Here is a possible design for Northbank in Brisbane. Northbank is the area where the Expressway runns over the river bank along side the CBD. It's currently a visual eyesore! Enjoy!!!

More pics from the Skyscraperlife web site (Credit to SoulVision):

Jumping grasshoppers!

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/8752/untitled1lk1.jpg

Wow I like that. Any idea when this will happen?

This design has been drawn to replace the previous ideas. I don't know if they even have a timeframe yet.

Personally this design takes the cake of all of them...so much better!!!

QLD Thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=89496)

This is hot!

That seriously beats all other designs, but really is just a vision of "what could be", nothing in concrete at all. The north bank area should make way for some tallies in the future :) Love the foot bridge, we definitely need that

Son of a fucking bitch!! This has to happen!! :D

Yeah its an excellent proposal. I am guessing those buildings are just concepts and what actually gets built could differ.

^^Yeah that's true...although I love the look of the blue tower with the green top!

I wouldn't necessarily say these are just concepts.

There are only two bidders left, Lend Lease and Multiplex. Those designs are pretty detailed. The tower on the left is listed by the person who posted the pics as a hotel. The one on the right in the night shot, looks like a office tower in line with present demand.

So I think this is a fair indication of what they are going to do, the tower details might change and be refined as they inevitably are in Brisbane, but otherwise I'd say that is what you could get.

Question is, is this the multiplex bid or the lend lease bid?

^^Whosever it is, I want to see the other!!! It could be even better perhaps!!!

Question is, is this the multiplex bid or the lend lease bid?

The person who posted this has pics of a few other projects they've worked on. If anyone can be bothered connecting the dots you'd have your answer.

Love the concept. It will transform the riverside. Good to see them building right on top of the expressway, like the Hotel Nikko and Darling Park Towers on top of the Western Distributor in Sydney.

Like the spiraling footbridge. I'd be the best one of it's type in OZ.

This is absolutley brilliant:bow: :bow: :bow: love everything about it send to the planners of northbank and if it gets through it would be great.

love the bridge.....funky:nuts:

Is the top section of the building..
a) green
b) gold
c) planter boxes ~ like the Brisbane Hilton??

I would really prefer lower scale buildings with only enough height to screen the freeway and no taller than that. The casino, lands admin building, the commisariat stores and all of the other George street colonial wonders are really quite beautiful. And it would be nice to create a layered efect when you look acros from city. Where you can see them above the northbank strip of development.

Those tower proposals are so generic and could be anywhere in the world. Lets preserve a little of the sense that this place was where Brisbane first met the river - which is why all of these important colonial buildings were built here.

Colonial buildings.................................................Grey Street
......................northank........................southbank...............
.................................~~~~river~~~~..............................

The above would be such a beautiful arrangement, and would actually be 'Brisbane.'

I am aware that such building heights may be required to offset the cost of building over the freeway and setting up river foundations, but i really think the state governement should severely restrict the height here.

Yes but as you yourself noted if you limit the heights no one will build over it and nothing will happen and then what, we are stuck with the present mess.

I wouldn't hide the Casino etc if possible but everything else is fair game, and that's most of the buildings on that side of town.

Everything from those fugly QUT building to those GHASTLY govt 70's boxes just look terrible, just terrible. It is a total mess. You need a good 40 stories to block some of that rubbish. (I realise it won't get as far as QUT, but still.)

So now we have a chance to do that, a big master planned development that has a rare opportunity to give us a new skyline on the ugly side of town. The whole skyline there can be designed to be cohesive and balanced and integrated! How often does that happen? We can totally transform this lackluster view. If we go lowrise we'll just preserve the tops of all those 70's boxes.

To that end I also think that the sites where the towers are proposed should be allowed to go taller. If we got some Vision class developments on those sites it would be brilliant.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/112/253940664_5f8c1b6dd5_b.jpg

The main cover-up needs to happen with the state govt brown slab on George St, it just makes the city look old and dirty.

WOW! Thats awsome!! This is the part I hated most about Brisbane. I found that Brisbane hadn't embrassed the waterside as much as, say, Sydney or Melbourne. It need's restraunts etc. That would be a top notch choice.

^ are you kidding me? Brisbane celebrates its waterways a lot more than Melbourne does the Yarra.

^ are you kidding me? Brisbane celebrates its waterways a lot more than Melbourne does the Yarra.

