Frasers Property Australia teams up with eco-warrior Joost Bakker to unveil rooftop plans for an ultra-green development in Burwood, Victoria.
The future of retail and hospitality will touch down in Burwood, Victoria from late 2019 when Frasers Property Australia opens what is destined to be the most sustainable shopping centre in the world.
With the aim of achieving the Living Building Challenge accreditation – Burwood Brickworks will put sustainability at its core, welcoming visitors to live, shop and dine in a futuristic model of mixed-used development.
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Launching an EOI with Joost Bakker to kick off the retail and hospitality part of the project, Frasers Property today unveiled the opening of an Expression of Interest for tenants wanting to take over a 2,000sqm Rooftop Urban Farm & Restaurant.
Frasers Property Executive GM of Retail, Peri Macdonald says the concept will transform the way we think about the impact of hospitality and retail on the natural environment.
“This is an Australian first, that will completely reconsider how food is sourced and provided by retailers. Two thousand square metres of productive agricultural space has been evenly split between greenhouses, external planter boxes and landscaped growing areas,” said Macdonald.
“Burwood Brickworks is anticipated to be the world’s most sustainable shopping centre which will be determined a year after launch in 2019 and will have in excess of 12,700sqm of retail to share. We’re now interested in talking to unique food and beverage providers wanting to lease 2,000sqm of Urban Rooftop Farm & Restaurant site located on the shopping centre’s rooftop,” Macdonald said.
Following on from Frasers Property’s ground-breaking Central Park development in Chippendale NSW, a multi award-winning project with a building designed by Jean Nouvel, and housing the world’s largest living wall designed by landscape artist Patrick Blanc, Burwood Brickworks is set to become another pulsating community hub, located just 15 km from the City of Melbourne.
Joost Bakker said the invitation to creatively consult on design concept for the rooftop was an opportunity he ‘could not resist’.
“The vision driving the design comes from such a positive place. Frasers is seeking to re-invent the way we think about sustainable, mixed-used developments and food sourcing. Mulching excess organic material for compost, implementing ‘closed loop’ water reduction management and limiting food and waste transportation are just some of the measures that will be employed on the rooftop to lessen the ecological footprint.
“Minimising the amount of energy needed in Burwood Brickworks’ Urban Rooftop Farm & Restaurant underlines the commitment to an improved social conscious whilst providing genuine health benefits for both consumer and retailer alike,” he said.
“I’ve really enjoyed helping Frasers to envision how such a bold concept can transform the way we think about food production and consumption. There is such a hunger for this kind of development throughout the world. It really fills a gap in the market to feed and nurture conscious consumers. New consumers wants to shop, eat and relax in environments that truly support a sustainable world,” Frasers Creative Consultant Joost Bakker said.
With construction kicking off in mid-2018, this is a high-profile mixed used project unlike any other of its scale in Australia. The sustainability concept for the rooftop is key to accrediting the building as Australia’s first 6 Star Green Star Design and As-Built retail building, and the world’s first Living Building Challenge certified retail development. A Living Building has a net zero carbon footprint, produces more electricity than it consumes, grows agriculture on 20% of the site and is net water and waste positive amongst other social and health benefits including access to natural daylight, indoor air quality and constructed from non-toxic and recycled materials.
Dutch-born florist, designer and sustainability warrior Joost Bakker is passionate about the natural environment.
Famous for his pop-up restaurant established next to Sydney Opera House in 2011, Joost Bakker promotes a thoughtful use of materials and recylcing and has become an eco-trailblazer in his adopted home of Australia.
Joost currently splits his time between farming on his property in Kallista Victoria, growing tulips and taking part on sustainability initiatives that promote a better world. He was engaged by Frasers as Creative Consultant to help define the concept and layout of the Burwood Brickworks Urban Farm which is due for completion in October 2019.
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