Floreat Forum

Floreat Forum is a shopping centre in Floreat, a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Situated on Howtree Place between Oceanic Drive and The Boulevard, it serves surrounding residential districts and combines retail, food, community, civic and transport functions. The centre is notable in Western Australian retail history as Perth's first shopping centre designed in an American-style format. The project emerged during the expansion of the Floreat Park subdivision and nearby suburbs in the 1950s and 1960s. Population growth, the sale of new residential allotments and the presence of the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games at the nearby Perry Lakes Stadium contributed to demand for a substantial local shopping destination. The City of Perth prepared preliminary plans for a shopping centre and cinema, and the development was designed by the Cameron Chisholm Nicol architectural practice. Construction began in 1963 under the Hammerson Group and continued until 1965. Floreat Forum officially opened on 20 September 1965, with the opening conducted by Western Australian Premier David Brand. Its original plan comprised three principal components: a department store and food-shopping building, a community centre, and a group of specialty shops. Most retailers initially faced a central open-air walkway. The original anchor tenants included Woolworths Food Fair and Moores Department Store, and the centre opened with approximately forty stores. A library, community centre and playground gave the development a broader civic role than a purely commercial retail complex. The centre has undergone several important changes. In 1981, it hosted a large Australian Army recruiting and public demonstration event involving military vehicles, field-cooking and medical displays, a 105 mm howitzer demonstration, Light Horse personnel, parachute and helicopter activities, and a rappelling display. In 1984, a distinctive Sheerfill fabric roof was installed over the central walkway. The tent-like, three-point structure admitted natural light while protecting shoppers from weather and was described as the first roof of its kind built in Australia. Floreat Forum was sold in 1992 for A$24.5 million, according to the cited historical account. A major redevelopment completed in 2002 substantially altered the original layout. The characteristic roof was removed, much of the earlier built form was remodelled or relocated, and only part of the 1965 car-park arrangement remained. The works added an outdoor dining precinct with a small playground, provided a new library, converted the western car park into a two-level structure, expanded the southern car park and replaced two petrol stations with a single station beside the library at the northern end of the centre. The centre was acquired by the Apil Group in 2009 for a reported A$100 million. Current facilities include Coles and Woolworths supermarkets positioned along a central indoor walkway, specialty retailers, food and dining businesses, the Town of Cambridge library and municipal offices, and an outdoor dining area. Four bus routes operated by Swan Transit serve the centre directly, providing links to nearby suburbs, Perth's central business district and connections with Perth rail services. Floreat Forum therefore operates as both a convenience-oriented shopping destination and a local community institution, with its identity shaped by its mid-century origins, civic uses, later redevelopment and continuing role in the western Perth suburbs.

Floreat Forum was developed in response to the rapid suburban expansion west of Perth during the 1950s and 1960s. The growth of the Floreat Park subdivision and neighbouring residential areas created demand for a substantial local retail centre. The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games at nearby Perry Lakes Stadium further increased the area's prominence and helped reinforce the case for new commercial and community infrastructure. The City of Perth prepared preliminary plans for a shopping centre and cinema. Cameron Chisholm Nicol designed the development, which was constructed by the Hammerson Group from 1963 to 1965. The original scheme contained three principal buildings: a department-store and food-shopping component, a community centre, and a specialty-retail component. Floreat Forum opened on 20 September 1965, with Western Australian Premier David Brand performing the official opening. It was regarded as Perth's first American-style shopping centre. The original centre was organised around an open-air pedestrian walkway. Woolworths Food Fair and Moores Department Store served as the principal anchors among roughly forty stores. The complex also included a library, community centre and playground, making it an early example of a shopping development incorporating significant community functions. In 1981, the centre became the setting for a major Australian Army recruiting display. Visitors could inspect military vehicles, a 105 mm howitzer, an ambulance and field equipment, while Army personnel demonstrated cooking and medical activities. The event also included parachutists descending from approximately 2,000 metres and infantry personnel rappelling from a helicopter above the centre. A notable architectural intervention followed in 1984, when a Sheerfill fabric roof was installed over the central walkway. The three-point, circus-tent-like design admitted natural light while protecting visitors from rain and other weather. The historical account identifies it as the first roof of its kind constructed in Australia. The property changed hands in 1992 in a transaction reported at A$24.5 million. The most substantial physical transformation occurred during the 2002 redevelopment. The distinctive canopy was removed and much of the original layout was altered. A new outdoor dining precinct and small playground were created, a new library was provided, and the western car park was rebuilt as a two-level facility. The southern car park was expanded, while two existing petrol stations were demolished and replaced by one station near the library at the northern end of the site. In 2009, the Apil Group acquired Floreat Forum for a reported A$100 million. The modern centre is arranged around indoor retail circulation and is anchored by Coles and Woolworths supermarkets. It also contains specialty stores, food and dining businesses, the Town of Cambridge library and municipal offices, and an outdoor dining precinct. Four Swan Transit bus routes serve the site, linking it with nearby suburbs, Perth's central business district and rail connections. Its continuing importance derives from the combination of everyday retail, dining, public services and local civic activity.

