CRA Building, Office skyscraper in Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia.
The CRA Building was a 26-story office tower on Collins Street in Melbourne's business district, distinguished by vertical ribbing across its facade. It stood at 99 meters tall and featured a public plaza with terraced gardens integrated into its design.
The structure rose during a period when Melbourne was redefining itself as a modern business center, serving as the city's tallest building from 1962 until 1969. Its construction marked a turning point in how the Collins Street area grew vertically.
The building shaped how Collins Street looked and felt in the 1960s, showing visitors a modern approach to business district design. Its vertical ribbing on the facade became a recognizable feature of the street during those decades.
The site was designed to redirect strong northerly winds that would otherwise impact the building's surfaces. Visitors could use the integrated plaza and explore the surrounding terraced gardens, which were positioned to balance wind and sun exposure.
The building was demolished in 1988 and became the first major skyscraper to be removed from Melbourne's skyline. Its relatively short lifespan of about 20 years made it a notable example of how quickly the city's appearance could change.
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