Burwood Brickworks shopping centre opens today

The future of retail and hospitality, Frasers Property Australia’s Burwood Brickworks shopping centre, is now open in Burwood East, Victoria. To mark the occasion an official ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on the ground floor, launching three days of family fun, retailer offers and live entertainment.

The official proceedings hosted by Peri Macdonald, Executive General Manager Retail at Frasers Property Australia, Neil Angus MP Forest Hills, and Joost Bakker, Burwood Brickworks Creative Consultant will be both an educational and exciting affair with a focus on sustainability and the rigorous criteria of the Living Building Challenge™ (LBC™) at the forefront.

“The journey we have undertaken in pursuit of delivering an actual living building, something that has never been attempted in the retail space, is an achievement in itself that we are truly proud of, as we continue to work toward accreditation over the next 12 months,” says Mr MacDonald.

“When we look at the LBC™ petal requirements, there is so much more that is required than just technical sustainability. We are looking at things like beauty and spirit, biophilia, urban agriculture and equitable investment which are all factors that challenge the normal procedures and operations of shopping centres globally and align with Frasers Property’s vision to create greener hubs for local communities,” continued Peri.

A traditional Welcome to Country will be performed by Wurundjeri elder, Uncle Colin Hunter Jr, acknowledging the land in which the centre has been built. On the ground floor, a living plant installation by Joost Bakker will continue to flourish throughout the month of December, made up of vibrant red smoke bush arch.

With a big focus on the local community and families opening weekend will include food trucks, free gelato, carnival style activations including face painting, stilt walkers and a magician as well as live music. Free kids’ interactive sustainability focused workshops will be on offer including Pot & Grow and Reusable Present Wrap. The first 1000 customers through the door on Friday 6 December will receive a branded ecological gift bag, and customers will have the chance to win a Keepcup when they spend any amount in centre until Sunday 8 December*.

Opening weekend, anchor tenants Woolworths and Dan Murphy’s along with Reading Cinemas, acre farm & eatery, Cannings Butchers, Choice Pharmacy and more will be trading.

Rob McCartney, Director of Format Development at Woolworths said the company was delighted to have secured a key retail tenancy in the world-leading sustainability project which aligns closely with Woolworths’ own environmental commitments.

“As Australia’s largest retailer we recognise the environmental impact of our operations and understand we have a responsibility to lead in this space. The opening of Woolworths Burwood Brickworks is a further step in our long-term ambition to reduce our impact on the environment and operate our stores more sustainably. We look forward to welcoming customers into the store and their feedback to the initiatives we are rolling out”, Mr McCartney said.

Post launch weekend, a progressive opening of stores will see Little Mandarin Yoga & Pilates, Dogue Pet Store, Glossed Nails and Norwood Cafe open across December, with Insight Early Learning and a plethora of café and restaurants set to open in the new year.

The focal point of the centre, the expansive ceiling covered by a permanent art installation by Mandy Nicholson, a Wurundjeri, Dja Dja wurrung and Ngurai illum wurrung woman draws the attention of all who visit.

Located 19 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD, Burwood Brickworks is designed by Melbourne-based NH Architecture with support on the interiors by North Melbourne-based Russell & George, and set to become another pulsating community hub, where visitors are encouraged to relax and unwind within the centre, on the rooftop or at the adjacent urban plaza.

For more information on Burwood Brickworks shopping centre and Frasers Property Australia, visit burwoodbrickworks.shopping.

*For participating retailers, terms and conditions see flyers instore for more information.