A development application has been lodged for a major $1 billion mixed-use precinct on a mostly vacant site adjacent to the Toowong Village shopping centre and the suburb’s train station, four kilometres south-west of Brisbane’s CBD. Named “Toowong Central,” the tri-tower proposal includes a retail podium and series of ground floor plazas.
Working in partnership with Cottee Parker Architects and PWP Landscape Architecture, Kerry Hill Architects (KHA) has led the architectural design of the project since winning an international design competition for their concept against competitors United Network Studio (UN Studio) and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in 2024.
According to a report from planning consultant Urbis, KHA’s competition “concept design presented an activated and connected ground plane with generous public realm that crafted a vision for living, working and enjoying at the site … [and] has since been developed further, in response to further feedback from both council and the community.”
The proposed scheme comprises three slender residential towers ranging 49 to 58 storeys in height – the tallest reaching 225 metres above ground level – comprising 1,031 apartments, 92 of which are designated as short-stay serviced units. These are arranged around a central plaza, which forms the heart of a network of public spaces and walkways that lead through and around retail and commercial tenancies within the mixed-use podium.
“A specific focus in the design is unlocking and maximising the ground plane for public open space, while co-locating much-needed housing supply with lifestyle amenities to support the growing inner-city population,” Urbis’s report notes.
At the centre of the precinct, the circular plaza is envisaged as a flexible space for interactive water play, informal gathering and night markets. In addition, the scheme addresses each of the site’s three frontages with smaller public forecourts, along with integration of the former Carver and Co. building – a local heritage place – as part of the project’s retail offering.
Drawing inspiration from the leafy suburban surrounds, each of the three towers is vertically articulated with elevated subtropical sky gardens. The emphasis on urban greening extends to the landscaped podium, which includes a series of pools, wellness facilities and multifunctional spaces.
In respect of the proposal’s scale, Urbis’s report notes that the design responds directly to the existing and future site context, along with its proximity to the CBD and Brisbane River.
“The concept design process was driven by a bold vision of revitalising and reawakening the heart of Toowong through the creation of an iconic and memorable precinct on the site to enhance the area’s appeal and serve as a catalyst for planned improvements in the surrounds,” the report reads.
With the height of the proposal being more than double what’s permitted under the neighbourhood plan – and exceeds previous 25-storey approvals, such as Nettleton Tribe’s design for The Aviary – the application is impact assessable and open to public submissions.
The proposal can be viewed online.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
