Southbank High Rise Shadow Study: Impact on Shrine of Remembrance September 2014

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Executive Summary

A summary of the results is as follows:

At certain times of year (refer below), three buildings in their proposed form - Prima Pearl, (in construction), Australia108 (approved) and Queensbridge Tower (proposed) will cast a shadow that passes over the Shrine of Remembrance according to the shadow modelling completed in this study.

Shading of the Shrine is referred to as an impact that is to be managed in the Melbourne, Port Phillip, and Stonnington City Council Planning Schemes

The modelling indicates that Prima Pearl will shade the Shrine between the 22nd of May and 22nd July, typically between approximately 16.10 and 16.25 daily, with a maximum duration of 17 minutes.

The modelling indicates that the approved but not constructed Australia 108 will shade the Shrine between the 24th May and 21st July, between approximately 15.35 – 15.45 daily with a maximum duration of 13 minutes.

The modelling indicates that the proposed Queensbridge Tower will shade the Shrine for fewer days as it is slightly further north, between approximately 24th May until 19th July between 15.55 and 16.10 daily with a maximum shading duration of 15 minutes.

Notes on above:

The duration and impact of shade varies according to the day within the shading period. Cloudy days affect the number of days in the shading period that shading occurs.

According to the modelling there are additional days and times when the Shrine’s protected surrounds are in part shade, and this varies according to the time of year. In general, the front / steps of the Shrine are in shade after the period the Shrine itself is in shade. The grounds outside the immediate forecourt of the Shrine have not been studied.

The results of the study suggest that the location of the tower dictates the time of year, time of day, and total period (i.e. number of days affected) that the shadow impacts the Shrine

The results of the study suggest that the height and width of the tower dictate the number of minutes per day that the shadow impacts the Shrine.

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Introduction Greensphere Consulting has been commission by OCPS 50417Y/1 – Freshwater Place to undertake a shading analysis for the Southbank precinct. Using dynamic daylight modelling, a 3D study model has been created to represent the tall buildings (>100m).

The Project The project reviews the effect of the taller towers that have been proposed, approved, in construction, or completed in the riverside Southbank precinct. This area is defined as being located along or within Queensbridge Street, City Road, and St Kilda Road. Tall buildings immediately adjacent to this precinct such as Crown Tower, Australia 108 have been included as they have been identified as having a possible shading effect of the Shrine.

Figure 1 Location of buildings in study

Key Tall buildings in the Precinct

X1  X2 X3 1 2 3

Eureka Tower  Freshwater 

place – 2 towers  

Crown Tower  Prima Pearl  Australia 108  Queensbridge 

Tower 

300m  200m  155m  225  320  308 

7 Riverside 

Quay, 

Southbank 

2 Southbank 

Boulevard, 

Southbank 

8 Whiteman 

Street, 

Southbank 

1 

Queensbridge 

St, Southbank 

70 Southbank 

Boulevard, 

Southbank 

Queensbridge 

Street, 

Southbank 

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Shrine of Remembrance Planning Impacts Melbourne Planning Scheme C220, Port Phillip Planning Scheme C140, and Stonnington Planning Scheme C200 are amendments to the respective Schemes with the following purpose:

The amendment implements the findings of The Shrine of Remembrance, Managing the significance of The Shrine, July 2013 planning study by strengthening the planning policies and controls applicable to the land that forms the setting and background of the Shrine of Remembrance. The amendment makes changes to the Melbourne, Port Phillip and Stonnington Planning schemes to:

Consistently reference the Shrine of Remembrance, identifying its significance and strengthening policies and strategies to provide clear direction on how to sensitively manage land within the Shrine environs. Impacts to be managed include building heights, advertising signs, building reflectivity, wind and overshadowing.

On the 23rd of April, 2014 the Minister for Planning announced the implementation of permanent and mandatory Planning controls to ensure the Shrine of Remembrance is preserved for future generations through height controls in the areas to the west and south west of the Shrine.

3D Modelling Study Results The results of this study are presented in 3 parts:

1) Images of the modelled shadow impact from the study buildings at the Winter Equinox, showing timed shadows (10 minute interval) between 13.00 – 18.00. Three images are shown for each scenario, representing a side perspective, plan view of Shrine, and sun view perspective (ie. Perspective of building in line with Shrine)

2) Graphical representation extracted from the model show the dates (weekly interval) and duration per day (5 minute interval) of shading impact. Both part shade and full shade of the Shrine are shown.

3) Animations of the shadow impact of the relevant buildings to visually express the shadow motion and impact on the Shrine.

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Scenario 1 - Existing Buildings

21st June 13.00 – 18.00

Notes on Existing Buildings:

The modelling of the existing study buildings (Eureka tower, Freshwater Place, PWC tower, Crown Tower) indicates that they do not shade the Shrine. This is due to the fact that the western most buildings, which could potentially shade the Shrine, are not tall enough to do so. Eureka Tower is too far east to shade the Shrine despite its height.

