Following its construction, 161 Collins Street became synonymous with architectural prowess. The building inspired some of Australia’s and New Zealand’s finest landmarks.

Incorporating the Edwardian-style Richard Allen & Son Building, which is located on Flinders Lane and connects on level five, the T&G Building was voted ‘Melbourne’s most beautiful building’ in a competition held by The Herald newspaper in 1930.

The site was expanded in 1938, and additional work was completed in the 1960s to extend along Russell Street to the corner of Flinders Lane. In 1939, the building’s Collins Street frontage was doubled before being extended down the length of an entire city block—from Collins Street to Flinders Lane—in 1959.

In the early 1990s, the building was extended by doubling its site area to 4,000 square metres. The facade was carefully restored during this extensive internal reconfiguration, and a Postmodern central atrium was added.

Building owner Pembroke engaged Bates Smart to revitalise the T&G Building using the existing built work to create a holistic experience that was benefitting of the building’s proud history and location, in order to achieve a highly sought-after retail and workspace.

The building’s redesign entailed a radical renovation and modernisation of the building’s ten storeys of commercial space, creating a world-class office environment. The refurbishment also included enhancement of the heritage-protected façade.

State-of-the-art tenant facilities, new end-of-trip facilities and club-style concierge services were integrated into the design and base build. Significant campus-style floor plates were included around the new atrium at the heart of the building, which transformed into an inviting, oasis-like space and casual working lounge. A new retail, food and beverage hub with public access was added to the ground floor.

Upon vacant possession of the corner retail in 2021, the Russell Street entrance and lobby were upgraded to match the quality finishes of the lobby completed during the major refurbishment in 2018.

&Co is launched — the building’s first co-working space, offering a flexible, dynamic environment designed for collaboration, innovation and modern workstyles.