A billion dollar project and new landmark development – Queen’s Tower – is being proposed for 545 Queen Street, Brisbane, encompassing luxury residences, premium short-term accommodation and a new shopping and dining precinct.
Queen’s Tower will form part of the high rise residential precinct already established in the CBD’s north eastern corner, sitting on the 2,735m2 island site between Queen, Adelaide and Macrossan Streets.
A development application for the project was lodged with Brisbane City Council this week.
The 250-metre, 76-storey building, estimated to start construction in the near future, is being overseen by development management team PDS Australia.
PDS Australia executive chairman Sameh Ibrahim said the proposed development would transform a commercial building into a new residential and mixed-use precinct that was better aligned to current market conditions and the city’s expected growth.
“Brisbane’s CBD is set to undergo transformative change over the next decade, with the Howard Smith Wharves precinct expected to open in mid-2017 and Queen’s Wharf to follow in 2022,” Mr Ibrahim said.
“As the Brisbane urban landscape changes and the population increases, Queen’s Tower will respond to that future need for quality inner-city living.”
Queen’s Tower would deliver 891 luxury residences, 100 serviced apartments, approximately 2,500m2 retail and commercial podium and basement parking for 853 cars and 752 bicycles.
“By offering an assortment of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartment configurations, with a majority of two-bedroom apartments, Queen’s Tower is designed to appeal to both owner occupiers as well as investors looking to cater to Brisbane’s inner-city professionals,” Mr Ibrahim said.
Queen’s Tower’s architectural concept was selected from a field of national submissions. The winning concept, by global design and consulting firm Woods Bagot, features juxtaposed semi-circle forms which create slimline, curved and variable silhouettes from the Centenary Place Park and western Queen Street and Adelaide Street perspectives.
According to Woods Bagot Principal Mark Damant, the design intends to support Brisbane City Council’s planning objectives such as accommodating growth and economic development, responding to the city’s subtropical climate and enhancing street activation.
“Our desire to design a curved façade was fundamental so passers-by, whether on foot, by bike or other vehicle would see the building evolve as they moved around it,” Mr Damant said.
“Highly integrated within the surrounding cityscape, the design will enable a vibrant public realm with retail, commercial and community zones providing active uses from day to night.”
Woods Bagot Project Design Leader David Lee, said, “Referencing the sub-tropical nature of the city of Brisbane, the development will deliver an iconic tower with a crafted podium design combining lush landscape with urban built form and use.
“The design also enhances pedestrian links from Centenary Place Park along the site to the Brisbane River, with the rich subtropical planting supporting a green corridor through the CBD.”
Original Publish: http://www.theurbandeveloper.com/