At last we would hear some real information as to why this fantastic coup for Melbourne and Federation Square would solve the apparent problems of financial losses, falling attendance and lack of access to the Yarra. We might even hear about how the incongruous design of the store could be changed to something wonderful and how this store would ensure that Melbourne became “a global beacon for the tech sector”. Wow! Loading Sadly it was not to be. Nothing new and certainly nothing concrete, just vague promises. Don Bates was quite diffident about one of his buildings being replaced. I was quite surprised, having been involved with resolving the passionate concerns of the original architects when changes were proposed to the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra and the Olympic swimming centre at Melbourne Park. Perhaps he will be more outraged when his Flinders Street building is scheduled for replacement. Jill Garner, the Victorian Goverment Architect, was at least apologetic about the inappropriate design of the new store and promised that a rigorous design process would ensure a better result. I hope Sir Norman Foster is amenable.

Martine Letts from the Committee for Melbourne was convinced that Apple’s presence would make the square and Melbourne a centre for excellence and an industrial hub for innovation. Unless Apple is building a separate campus in Melbourne that we don’t know about, such an outcome seems unlikely. But heck, this is the only Apple Super Store in the southern hemisphere, at least until another one is built in Rio or even in Sydney. Fed Square: community hub. Credit:Melanie Dove Jonathan Tribe was worried that Federation Square would not be competitive with a future development over the rail lines to the east. To date, the only proposals for that site are to give it away for commercial and residential development. It is unlikely that a future government would have the courage to build another public plaza. Tribe did mention the need for substantial funds for maintenance and renewal works but this should be funded by the government owner as they are required to do and as they have done at the State Library and NGV on St Kilda Road. Financial losses are no doubt a concern for the private sector board, but they are only paper losses brought about by accounting for depreciation and amortisation. Contrary to unspecified reports that the square has made losses since its opening, the facility has delivered operating surpluses totalling $26.6 million over the past five years. Even the depreciation losses have been more than offset by increases in asset value.

Falling attendances were to be countered by an additional 2 million visitors to the Apple Store, despite the difficulty of fitting all these people into this little shop. NGV will be envious given the effort it has to make to secure an annual attendance of 2.5 million at both its campuses. Opening access to the Yarra was not demonstrated except to say the smaller building would open up a larger view across the river. No solution to the immutable level differences or the bluestone vaults. And apparently no concern that opening up that edge might in fact expose the square to the colder winds that blow up the Yarra. The cobbled-together team presenting the anti case were in fact clearly superior. Personally I would be sceptical of the claimed benefits even if I was shown a copy of the agreement with outcomes guaranteed by Apple and subject to compensation. That seems unlikely, as everything is cocooned under ''commercial in confidence'', which in my experience is usually sought by the government rather than a corporation that should have no reason to hide anything.

I suspect the decision-makers have been conned. Sadly we, the public, have been dudded. Dick Roennfeldt was head of the Office of Major Projects, which was responsible for concept development, design and construction of Federation Square prior to handover to Federation Square Management Pty Ltd to complete the development and commercial tenanting of the facility.