Federation Square

Federation Square is the new public "heart" of the city of Melbourne, Australia. Located opposite Flinders Street Station, at the southern gateway to the CBD, it has been embraced by Melburnians, causing controversy not only for its architectural style, but for its budget blowouts and construction delays.

It is an odd-looking mass of buildings, surrounding a central ochre-coloured plaza which invokes images of the Australian Outback, and gently rises above street level.

The complex includes the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, the BMW Edge auditorium, the local SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) TV headquarters, and a number of cafès and restaurants, including the TransPort pub.

Behind the square is the equally new riverside park, Birrarung Marr.