Architecture firm John McAslan + Partners has unveiled a vision to revitalise Brisbane Central Station as an enduring Olympic legacy project, with the concept focused on heritage integration, improved connectivity and long-term urban regeneration.

The design proposal outlines how Brisbane Central could be transformed from what has been described as an “embarrassing” transport hub into a light-filled, connected and welcoming civic gateway to the city ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games.

According to John McAslan + Partners director Troy Uleman, the current Brisbane Central Station feels “old, tired and grimy”. The concept seeks to open up the station to the sky and reconnect it with surrounding heritage buildings, addressing longstanding concerns about accessibility, visibility and civic presence.

Brisbane_Central_Troy_Uleman_John_McAslan_Partners2.jpg — *A glimpse into the heritage buildings from the current platform | Image: John McAslan + Partners*

"Central Station is arguably Brisbane's most important transport hub," says Uleman. "The station is buried beneath the Sofitel and an office block and disconnected from its surroundings. It's hard to find your way in and out and it has no civic presence.”

"But it has great heritage bones and the potential to become a welcoming front door to the city that leverages the heritage buildings to give the station the sense of identity it lacks."

The proposal seeks to upgrade the station to the required standard ahead of the Games, when Central is expected to serve as a key arrival point for international visitors travelling from the airport.

*Proposed: John McAslan + Partners’ design proposal for Brisbane Central shows the station opened to the sky and the heritage buildings fronting Anzac Square | Image: John McAslan + Partners*

Brisbane_Central_Troy_Uleman_John_McAslan_Partners3.jpg — *Existing: The current station from the same position | Image: John McAslan + Partners*

An Olympic legacy for the city

The scheme is framed as a long-term opportunity to create an enduring legacy for the city and its people beyond the Olympics.

"Central sits right on Anzac Square, a significant public open space. Redesigning the station to better integrate into the surrounding precincts will open up movement from the CBD to the north and drive investment. It is ripe for public and private partnerships that would benefit everyone," Uleman explains.

He points to the firm’s work on King's Cross Station in London as a precedent, where the London Olympics was the catalyst for the restoration, modernisation and extension of the heritage station located in a former industrial area. A distinctive wave-form roof created a new public realm, transforming the station into a major urban gateway to a development precinct now recognised as one of the world's most successful examples of transport-led regeneration.

Brisbane_Central_Troy_Uleman_John_McAslan_Partners © Dan Peled-2.jpg — *John McAslan + Partners Director, Troy Uleman inside the current heritage building entrance to Brisbane Central | Image: Dan Peled*

Transport as the driver of urban change

The proposal argues that transport infrastructure must take a leading role in planning for major events, rather than follow broader precinct development to unlock potential and create value.

"For the few weeks of the Games and the Paralympics, large numbers of people will need to be moved around between venues and the rest of the city," says Uleman. "It's critical to think beyond this. If transport leads planning, the city will be better connected and gain precincts that benefit people and support development well into the future. Otherwise, it will be a massive lost opportunity."

Main image: Render of proposed Brisbane suburban station design, courtesy https://www.stantec.com/au/projects/c/central-station-building-upgrades

All images supplied.

Architecture News & Editorial Desk

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