Case Study: Melbourne enhances public space security with Thornton Tomasetti

Melbourne protects 9 sites with Thornton Tomasetti

Following vehicular attacks in Melbourne, Australia, the Victorian Government and City of Melbourne faced the challenge of enhancing security in key public spaces, including the historic Flinders Street Station and Bourke Street Mall. The challenge for Thornton Tomasetti was to design Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) measures that met rigorous security performance criteria while preserving the areas' historic legacy and design intent without disrupting daily operations.

Thornton Tomasetti developed discreet, sculptural security solutions, including custom benches and bollards that blended into the urban streetscape. A key innovation was a novel design for the station's suspended slabs that did not exceed their load capacity, eliminating the need for costly structural strengthening. The results for the client included significant cost savings, no road rerouting, and the successful implementation of security measures sympathetic to the architectural heritage of the protected sites.

Melbourne