A whole of business approach – Westfield Knox

Westfield Knox is one of our largest destinations. The centre is undergoing a significant transformation which will be completed in 2023. This development showcases how we are integrating responsible business into our planning and delivery to create places more people come, more often, for longer.

We continue to invest in our destinations and enhance the customer offer and experience.
Our whole of business approach to transforming Westfield Knox delivers on our growth ambition to become essential to people, their communities and the businesses that interact with them.

To inform our design, we sought to understand more about who our local community is, their approach to life and what they want. We looked at CX Loop customer data, reached out to our Westfield research community and connected with local councils. We also engaged the community directly to form the vision.

Westfield Knox Centre Manager, Kristian Nicholls, said: “Receiving validation from the community that our vision for Westfield Knox meets their needs and wants, reinforces our community-focused approach as the right one.”

Once complete, Westfield Knox will offer people access to the new 2,000 sqm public library, a competition grade full‑size basketball court, an outdoor playground featuring local flora and fauna, a multi‑purpose community space, a swim school, co-working space and a new gourmet marketplace.

In designing the development to include these new community-focused elements, our team was guided by our Destination Principles. These Principles are future focused and consider four areas: health reimagined, regenerative networks, branded villages and full spectrum retail.

Importantly, the team focused on reducing our environmental impact through design.
To minimise our carbon footprint, rather than demolishing and rebuilding the centre, we
are retaining and repurposing existing space and buildings.

We will install electric heat pumps in place of gas and a new solar array of over 3,500 solar panels. This aligns with our planned transition to renewable energy.

To encourage biodiversity thousands of trees, shrubs and plants are being planted throughout the centre, the majority of which will be irrigated using on-site rainwater tanks.

Biophilic design will bring people closer to nature with more than 10 locally grown mature trees throughout the internal mall.

There is also a timber skylight that is reminiscent of a tree canopy. It spans 1,800 sqm and provides customers with a dappled light quality inside that they would normally experience outdoors walking beneath the trees. The timber is sustainably grown Victorian Ash from a local provider.

Other environmental initiatives helping to improve the centre’s energy, water and emissions intensity include a new onsite glass crushing system, a food waste composting system and new smart bin recycling technology in the food court.

Our $355 million investment (SCG share: $178 million) will also positively impact the local economy once the destination is complete in 2023.