Futurecity developed a comprehensive Public Art Strategy for 80 Collins, a premium office and retail development commissioned by QIC in Melbourne. Located on Collins Street in the city’s East End, the site sits at the heart of Melbourne’s commercial and cultural life, alongside international hotels, luxury retail and the city’s established gallery district.

The strategy positioned public art as a defining layer within the development - integrated with architecture, retail and public space to reflect the status and ambition of 80 Collins. It proposed a series of distinct but connected strands, including digital and sculptural commissions, cultural activation and long-term strategic partnerships, designed to animate the site and establish a strong cultural identity.

Futurecity combined international perspective with in-depth local cultural knowledge, drawing on client workshops, site research and comparative case studies to shape a strategy that was both globally informed and locally grounded. The approach aligned with QIC’s wider Cultural Placemaking Programme and brand values, while responding specifically to the character, scale and visibility of the Collins Street address.

The resulting strategy positioned 80 Collins as a new benchmark for cultural placemaking in Melbourne’s central business district - inviting cultural infrastructure into one of the city’s most valuable pieces of real estate and establishing the development as a destination where art, design and commerce intersect.

Site images from QIC & Multiplex