Results – Images of Shadows cast

Shrine and immediate surrounds

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Scenario 2 - Prima Pearl (represented at full height)

21st June 13.00 – 18.00

Notes on Prima Pearl:

The modelling of Prima Pearl indicates it will shade the Shrine at certain times. Its height and location result in a shadow period (61 days) with varied duration (maximum of 17 minutes per day) across the Shrine

Shrine and immediate surrounds

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Scenario 3 – Australia 108 Tower (as currently proposed)

21st June 13.00 – 18.00

Notes on Australia 108:

The modelling of Australia 108 indicates it will shade the Shrine at certain times. Its height and location result in a shadow period (58 days) with varied duration (maximum of 15 minutes per day) across the Shrine

Shrine and immediate surrounds

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Scenario 4 - Queensbridge Tower (as currently proposed)

21st June 13.00 – 18.00

Notes on Queensbridge Tower:

The modelling of Queensbridge Tower indicates that there will be times that it shades the Shrine. Its height and location result in a shadow period (56 days) with varied duration (maximum of 13 minutes per day) across the Shrine

Shrine and immediate surrounds

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    Prima Pearl      

  16.00             

  16.05           

  16.10           

  16.15           

Time  16.20           

  16.25           

  16.30           

  16.35           

  16.40        approx 17 minutes of full shade on 21st June 

  16.45        first shade 22nd May, last shade 22nd July 

    24‐May  31‐May  7‐Jun  14‐Jun  21‐Jun  28‐Jun  5‐Jul  12‐Jul  19‐Jul 

          Date    

    Australia 108        

  15.20           

  15.25           

  15.30           

  15.35           

Time  15.40             

  15.45           

  15.50           

  15.55           

  16.00        approx 13 minutes of full shade on 28th June 

  16.05        first shade 24th May, last shade 21st July 

    24‐May  31‐May  7‐Jun  14‐Jun  21‐Jun  28‐Jun  5‐Jul  12‐Jul  19‐Jul 

          Date    

    Queens Bridge  Tower     

  15.45           

  15.50           

  15.55           

  16.00             

Time  16.05           

  16.10           

  16.15           

  16.20           

  16.25        approx 15 minutes of full shade on 28th June 

  16.30        first shade 24th May, last shade 19th July 

    24‐May  31‐May  7‐Jun  14‐Jun  21‐Jun  28‐Jun  5‐Jul  12‐Jul  19‐Jul 

          Date    

Legend Dark Grey is the ‘full shade’ period where the Shrine itself is more than 80% shaded Light Grey is the ‘part shade’ period that part of the Shrine or immediate surrounds (e.g. forecourt) are in shade  

Shadow Dates and Times

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Conclusion Based on the modelling results used to determine shadow impacts, the three buildings studied in detail, Prima Pearl, Australia 108, and Queensbridge Tower will shade the Shrine, with the period of impact starting 22 May and ending 22nd July (61 days) and a maximum duration of 17 minutes.

The location of the tower dictates the time of year, time of day, and total period (i.e. number of days affected) that the shadow impacts the Shrine. The number of cloudy days will impact the amount of shading that occurs in the shading period.

The height and width of the tower dictate the number of minutes per day that the shadow impacts the Shrine.

Melbourne, Port Phillip and Stonnington City Councils all have Planning Scheme amendments that reference the protection of the Shrine including the effects of shading from nearby buildings.

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Appendix 1 : Methodology This study uses the daylight modelling software Ecotect Analysis 2011 to represent in three dimensions the buildings that make up the study. By applying the default Melbourne location (GPS co-ordinates Lat:-37.8 Lng: 145.0) the software is able to quickly represent the shadows of the models.

By overlaying the model with a dxf CAD file of the City and Southbank region, the study buildings can be located accurately. This includes the location of the Shrine, which is included at an increased elevation as per the Shrine’s real location.

Where possible, the buildings were represented using a geometrically correct 3D model. Where data was not available, the building was drawn to represent its shape in 2 dimensions (i.e. as per footprint) and extruded vertically to the correct height.

Prima Pearl, which is currently under construction, has been represented in the study at its full completed height.

Early studies of the buildings indicated that the tall City buildings (north of the Yarra) had no shading effect on the Shrine, and therefore no City buildings have been studied further.

Limitations of the Study The study does not consider the smaller buildings in the area and the interaction of these

buildings with the shadows from the building in the study. This is unlikely to impact the results except very late in the day when the sun is very close to the horizon.

The study does not include any impacts from vegetation.

Rooftop plant equipment and aerials etc have not been included in the study

The study relies heavily on the accuracy of the calculations performed by the Ecotect software and therefore so do the results. A calibration study was performed based on shadow effects calculated by the software and actual photographs from the same time. The details of the calibration of the model are provided in Appendix 2.

Disclaimer

Computer building simulation provides an estimate of building performance or impact. This estimate is based on a necessarily simplified and idealised version of the building that does not and cannot fully represent all of the intricacies of the building once built. As a result, simulation results only represent an interpretation of the potential performance or impact of the building. No guarantee or warrantee of building performance or impact in practice can be based on simulation results alone.

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Appendix 2 : Model Accuracy The model generated shadows were confirmed against photographs at the same time showing the close accuracy of the model.

16.00 – 16.30 30th May

Figure 3 Model of prima pearl (green) shadow (full height) 4.00 – 4.30pm 30th May (5min increments)

16.00 – 16.30 11th July

Figure 4 Modelled Image and actual photo of prima pearl shadow (current height) approx 4.15pm 11th July

Figure 2 Image of prima peal shadow (current height) approx 4.15pm 30th May