Melbourne Architecture - Southern Cross Station

The Southern Cross Station is a major transport hub on Spencer Street. It was built over the old Spencer Street Station Site. Completed in 2006 - in time for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, it now serves as the regional railway station and bus terminal of Victoria.

Designed by Grimshaw Architects from UK, the building has won numerous awards. It's most distinctive feature is the undulating roof, with steel trusses which rise and fall like waves of the sea. Skylights over the trusses provide daylight into the gigantic building, making it bright and airy.

I am usually not a big fan of big transport infrastructures. I find them often cold and impersonal. Internally there's not much to look at. It is afterall a big railway station. But just to feel the drama and scale of the structure is worth the trip.

The main entrance at the corner of Spencer and Collins Street.

Views inside the station.