Brisbane City, Australia.
In recent years the Brisbane central city area has seen the rapid development of new apartment towers and an embrace of an inner urban lifestyle which has brought a new vitality to the city, particularly after dark and on week-ends, with significant changes to the skyline. Tall apartment towers of up to 80 levels now dominate the CBD’s character. This prominent corner site is located in the Circular Quay area of the city centre, on the northern edge, overlooking the Brisbane River and the iconic Storey Bridge, and in close proximity to the cultural and entertainment precinct of Fortitude Valley.
The design has been undertaken in association with prominent International practice, Woods Bagot. Our proposal, for a major national, development group, is for a 62 level podium and tower, with 7 basement levels accommodating 255 x 1, 2 and 3 bed apartments, 311 cars and ground level cafes, bars and restaurants. A rigorous analysis of the available views and how they change or expand as the building rises in height has informed the design. At higher levels of the tower, not only are views of the river, the city skyline and the inner suburbs available, but also longer distance views to Moreton Bay and the bay islands in the east, Glasshouse mountains in the north and the D’aguilar Ranges to the west. 55 levels of apartments and recreations spaces sit atop a 7 level podium carpark. Apartments are arranged for a relatively small footprint, in a symmetrical, but oblique planning approach to maximise access to the views, with an encompassing curvilinear envelope within which all balconies and sun-shading are enclosed. This gives a very pure, slender and organic form to the tower which will both distinguish the development in the skyline, ensure that it is cost effective, and avoid any overlooking or visual privacy concerns which often arise with this type of development.
The tower form is further articulated, by the separation of the larger 3 Bed apartments over 15 levels at the top of the building. These apartments enjoy a 2 level high, exclusive pool and recreation area in the sky at Level 46 separating the larger apartments from the smaller 1 and 2 Bed apartments to the lower levels. An expansive and separate pool and recreation area is provide at the top of the podium at level 9 for those resident in the lower part of the tower. Overall the tower emerges from the ground progressively seeming lighter as it rises. It is composed of 3 parts; the base, a podium with a dense masonry faced treatment, which addresses the immediate street context; the middle, a high rise section with the smaller apartments, exhibiting a tighter grain in the façade, and; a top, a shorter sky rise part which projects a more open and generous scale. A concern for a high level of sustainability and the enjoyment of a sub-tropical lifestyle is demonstrated by the large window areas protected by external sunshades, which when combined with the oblique planning arrangement will see a constant changing pattern of light and shade throughout the day and night.
