In 1996 the Premier Jeff Kennett announced that the Gas & Fuel Buildings would be demolished, and the railyards roofed, and a complex including arts facilities and a large public space would be built. It was to be named Federation Square, and opened in time to celebrate the centenary of Australia's Federation in 2001, and would include performing arts facilities, a gallery, a cinemedia centre, the public space, a glazed wintergarden, and ancillary cafe and retail spaces. An architectural design competition was announced that received 177 entries from around the world. Five designs were shortlisted, which included entries from high-profile Melbourne architects Denton Corker Marshall and Ashton Raggatt McDougall, and lesser known Sydney architect Chris Elliott, and London based Jenny Lowe/Adrian Hawker. The winner announced in July 1997, was a consortium of Lab Architecture Studio directed by Donald Bates and Peter Davidson from London, with the Dutch firm Karres en Brands Landscape Architects, directed by Sylvia Karres and Bart Brands, who joined with local architects Bates Smart for the second stage.