Take Riparian and surrounds for example, there is nothing around it! a few stairs, a small lifeless cafe, if I remember correctly, and a citycat thing.

im glad the proposal includes the removal of that 'add on' onto the old state library, it had like kindagarden mosaics and 70's concreate blocks - attached to the grand old sandstone library?!!?! hideous. I hope it goes.

(im talking about the building currently in the spot that the big tall building will take up)

Agreed!! There's VERY little in the way of restaurants/cafes/etc etc that are RIGHT ON the river. There's a bit along riverside, a bit down next to goodwill not much else...


Also, on a side note. In one of the other threads (i think it was "Dubai style buildings in melbourne") there was a pic of 5 grey-wavy buildings that kind of looked like coral. They would look so good spread out in a line on northbank. my2c.

Here it is...

Imagine these spread out in a straight line. would look awesome (though maybe not quite that tall.... although...)


http://www.leecrockford.com/dt.jpg

The Brisbane river is celebrated and used (public transport and entertainment) a lot more than the Yarra is in Melbourne.

im glad the proposal includes the removal of that 'add on' onto the old state library, it had like kindagarden mosaics and 70's concreate blocks - attached to the grand old sandstone library?!!?! hideous. I hope it goes.

(im talking about the building currently in the spot that the big tall building will take up)

The "Kindergarden mosaic" was the result of a national competiton in 1958 and was inspired by indigenous art. The entire building (including the annexe) is a former State Library and Art Gallery and is therefore a significant part of Brisbane's built environment.

Just because you think something isn't pretty doesn't mean it shouldn't exist!

Take Riparian and surrounds for example, there is nothing around it! a few stairs, a small lifeless cafe, if I remember correctly, and a citycat thing.

then you clearly don't remember properly.

Kingsleys Steak & Crabhouse is on the first level of the plaza area, while plaza del bistro is on the promenade (I assume this is the cafe you're talking about, though I would hardly call it lifeless since it is packed whenever i go past). The citycat is at the far end of riverside....but since you brought that area up, it certainly has quite a few riverside restaurants and with the markets, is quite lively both through the week and on weekends.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/41913446_0860dc21db.jpg

http://photosau.com/TQImageLib/jpeg/009/009545.jpg

and to the right is eagle street pier, with even more restaurants facing the river

http://k53.pbase.com/v3/93/329493/1/51226984.BrisbaneOct05663.jpg

"The Brisbane river is celebrated and used (public transport and entertainment) a lot more than the Yarra is in Melbourne."
Oh Zach..this is one area where Brisbane beats Melbourne. Your brown drainage ditch is much bigger than ours.

The "Kindergarden mosaic" was the result of a national competiton in 1958 and was inspired by indigenous art. The entire building (including the annexe) is a former State Library and Art Gallery and is therefore a significant part of Brisbane's built environment.

Just because you think something isn't pretty doesn't mean it shouldn't exist!

its not just that, i think it was designed very badly and dosnt respect the heritage of all the buildings surrounding that park. its one of the few consistant heritage precincts in our cbd, and i think with the new design, they should be made (as was casino towers) to recognise the heritage value of the site and continue the sandstone facade for the podium level.

its not just that, i think it was designed very badly and dosnt respect the heritage of all the buildings surrounding that park. its one of the few consistant heritage precincts in our cbd, and i think with the new design, they should be made (as was casino towers) to recognise the heritage value of the site and continue the sandstone facade for the podium level.

I fail to see blue circles, an overhanging swimming pool and obviously fake sandstone enhance a heritage area. I also strongly doubt that a new tower on this tiny sight will make any attempt at faux heritage.

I'm worried that in ten years when there are no buildings left from the 50's, 60's and 70's we will all look back and wish we'd had more foresight.

does anyone else know the building we're talking about? what are other peoples thoughts? ( i think hmmm and my positions are relatively clear lol)

does anyone else know the building we're talking about? what are other peoples thoughts? ( i think hmmm and my positions are relatively clear lol)

Id prefer to keep the little extension... when built it was deemed an important part of brisbane's cultural heritage... an interpretation of aboriginal art and culture. It still is people have just forgotten it.

Id prefer to keep the little extension... when built it was deemed an important part of brisbane's cultural heritage... an interpretation of aboriginal art and culture. It still is people have just forgotten it.

I've forgot nothing.

Yes but as you yourself noted if you limit the heights no one will build over it and nothing will happen and then what, we are stuck with the present mess.

I wouldn't hide the Casino etc if possible but everything else is fair game, and that's most of the buildings on that side of town.

