The Reimagining of Westfield Knox

WESTFIELD KNOX HAS UNDERGONE A $355 million transformation, to create a true lifestyle destination for Melbourne’s East.

One of the largest shopping centres in Melbourne, Westfield Knox is located at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges, approximately 25 kilometres east of the CBD. The centre is strategically located within a 30-minute drive of more than 2 million people and is accessible by major arterial roads, including the Monash and Eastern Freeways.

Optimising existing space, to become essential

The departure of a department store which anchored the western end of the centre in 2021, fast-tracked the complete redesign and redevelopment of the existing centre. Taking back this space created an opportunity to reconsider the existing footprint to deliver a product, services and experience mix that could better serve the community into the future.

The vision for the reimagined Westfield Knox was informed by the customer. Extensive stakeholder consultation was undertaken with the local community to understand their needs and interests, including what they want to see and experience in their local Westfield destination.

Reflecting on the feedback, Westfield Knox Centre Manager, Kristian Nicholls said:

“Our customers were really the brains trust behind the vision for this development. Their feedback and input helped shape the transformation.

“Their passion for living active, healthy lifestyles, spending time with family, and coming together for social experiences really stood out. They also told us they value working close to nature, embracing culture and diversity and education.

“This enabled us to explore diverse community and retail experiences and usages that typically, you wouldn’t find in a shopping centre.

“It was really the start of the evolution from traditional shopping centre experience to a destination that is essential to the local community. A place that encourages more people to visit and spend more of their time. A huge leap forward in customer experience.” said Nicholls.

The development has opened in a number of stages, with the final elements to come in 2024.

Stage 1

A new gourmet marketplace, featuring major supermarkets Woolworths and ALDI, and an elevated selection of specialty fresh food, quick-eats and more.

Stage 2

An enhanced fashion and lifestyle offering. The precinct is anchored by Rebel and JB Hi-Fi, as well as a full-sized basketball court. Basketball is the local community’s sport of choice. A total of 12,500 people accessed the new Westfield Knox basketball court within its first month of opening.

The new external kids play area was also launched with stage 2. The kids play was inspired by the flora and fauna of the nearby Dandenong Ranges with three levels of play representing trees, land and sky, as well as the creatures that inhabit them.

Stage 3

The new food court featured a mix of sought-after food operators providing the Westfield Knox community with a variety of options to choose from. This included  the introduction of popular national brands Mad Mex, KFC, Chatime, Roll’d, Subway and Soul Origin, and the addition of A+HK Café, Bonbons Bakery, and New Era Dumplings, alongside local favourite Royal Donuts.

The reimagined food court was designed with families in mind and features a range of seating options in a light filled, fresh and vibrant setting with lush greenery along with the introduction of a new slimline high pixel Superscreen.

Stage 4

The new mini-major retail precinct opened Thursday 22 November with the unveiling of the brand-new fashion and lifestyle precinct on Level 2, with UNIQLO, JD Sports, Glue Store and General Pants Co opening to customers just in time for Black Friday sales.

Key design elements in this precinct included a grand vaulted ceiling and centralised skylight, take inspiration from nature to create a sympathetic installation that breathes life and light into the area, connecting it with the lower level. A dynamic lighting installation transforms the skylight throughout the day, replicating the colours of the sky from morning sunrise to midday sun, right through to sunset and dusk.

A 25-metre swimming pool will also offer swimming lessons for children up to 12 years of age. Located at the new Northern Entry, the swim school will feature quality amenities and programs to service the local community.

Still to come in 2024: the opening of the new Knox Public Library, co-working facility, and several new entertainment and fashion experiences.

Other upgrades

A whole-of-centre ambience strategy was established to ensure the centre reads as one and reads as new. The ambience refresh focused on maximising sunlight and introducing natural elements such as timber and greenery.

A significant amount of trees and plantings have been introduced throughout the mall area and a new timber skylight and ceiling design also remain key features. Flooring, amenities, finishes and fixtures have all been upgraded to visually unite the centre precincts.

Throughout the evolution of Westfield Knox, reducing the environmental impact has been a key priority. Existing spaces and buildings were retained and repurposed and the incorporation of biophilic design brought nature inside for customers to enjoy. The redevelopment also included the installation of over 3,500 solar panels, on-site rainwater harvesting, a new onsite glass crushing system, a food waste composting system and new smart bin recycling technology in the food court.

Mr Nicholls added: “The transformation of Westfield Knox to date has been extraordinary. Feedback from our customers has shown our community feels like it’s been listened to, and really values the experiences we’ve been able to create and deliver for it. We’re looking forward to seeing more of our customers spending more time in centre, with us.”

For more information about the transformation at Westfield Knox, please visit www.westfield.com.au/knox.