Work has commenced on what will be Brisbane’s tallest apartment building and could be the third tallest building in Australia.

Designed by Noel Robinson Architects (NRA) and situated at 222 Margaret Street Brisbane, the 274-metre-high ‘Skytower’ will boast the second highest habitable units in the country and also Australia’s highest infinity-edge pool. The developers are reportedly hoping to increase the building's height to 300 metres and if approved will see Skytower become Australia's third tallest building, behind Q1 on the Gold Coast and Sydney Tower on the list of Australia's tallest buildings.

The landmark project is being developed by Billbergia with investment company AMP Capital and being built by Hutchinson Builders.

On completion, Skytower will offer 1,100 apartments and feature a sky recreation facility on the 89th floor which includes its infinity-edge pool.

The project, which has both 111 Mary Street and 222 Margaret Street addresses, was originally known as ‘111+222’, with much early design work undertaken by Bates Smart. NRA have since made significant changes to the project, redesigning the entire Skytower project from the ground level up.

“We also reconfigured the project by taking the hotel out of the tall tower and putting it in the small tower,” Noel Robinson said.

The heavily glazed building rises on an equilateral triangle footprint and its monolithic facade is punctured only by a variety of skygardens, which Noel Robinson says will divide the building into different “towns”.

Robinson says that the project will actually house four different residential towers that rise from separate lobbies situated on the ground level.

 “The ground floor is essentially double height volumes up to level 2 and will have four lobbies for the separate residential towers,” said Robinson.

“The ground floor is also an activated cross link for the site that connects Mary through to Margaret Street.”

The project is scheduled for a 2019 completion.

Correction: An earlier version of this article, "Brisbane's Tallest Tower by Bates Smart Commences Construction" published on 10th April has been updated. 

The concept design was completed by Bates Smart. The joint Developers AMP & Billbergia are continuing with other architects and have made substantial modifications to the original design. Architecture & Design hereby advises that the project commencing construction is not a Bates Smart design and apologises for the errors contained in the article. 

Images: Brisbane Developer