A 20-storey mixed-use project in Brisbane’s south has recently reached completion and stands as the new gateway to the thriving Queensland Arts Precinct.

Austin, by Rothelowman architects, now stands 20-storeys high on an unusual site fronting Grey Street and Fish Lane in South Brisbane and directly in front of a heavy rail line. It situated in the heart of the thriving Queensland Arts Precinct, literally opposite the QLD Museum, QLD Art Gallery, QLD State Library, GOMA and QLD Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).

Rothelowman notes that the building strives to inject itself into the neighbourhood through activated pedestrian bridges and art-inspired materiality, but also serves as the gateway for the evolving South Brisbane into a high-density residential and commercial precinct.

The project involved the extensive restoration of a 1920s railway workshop which then formed the decorative podium and articulation for the remainder of the building. The tower element is really broken into two main forms, a completely glazed northern tower that meets at an interesting junction with the brick building, and a second L-shaped form that wraps the glazed tower and is footed by a precast concrete podium.

This collision of materiality between the crystalline glass, white horizontal precast strata and heritage brick was
chosen to respond to the hybridity of the surrounding precinct and to overtly reflect the presence of art in the area.

The tessellating façade panels were CNC routed and the polycarbonate panel artwork was created by Daniel Templeman Artist.

“Fundamental to the concept of the design is the presence of artwork generously incorporated into both the exterior podium and more intimately scaled works to both the main lobby and the lift lobbies at the upper residential levels,” says Rothelowman.

The exterior podium features the artwork of Daniel Templeman, who created the routed CFC panel installation on the Grey Street frontage and the polycarbonate panel artwork: ‘Foil’. (Pictured above)

Priscilla Bracks and Gavin Sade of ‘Kuuki: Art, Design and Creative Media’ also contributed to the project by creating the Acrylic LED lit installation on the buildings South Elevation called ‘Grateful Fateful Sunshine Rain’ .

The interiors continue the artistic theme and include stone tiles from SNB Stone and wall tiles from Parrella Tiles.

The building, which also comprises a rooftop common as well as a groundfloor retail and lobby space, was recently winner of the Best Residential High Rise Development for 2015 at the Asia Pacific International Property Awards and is currently being considered for the 2015 Queensland Architecture Awards.

KEY PROJECT INFO

PEOPLE

PROJECT TEAM
Joel Kelder, Howard Lawrence, Duncan Betts, Simon White, Shane Rothe, Lyndsey Thompson, Paola Stocco, Ian Tsui, Greg Foll, John Paisa

DEVELOPER
Aria Property Group

BUILDER
CMF Projects

STRUCTURAL, CIVIL, MECHANICAL AND HYDRAULIC CONSULTANT
ADG

ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
BCA Consultants

LED ARTWORK
Priscilla Bracks and Gavin Sade of ‘Kuuki: Art, Design and Creative Media’

POLYCARBONATE PANEL ARTWORK
‘Foil’ - by Daniel Templeman Artist (East Elevation)

PHOTOGRAPHER
Scott Burrows

PRODUCTS

DOUBLE GLAZED FAÇADE SYSTEM
Grey Laminate Glass with Alspec Aluminium Frames by NGA Commercial Glazing Pty Ltd

TESSELLATING FAÇADE PANELS (PODIUM)
Routed CFC panels – artwork by Daniel Templeman

PODIUM LOUVRES
AME 100 Continuous fixed ventilation louvre System by Austral Monsoon

LOBBY FLOORING
SNB Stone (various)

WALL TILES
Parrella Tiles (Various)

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