David Jones Bourke Street Beauty Floor
Refurbishment of a heritage-listed flagship retail space, balancing luxury retail requirements with historic preservation.
Client:
i2C Architects
Location:
310 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC
Status:
Completed
Sector:
Retail
Overview
Transformation of a Heritage Retail Flagship
BSE was engaged to deliver building services design for the $15 million transformation of the Ground Floor Beauty Area within David Jones’ Bourke Street flagship store.
The refurbished space accommodates luxury brands including Chanel, Dior, Tom Ford, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and L’Occitane, with dedicated zones for skincare, makeup, fragrance, and emerging categories such as hair and wellness.
Great care was taken to preserve the building’s heritage-listed elements, including decorative plaster ceiling mouldings and ram’s head cornice mouldings above columns, while introducing new fittings and finishes to elevate the space. The shopfront was also refurbished to create a more contemporary presence, incorporating aged bronze-toned materials and black terrazzo. The entrance columns were squared off and clad in the same bronze-toned finish, while a new illuminated sign and display windows complete the updated façade.
Our Role
Building Services and Construction Management for a Live Retail Environment
BSE provided mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, fire protection, lighting, and sustainability design services for the refurbishment.
In addition to design, BSE managed construction through to practical completion, including tender evaluations, contractor appointment, contract review, programme monitoring, progress claim assessment, and coordination between trades.
The role required careful delivery within a live retail environment, ensuring minimal disruption to operations while maintaining alignment with design intent and heritage constraints.
Outcomes
A Refined Retail Experience within a Heritage Setting
The refurbishment delivers an upgraded luxury retail environment that integrates contemporary design with the building’s historic character.
The completed Beauty Floor supports the operational requirements of high-end retail brands while enhancing the customer experience for the more than nine million visitors to the Bourke Street flagship annually.
“The refurbishment of the Beauty Floor and shopfront of this heritage-listed building, first opened as the Buckley & Nunn department store in 1911, is part of its ongoing evolution to meet the needs of David Jones’ discerning customers. BSE is proud to have played a pivotal role in this project and to be part of the building’s rich history.”
Andrew Sayer, Director – VIC and BSE’s project lead
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