Southern Cross Station

Southern Cross Station in Melbourne, Australia is one of my favorite, recent architectural designs. On the 22nd of June, Grimshaw architects won the 2007 Lubetkin Prize for the most outstanding building outside of the European Union. The undulating wave-like roof to me is its most interesting creative point because it creates the impression of movement and continuance that relates to the usage of the building. As well as being striking it is also functional, Keith Brews of the Grimshaw team explains: "It's difficult to extract diesel fumes, but if you create a dome, they can move laterally. As the wind speen increases across the roof, the wind goes up the side of the domes and across the Venturi caps, which either allow some air through, or suck it (and the diesel fumes) up." (2007).

I would love however, to see the building in the context of its surroundings. I like buildings that emulate and facilitate the ambiance of their environment. In my home town for example a Tescos was built a few years ago with a similar but simpler curved roof. This destroyed some of the character of the old market town, with its wattle and daube 17th century cottages and edwardian town houses. Southern Cross Station is part of a wider docklands development and regeneration of that part of the city so hopefully this is not the case.