Aria Property Group have lodged plans to build a 30-storey tower with 1,003 trees called “The Urban Forest” at 88 Merivale Street, South Bank, Brisbane.

<div class="row" data-reactroot=""><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><p>Aria Property Group has lodged plans to build a 30-storey tower with 1,003 trees called “The Urban Forest” at South Bank, Brisbane.</p><p>The plans feature 382 apartments, two levels of common rooftop space, an array of greenery as well as a 1,350sq m public park at the base of the building and ground floor retail.</p><p>The design for 88 Merivale Street, South Brisbane by Koichi Takada Architects is marketed as the “greenest residential building in the world”.</p><p>The Brisbane-based developer has had the South Bank block under contract since 2019.</p><p>Three sites were included in the development application at corner block opposite the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre and Brisbane State High School. </p><p>The site was listed for more than $20 million, according to industry sources.</p><p>Related: <a href="https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/worlds-tallest-man-made-waterfall-moves-ahead-in-brisbane">World’s Tallest Man-Made Waterfall Wins Approval</a></p></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><div><picture><img src="https://tud-prod-tudmedia-oj9w2zshuo0o.s3.amazonaws.com/raw/images/4916987b-a719-4b4f-b4f9-931527de0ec4.jpg" width="800"/></picture><div><span style="align-content:center;opacity:0.8">▲ Always greener: the view from the top of the Urban Forest at 88 Merivale Street out towards 1 William Street and Brisbane CBD.</span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><p></p><p>Aria development manager Michael Hurley said despite the tough conditions for apartments in Brisbane they had to focus on the things they could change, which seemed to be working.</p><p>“The market&#x27;s the market, we can&#x27;t control that but we can control what we do,” Hurley said.</p><p>“You&#x27;ve got to learn and there&#x27;s lots of takeaways from what we&#x27;ve all been through in the last three or four months.</p><p>“There&#x27;s a lot of lessons and a lot of good feedback and we&#x27;re making sure that we&#x27;re consistently evolving our offering and listening to our owners and tenants as to what they want.</p><p>“So far we&#x27;ve been fortunate we&#x27;ve had a good following and our peers have said what we&#x27;re doing seems to be working.”</p><p>Hurley said they wanted this new building to set the benchmark for green urban centres.</p><p>“In time we want Brisbane to be mentioned in the same breath as Singapore as a global leader in green buildings and sustainability,” Hurley said.</p><p>Related: <a href="https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/aria-gets-green-light-for-350m-mooloolaba-project">Aria Gets Green Light for $350m Mooloolaba Project</a></p></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><div><picture><img src="https://tud-prod-tudmedia-oj9w2zshuo0o.s3.amazonaws.com/raw/images/6feb8197-148b-4c08-9eac-c8264a5e2ed4.jpg" width="800"/></picture><div><span style="align-content:center;opacity:0.8">▲ Common space and the new Glenelg Street park by Aria Property Group and Koichi Takada Architects.</span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><p></p><p>Architect Koichi Takada said their practice was promoting cities to inspire the next generation to help create mass greening for a sustainable and greener future.</p><p>“The Urban Forest is a vertical park which features five times the trees found in nearby Musgrave Park and a Green Plot Ratio [at] 292 per cent [of] the site area in gardens; equivalent to taking over 150 cars off the road each year,” Takada said.</p><p>“It is important to bring such a building to Brisbane at this time, as unlike more populated cities, Brisbane still offers abundant opportunity to define and shift the city to a more natural and humanised approach.</p><p>“The result is the greenest residential building with generous backyards in the sky and offers a healthier way to live.”</p><p>The Urban Forest residential tower planting included a variety of tree species which would flower in different seasons.</p><p>The ground level Glenelg Street park plans also featured a number of trees along with a stage, outdoor classrooms, amphitheatre and event space. </p></div></div></div></div></div>

Aria Property Group have lodged plans to build a 30-storey tower with 1,003 trees called “The Urban Forest” at South Bank, Brisbane...

QPAC Brisbane 

<div class="row" data-reactroot=""><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><p><strong>After unveiling plans for </strong><a href="https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/brisbane-set-to-receive-australias-largest-performing-arts-venue-"><strong>Australia&#x27;s largest performing arts venue earlier this year</strong></a><strong>, the Queensland government has announced an expressions of interest campaign for a principal design consultant. </strong></p><p>The Palaszczuk government has promised $125 million in the Queensland budget to a new 1500-1700 seat theatre, with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) to contribute the remaining $25 million.</p><p>QPAC and the state government are now pushing forward with the proposal, launching an expressions of interest campaign for designers looking to take on the “significant infrastructure project”. </p><p>Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the new theatre will leave a lasting mark on the state’s cultural landscape.</p><p>Palaszczuk’s sentiments were shared by deputy premier and member for South Brisbane Jackie Trad who said the theatre would support the local arts culture. </p><p>“This new theatre space will provide greater scope to continue growing the local performing arts industry in Queensland while also meeting audience demand for vibrant arts experiences,” Trad said.</p><p>Related reading: <a href="https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/brisbane-set-to-receive-australias-largest-performing-arts-venue-">Brisbane Set to Receive Australia’s Largest Performing Arts Venue</a></p></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><div><picture><img src="https://tud-prod-tudmedia-oj9w2zshuo0o.s3.amazonaws.com/raw/images/c8b8b6d7-08e2-448b-8897-42eb61b26e61.png" width="1100"/></picture><div><span style="align-content:left;opacity:0.8">Labor Government and QPAC are proposing to build a new 1500-1700 seat theater. </span><span style="float:right;opacity:0.8">Image: QPAC</span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><p><br>Reports compiled by QPAC were used to create a business case for the new proposal, justifying its projected scale and expenditure. </p><p>The reports show figures indicating QPAC have neared capacity across all their theatres, with a strong forward program of bookings to 2022 and beyond. </p><p>Anticipated to be fully operational by 2022, the State government expects the extension will make it Australia’s largest performing arts centre and welcome an additional 300,000 visitors each year.</p><p>Minister for Arts Leeanne Enoch said the new theatre would add wider ranging benefits beyond the local performing arts industry. </p><p>“It will also bolster our visitor economy by enhancing our ability to share the state’s unique local stories and arts product at our iconic Queensland Cultural Centre,” Enoch said.</p><p>Slated for development on the currently vacant Playhouse Green site directly next to QPAC, the extension will be overseen by the Department of Housing and Public Work’s project delivery team. </p><p>Following the completion of the expressions of interest campaign, consultants will be shortlisted to develop concept designs as part of the next stage request for tender (RFT) process in 2019.</p><p>According to Enoch the government will be looking for high-quality design that complements the existing QPAC building. </p><p>“We will also expect the new theatre to be a distinct structure while respecting the original architectural intent of the heritage listed Queensland Cultural Centre site.” Enoch said. </p><p>Expressions of interest close 2pm, 14 December 2018.</p></div></div></div></div></div>

A new $150 million Performing Arts Theatre: Does that sound like something you might be interested in? 

SOUTH BANK