Cox Rayner have submitted a development application for yet another Queensland landmark building, this time a mixed use development incorporating a 66-storey golden skyscraper for Southport on the Gold Coast.

Located on the corner of Park Lane and Scarborough Street, The Au will also incorporate a smaller 15-storey green-glazed tower which will sit alongside its golden big brother on the 4,776sqm site. Altogether the project will accommodates 594 apartments, 481 carparks, four-storeys of commercial tenancies at ground and mezzanine levels, and a wide range of apartment amenities spread out over the larger tower’s various podiums and community levels.

While the form of Tower 1 is unique in its own right, it is its colour that demands the most attention, and in fact its name. Au is an abbreviation of Australia and the atomic symbol for gold on the period table and is also the source of inspiration for the project’s colour palette. In their DA to the Gold Coast Council Cox said that their prototype glazing for Tower 1 will be a source of dynamism for the Gold Coast skyline.

“Our tests on the glazing demonstrate that it takes on different tones depending upon the viewer’s and sun’s position and will vary from gold through to light blue and light green to create an ethereal quality,” it reads.

“This is distinct from blue or grey glass which provides little variegation.”

A further purpose, says Cox, is to create a contrast with, and accentuate, the greenness of vegetation on the podium and in recesses up the tower height. The proposal also combines the glazing with metallic gold screens at the lower levels to integrate transparent and translucent elements into a unified whole.

The Au is one of a handful of landmark Cox Rayner projects being developed in the state of QLD, others include two 274-metre towers in the Brisbane CBD at Albert and Margaret Streets as well as massive $600 million three buildings project for Canon Hill, Brisbane.

Another major feature of The Au will be its curvaceous soffits, also gold in colour and footed by large pilotis.

Nathan Johnson

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