This mixed use project is proposed in an existing smaller commercial centre within the immediate vicinity of one of Brisbane’s major suburban commuter railway stations at Indooroopilly, to the south-west of the city. This site represents a significant opportunity to increase density and address emerging community and commercial needs with minimal impact on the surrounding detached houses character. The complex commercial brief, called for a child care centre, an all-suites hotel and an aged care facility, each with separate lobbies, drop off and pick up areas and café/restaurant/bar areas to the ground floor, with associated carparking.
It is a prominent corner site, a major bus stop immediately adjacent and with south and west facing frontages, whilst the north and east enjoy wider views over the leafy detached dwelling and garden landscape beyond. Taking advantage of the site’s configuration, large shade trees as part of an urban garden with significant outdoor dining areas to the ground floor are located on the corner address. An internal vehicular driveway around the northern and eastern parts of the site provides for separate vehicular access and egress points on each street, and facilitates multiple on site traffic management requirements including access to basement carparking, service and refuse vehicle provisions and individual discreetly separated set down areas for child care, aged care and the all-suites hotel, with almost no impact on safe and high amenity ground floor pedestrian movements.
The 10 level building exhibits a rich and diverse composition, which responds to the varying uses, aspects and addresses. The result is a highly modulated building employing different façade treatments to even more specifically respond to the requirements of the internal uses and the structural grid, where exposed structure is integrated with various types of sun-shading, glazing systems, visual screening, balconies and balustrade systems and extensive external planting for a particular contemporary sub-tropical character. A high degree of transparency from large areas of protected glazing, a subtle change in colours over the height of the building and the use of a 2 storey order in the façade composition further add to the experience of the building and its landscape as an active and gregarious place which contributes positively to the highly regarded character of the suburb.
All uses are accommodated in multiples of whole floors, with the child care centre including substantial covered outdoor spaces to the second level, then the all-suites hotel with 80 suites accommodated over levels 3, 4 and 5 including a large outdoor recreation space with swimming pool and 5 levels for the aged care facility providing assisted living type care. Cars are located in 2 basement levels. All uses are served by separate elevator systems and a generous internal atrium through the centre of the building provides for high quality natural light deep into the interiors, natural ventilation and by allowing multi floor visibility contributes to a greater sense of community with the aged care facility in particular.
Notwithstanding the complex mixed use brief, a very cost efficient design with minimal structural and services transfer is proposed. The development represents a new model of mixed use in Brisbane, where increasing demand for child care and aged care facilities in particular as well as places for short term stays can be co located where higher densities can better take advantage of existing public transport infrastructure.