• 2009

  Apil Group acquisition

  [1]Floreat Forumen.wikipedia.org

  The Apil Group purchased the centre for a reported A$100 million.

• 2002

  Major redevelopment completed

  [1]Floreat Forumen.wikipedia.org

  A major redevelopment removed the signature roof, reconfigured retail and civic spaces, and introduced dining, library and parking changes.

• 1992

  Property sale

  [1]Floreat Forumen.wikipedia.org

  Floreat Forum was sold in a transaction reported at A$24.5 million.

• 1984

  Sheerfill walkway roof installed

  [1]Floreat Forumen.wikipedia.org

  A tent-like fabric roof was erected over the central walkway to provide weather protection while retaining natural light.

• 1981

  Army public demonstration

  [1]Floreat Forumen.wikipedia.org

  The centre hosted a large Australian Army recruiting and public-display event.

• 1965

  Official opening

  [1]Floreat Forumen.wikipedia.org

  Floreat Forum opened on 20 September 1965, with Premier David Brand conducting the official opening.

• 1963

  Construction begins

  [1]Floreat Forumen.wikipedia.org

  Construction of Floreat Forum began under the Hammerson Group following planning driven by suburban growth around Floreat.

A suburban convenience shopping centre and community hub serving Floreat and surrounding western Perth neighbourhoods.

• Supermarket anchor

  Coles

  A supermarket anchor providing groceries, fresh food, household supplies and everyday convenience shopping within the centre's central indoor retail area.

• Supermarket anchor · 1965

  Woolworths

  A supermarket anchor serving routine grocery and household-shopping needs. Woolworths has a historical connection with the site through the original Woolworths Food Fair store that opened with the centre in 1965.

• Specialty retail · 1965

  Specialty retail stores

  A collection of smaller retail businesses complementing the supermarket anchors and providing goods and services for local residents and visitors.

• Food and dining · 2002

  Outdoor dining precinct

  An outdoor food and dining area introduced during the 2002 redevelopment, incorporating a small playground and extending the centre's role beyond conventional enclosed retail.

• Community and civic services

  Town of Cambridge library and municipal offices

  Public-facing civic facilities integrated into the shopping-centre complex, continuing Floreat Forum's longstanding role as a community and service hub.

• 1981Australian Army recruiting and public demonstration

  Australia

  The Australian Army's 5 A Res Recruiting unit staged a public event at Floreat Forum. The programme combined recruiting activity with equipment displays, field cooking, medical demonstrations, military vehicles, parachuting and helicopter rappelling.

  Outcome. The event turned the shopping centre into a temporary public military-display venue and is recorded as a notable use of the site.

  Source

• 2009

  Acquire Floreat Forum through the Apil GroupM&A

  Background

  The centre changed ownership as part of the Australian shopping-centre property market.

  Action taken

  The Apil Group purchased Floreat Forum for a reported A$100 million.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition placed the centre under Apil Group ownership, although the available reference does not provide further ownership or operating details.

  Reported acquisition price. A$100 million (2009)

  Source

• 2002

  Undertake comprehensive site redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The original open-air centre and its supporting infrastructure required substantial modernisation as retail formats, parking needs and community-service requirements evolved.

  Action taken

  The redevelopment removed the distinctive fabric roof, remodelled and relocated parts of the centre, added an outdoor dining precinct and new library, rebuilt the western car park as a two-level structure, expanded southern parking and consolidated petrol-station facilities.

  Aftermath

  The project produced the modern configuration of Floreat Forum and significantly reduced the amount of surviving 1965 fabric.

  Source

1. 1Floreat Forumen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Floreat Forum official websitefloreatforum.com.au