Bates Smart and Richards and Spence’s proposal for a three-tower development for Aria Property Group in South Brisbane has been greenlit for development by Brisbane City Council. According to Bates Smart director Mathieu le Sueur, it is the first project to be approved under Brisbane City Council’s new height limits for the suburb.
Across three towers ranging in height from 24 to 50 storeys, the project will deliver 678 new dwellings, a 216-room hotel and 21,000 square metres of retail space. Over the past few years, the architects had developed several iterations of the proposal, including one with three 12-storey towers and another featuring a single 17-storey tower.
At almost 7,300 square metres, the consolidated site at 164 Melbourne Street has three street frontages, with two heritage-listed places at either corner. These include the former Bond’s Sweets Factory, a 1951 Art Deco building at the Manning Street corner, and Malouf’s fruit shop and residence, built in 1913, at the Edmonstone Street corner.
The approved development will involve the restoration and retrofit of these two buildings into retail and hospitality tenancies. In addition, small-scale high-street retail will be located along the site’s edges. A network of pedestrian laneways, which includes a “dry route” between unflooded evacuation points in times of flooding – will permeate the podium, leading to a central “urban meadow” and amphitheatre, as well as various other courtyards and further retail and dining.
Le Sueur said the project “represents an evolution of density and ground plane activation in the South Brisbane neighbourhood.”
Co-founder of Richards and Spence Ingrid Richards added, “By incorporating publicly accessible private spaces throughout the precinct, residents and visitors alike are offered places for relaxation, recreation, and connection.”
“The masterplan balances density with generosity – increased height enabling an enriched ground plane of activity and openness, where a network of laneways, vibrant landscaping, public art, and retail together create a layered and adaptable public realm,” she added.
The architectural language of the podium draws on that of the heritage buildings, with a contemporary brick facade designed to provide a flexible framework as well as a fine-grain street character. Above, the tower forms are designed to be articulated with ventilated corridors, planted facades and climate-appropriate shading devices. The towers will each host a series of communal recreation spaces and rooftop amenities, including a suite of pools, private and shared dining spaces, hot and cold spas, saunas, a gym, a half-court, a multi-purpose room, a cinema, and treatment areas.
In Richard’s words, “Melbourne and Manning demonstrate the capacity for a private commission to deliver public value.”
Source: Architecture - architectureau
