Invicta House revival a shining example of CBD retrofitting success

A century-old building on the corner of Flinders Lane and Swanston St has been given a new lease on life, in a striking example of the kind of adaptive reuse both state and local governments are increasingly pushing for in Melbourne’s post-pandemic city.

Invicta House, a seven-storey commercial development by Plus Architecture for STRE Management, was officially reopened on May 28 by Lord Mayor Nick Reece following a four-year, $30 million transformation. The project retains the building’s heritage character while introducing premium office space and hospitality offerings – a combination Cr Reece described as “a win-win for everyone.”

“Retrofitting and revitalising buildings in the CBD is a win-win for everyone,” Cr Reece said. “Projects like Invicta House maintain our famed heritage streetscapes while adding premium commercial space that raise the industry standard.”

The 1920s building has been many things – a silk factory, police station and backpackers’ hostel – but now stands as a leading model of sustainable restoration. Featuring commercial offices across eight floors and a two-storey rooftop extension, the project includes restaurants at ground and lower levels and is expected to house up to 10 tenants.

With generous civic interventions such as a colonnade and reinstated facade clock, Invicta House also aligns with the City of Melbourne’s laneway strategy to “humanise” the CBD’s streetscapes and encourage pedestrian activation.

Behind the street-facing colonnade lies a central archway and staircase inspired by the building’s silk trading past. Projecting bay windows capture light into the laneway while blurring the boundary between public and private space.

Plus Architecture director Ian Briggs said the project overcame significant structural complexities to “celebrate” the building’s history and future.

“Every heritage building comes with a story that can be celebrated, and Invicta House was no different,” he said. “Through harnessing adaptive reuse principles, we’ve been able to showcase the building’s rich history.”

Such outcomes are increasingly sought after in Melbourne, as governments face mounting pressure to address vacancy rates and the environmental costs of demolition. Since COVID-19, commercial vacancies have spiked, and many lower-grade buildings are underused due to hybrid working patterns.

The City of Melbourne has responded with its “Retrofit Melbourne” program and guidelines for adapting office buildings, encouraging sustainability and smart reuse.

The Victorian Government’s Housing Statement has also backed converting underused commercial space into residential or mixed-use developments, citing potential for 10,000 to 12,000 new apartments across the CBD.

Deputy Lord Mayor Reece has repeatedly warned against a “throwaway city of junk buildings”, pointing to costly and environmentally harmful redevelopments like the recent demolition of a five-year-old student housing complex in North Melbourne.

“Projects like Invicta House are the future,” he said. “They deliver sustainability, heritage conservation, and new economic opportunities – all without the environmental cost of demolition.”

STRE Management’s Australian Country Manager Matthew Burrows said the partnership with Plus Architecture was grounded in a shared vision to honour the past while ensuring contemporary relevance.

“Invicta House is an expressive mixed-use development that celebrates both Melbourne’s historic past and its contemporary future,” Mr Burrows said.

The project also mirrors national and global efforts to encourage urban renewal through reuse rather than rebuild. STRE and Plus Architecture are currently collaborating on similar retrofits in Sydney and on nearby Flinders Lane, contributing to a broader shift toward thoughtful, lower-impact redevelopment across Australia. •