In a climate of digital transformation, NEXTDC Merlot 3 (M3) is a colocation data center in Melbourne’s West Footscray that is set to house Australia’s largest and most comprehensive cloud ecosystem.

With Stage 1 of the 150MW masterplan now complete, M3 operates as a colocation facility for retail, enterprise and hyperscale customers, fitted out with administrative offices, collaboration spaces and highly adaptable data halls. Strategically located close to major electricity substations, the campus is situated 10 km from Melbourne’s CBD and resides at the junction between large industrial developments and low-scale residential dwellings.

Knitted into the semi-residential urban fabric, the building form has been set 20-metres back into the site to respect the neighbors. This setback zone features densely plated swales, trees and ‘pocket parks’, as well as a community café along the tree-lined perimeter, that gently transitions the site context from residential to industrial and puts community well-being first.

The rectilinear machine space of the data halls has been wrapped in a faceted façade ribbon that houses active office, lobby and breakout spaces. In contrast, flora ascends the building on engineered trellises, inhabiting the parapets and cascading down the bespoke concrete facade to create a juxtaposition of materiality and form.

Designing high-performance, resilient and scalable infrastructure at speed is no easy feat, but utilizing a data-driven design methodology, HDR has delivered a purpose-built facility, using modular and adaptable solutions, that will accelerate industry growth in a decade of innovation.