Timber high rise Forté off to a quick, quiet start despite inclement weather

Wind and rain briefly caused mild disruption to construction, but the Forté project by Lend Lease in Melbourne’s Docklands is heading skywards rapidly – comparative to the norm.

Works only began last Saturday after the timber residential tower project was unveiled in late May. Construction is quieter than in more traditionally built developments.

It’s set to be a 10-storey timber building, the tallest of its kind in the world, in the Victoria Harbour precinct.

Known as Forté, the $11 million will be built at 807 Bourke Street.

It will be Australia’s first timber high-rise building. Set on an elevated concrete podium, the building will rise to 32 metres and will be built with prefabricated wooden panels made from cross-laminated timber and will feature 23 apartments.

Site work commenced in February with a targeted completion date of October – quicker than it takes to build some single-family houses.

Property Observer photographer Alistair Walsh will undertake a photographic timeline study.