Younghusband Wool Stores: Heritage Restored with LYSAGHT® Roofing

• Project Architect: Peter Miglis, Woods Bagot
• Featured on: Australia ByDesign – Season 7 Material Spotlight
• Location: Melbourne, Vic
• Roofing: ZINCUMLUME® steel

Reviving a Melbourne landmark

The Younghusband Wool Stores in Kensington, Victoria, stand as one of Melbourne’s most significant industrial heritage sites. Once a hub of Australia’s wool trade, the sprawling red-brick warehouses are now being redeveloped into a mixed-use precinct, bringing new life to a historic landmark.

As part of the redevelopment, the project was featured in Season 7, Episode 7 of Australia ByDesign. The design team at Woods Bagot sought to honour the site’s heritage while ensuring the building fabric could perform for decades to come.

Reimagining the roof with LYSAGHT® steel

Central to this redevelopment was the replacement of the original corrugated iron roof. Principal Architect Peter Miglis of Woods Bagot explains:

“We use somewhat 3,000m² of roofing material provided by Lysaght.”

That roofing was faithfully recreated in ZINCALUME® steel, rollformed into a profile that replicates the character of the original corrugated sheeting.

“We’ve been able through Lysaght, replicate that on the roof with this ZINCALUME® profiled material.”

The result is a roof that retains the heritage look while delivering the performance of modern steel, durable, low maintenance, and compliant with today’s building standards.

Honouring heritage, enabling modern design

The redevelopment also reinstated unique architectural features, including what Miglis refers to as an “architectural folly”:

“...as well as reinstating this really interesting architectural folly I call, that’s suspended between the buildings that originally served as the caretaker residence.”

These elements highlight how thoughtful material use can bridge past and present, retaining the richness of heritage while supporting contemporary architectural expression.

Practical shading, contemporary performance

Beyond replication, the roof’s performance underscores why steel remains a go-to material for heritage-sensitive projects. As Miglis notes:

“So this roof shading that was so practical back in its day, is now so relevant in its use today as this contemporary modern architectural material.”

ZINCALUME® steel provides long-term protection against corrosion, ensuring the roof’s integrity in Melbourne’s varied climate. Its reflective surface contributes to thermal efficiency, while its lightweight nature reduces structural loads, key factors in adapting century-old buildings for new uses.

Bringing it together

For Woods Bagot, choosing LYSAGHT® as the roofing supplier was integral to achieving both heritage fidelity and modern performance. Miglis concludes:

“We couldn’t be happier with the choice of LYSAGHT® as the roof material for this project.”

The Younghusband Wool Stores redevelopment demonstrates the enduring value of LYSAGHT® roofing in projects where history and modernity must coexist. By combining advanced steel technology with respect for heritage, the project preserves a Melbourne icon for generations to come.