Everything from those fugly QUT building to those GHASTLY govt 70's boxes just look terrible, just terrible. It is a total mess. You need a good 40 stories to block some of that rubbish. (I realise it won't get as far as QUT, but still.)

So now we have a chance to do that, a big master planned development that has a rare opportunity to give us a new skyline on the ugly side of town. The whole skyline there can be designed to be cohesive and balanced and integrated! How often does that happen? We can totally transform this lackluster view. If we go lowrise we'll just preserve the tops of all those 70's boxes.

To that end I also think that the sites where the towers are proposed should be allowed to go taller. If we got some Vision class developments on those sites it would be brilliant.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/112/253940664_5f8c1b6dd5_b.jpg

I'm with Locke on this....

im glad the proposal includes the removal of that 'add on' onto the old state library, it had like kindagarden mosaics and 70's concreate blocks - attached to the grand old sandstone library?!!?! hideous. I hope it goes.

(im talking about the building currently in the spot that the big tall building will take up)


I absolutely agree with this...it IS hideous....:)

I fail to see blue circles, an overhanging swimming pool and obviously fake sandstone enhance a heritage area. I also strongly doubt that a new tower on this tiny sight will make any attempt at faux heritage.

I'm worried that in ten years when there are no buildings left from the 50's, 60's and 70's we will all look back and wish we'd had more foresight.


I still think Danubis is entitled to his opinion....and I happen to agree with him on this...

thanx brissieroy, mind you, i was unaware of its significance untill hmmm pointed it out. can hmmm elaborate any further about the building? its hard to find any info on it by googling.

thanx brissieroy, mind you, i was unaware of its significance untill hmmm pointed it out. can hmmm elaborate any further about the building? its hard to find any info on it by googling.


No probs...I did'nt know about its history either to be honest, but it even though it is in a 'heritage' precinct, it really looks out of place....the old state library that it is attached to as i understand it is or was owned by Jupiters Casino. They had plans years ago to turn it into the "high Rollers" part of the casino, but it did not go ahead for some reason. That would have been very glam and very Monaco - shame really...

thanx brissieroy, mind you, i was unaware of its significance untill hmmm pointed it out. can hmmm elaborate any further about the building? its hard to find any info on it by googling.

no sorry i don't know much about it but I always thought it was wonderful the way the annexe wraps around the entire building on the lower level yet the upper level of th original building is untouched. When so much public art from the 50's-70's is disappearing in the refurbishment/demolishion of buildings (eg mural in the ANZ building on Queen St) it's great to still have this mosaic in such a prominent place

no sorry i don't know much about it but I always thought it was wonderful the way the annexe wraps around the entire building on the lower level yet the upper level of th original building is untouched. When so much public art from the 50's-70's is disappearing in the refurbishment/demolishion of buildings (eg mural in the ANZ building on Queen St) it's great to still have this mosaic in such a prominent place

maybe part of it could be saved and incorporated into the new design?

From the Queensland Heritage Register online...

The 1958-59 extension, to the west and south, is of four storeys, only one of which appears above William Street. The William Street frontage features a random pattered wall at the main entrance under a low-pitched copper-sheathed roof. The western wall is decorated with a large glass mosaic mural, 20.7 metres by 4.4 metres, the design suggesting primitive organic forms indicative of growth and development. On the river side is an aluminium sculpture approximately 6 metres high. Entitled Enlightenment, it depicts three figures reaching towards the sun, symbolising the dissemination of enlightenment to mankind. To the south the extension was designed as a series of concrete fin walls providing views of the river, private work areas and shade from the sun.

The former State Library is significant for its historical association with the 1958-59 extension, the major centennial project by the Queensland Government and for its association with the State Library of Queensland since 1902.

In 1958 national competitions were held for designs for a wall mural and sculpture to embellish the exterior of the new Centennial Hall. These were won by Victorian artist Lindsay Edward and Brisbane sculptor Leonard G Shillam. Shillam's aluminium sculpture was cast by the Non-Ferrous Foundry of Brisbane.

The extensions were opened officially in August 1959 by Princess Alexandra.

Unlikely that anything will happen to the extension. When the casino was being created (and the post above is correct in that the building was included in the development) there were plans to use the building as a theatre/ function area. due the the heritage values the modifications necessary were not allowed- hence the current situation. I personally have always thought it was not the most attractive feature however perhaps that could be rectified and improved without loosing the essential charcter?