Melbourne Central

Lonely Planet review

This shopping centre complex (with 300 stores, a cinema complex, bars and eateries) subsumed a number of Melbourne's arcades and alleyways when it was built, as well as a lead shot tower dating from 1889. The old brick chimney props incongruously beneath a great glass pyramid, a staid structure in a fast-moving retail environment.

In a twist of irony, the centre's recently completed redevelopment re-created the alleyways and arcades over which it was built. New lanes, made to look old with bluestones, create cafe and retail precincts. Critics believe the development continues Melbourne's trend of destroying an area with a century of character, only to replace it with a stylised copy of the original.