June 2025 – Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece has officially opened the transformed Invicta House, marking the completion of an exemplary heritage restoration project that combines historic preservation with innovative design.
The one hundred year-old building at 226 Flinders Lane has been transformed into a seven-storey commercial development by Plus Studio for ST Real Estate. The redesigned Invicta House — formerly a silk factory, police station and backpackers’ accommodation — now stands as a prime example of adaptive reuse at its corner location on Flinders Lane and Swanston Street, near the upcoming Town Hall station.
The comprehensive redesign includes commercial office spaces across 8 floors, with a restaurant in the basement and ground level, and a modernist 1920s warehouse-inspired two-storey rooftop extension with terrace. The project, completed over 4 years with an investment of over $30m, is expected to become a new home for up to 10 tenants. With the lower ground and ground floors leased to two high end restaurants.
The team’s design approach creates a generous civic presence that aligns with the City of Melbourne’s laneway strategy which seeks to humanise streetscapes and encourage active frontages. Interventions include the introduction of a classical-inspired colonnade that creates an inviting street presence for pedestrians, encouraging them to engage and linger, while the reinstated facade clock adds signature charm to the completed design.
Behind the colonnade lies a central archway and an intricate staircase — the fluid lines referencing the rolls of fine silk once traded from this site. Tasked with addressing the mixed-use nature of the location and the significant height difference between the street and building entrance, Plus created three delineated access pathways from a central staircase. The staircase’s central arch mirrors the iconic arcade in the heritage-listed Nicholas Building across the street, providing seamless access while defining the space’s identity.
The new design reveals and frames the heritage structure through daylight-catching bay windows that project into the laneway and a layered entry sequence that blurs boundaries between public and private space. The rooftop extension is thoughtfully incorporated within the overall form of the building, with the completed terrace meticulously complementing the structure below.
The adaptive reuse approach provides a number of benefits, including increased efficiency and sustainability by reducing construction waste, minimising material costs, preventing major demolition, and preserving and enhancing the city’s fabric.
Melbourne Lord Mayor, Nicholas Reece commented, “Retrofitting and revitalising buildings in the CBD is a win-win for everyone. Projects like Invictus House maintain our famed heritage streetscapes while adding premium commercial space that raise the industry standard. The City of Melbourne is a huge supporter of sustainable restoration projects through Retrofit Melbourne, and our Adaptive Reuse for Office Buildings guidelines.”
This vision for sustainable development aligns with the collaborative approach taken by the project partners.
Matthew Burrows Australian Country Manager for STRE Management commented: “With Invicta House, we shared a vision to honour the past of this historic building while developing new opportunities to ensure it can be fit for modern use. Collaborating with Plus Architecture has resulted in an expressive mixed-use development that celebrates both Melbourne’s historic past and its contemporary future.”
This project represents the latest collaboration between Plus Studio and ST Real Estate. With a similar retrofit project underway in Sydney (30028 Ten Bridge), as well as another project on Flinders Lane in Melbourne (Swann House), the partnership continue to demonstrate their shared commitment to thoughtful urban renewal in some of Australia’s most significant heritage precincts.
