected as the project progresses. The Australian Developer will report on any planning application when one is on the public record.