Melbourne's Federation Square was a headache to build, but it's all worthwhile, now.
Melbourne's reputation for innovative architecture-like CBD projects Federation Square and the redevelopment of Spencer Street Station- is being used to generate export revenue.
The firm of architects behind the 400-million Federation Square arts and entertainment precinct, Lab, was seen as a potential one-project wonder.
But Lab has shaken that tag, snaring a 100 million Beijing project the size of Australand's Freshwater Place in Melbourne's Freshwater Place in Melbourne's Southbank.
Lab has won the contract to design a 170,000 square metre mixed-use development for SOHO China, including two towers. The firm is also in the running for two other projects.
The SOHO Shang Du project would cost 400 million if it was built in Australia because of higher labour costs, Lab director Peter Davidson said.
The pace of work in China is so fast the project is expected to be finished by early 2006, although it will only start in November.
China is in the middle of a massive building boom, with an estimated 50 new cities to be constructed during the nest 10 years.
"China is living the second half of the 20th century in 10 years," Lab director Don Bates said. "They do not want what we had 10 years ago. They want what we haven't got yet."
Exporting such intellectual capital makes all the headaches and cost blow-outs that happened with Federation Square worthwhile, said Victorian Treasurer and Minister for Innovation John Brumby.
"It's a magnet - not just for tourists - it attracts creative people," he said.
Mr Bates and Mr Davidson claim it would be impossible to build a Federation Square in Sydney. "Architecture is very different in Sydney. Things are much more expediently designed," Mr Davidson said.
