Brisbane River Tower
nly a few months to go before Crone Partners “180B” signature commercial development, reaches practical completion. 180 Brisbane is a 34 level commercial office tower, with 3 levels of retail and 5 levels of basement parking and estimated construction cost of $300m. Crone Partners designed the building in 2010 for Japanese client Daisho and construction giants Watpac. The project is due for completion November 2015. Crone architects have worked collaboratively with Watpac on a number of significant Commercial Office buildings in Australia, including the Telstra Tower at 275 George Street Brisbane and 333 George Street in Sydney. 333 George Street is also under construction and due for completion this year.
180B is ambitious, gutsy and a highly intelligent building. The tower will be Brisbane’s first 6 Star Green Star V3 certified office building and aiming for a 5.5 Star NABERS Energy Rating. This is the highest sustainability rating attainable through the Green Building Council of Australia’s rating system and described as “World’s Best Practice”.
The structural design is innovative using a side core to straddle the Brisbane railway lines that run directly under the site. The lift cores act as a beam to span over the railway tracks. Crone worked with Hyder structural engineers to develop the structural system and a series of large diagonal trusses to support the typical floor plates. This strategic thinking helped unlock the opportunities of the site. The resulting floor plates are regular in shape, open planned and saturated with light and spectacular views. It was through this innovative thinking, Crone were able to win the project through a Design Review Phase, against 6 major architectural firms in Australia. Other key issues that informed the design where overshadowing of King Georges Park, the requirement for a through Site Link and Wind Amelioration.
The Brisbane River super graphic, so dominant on the facade and no doubt controversial, becomes a theme throughout the development. It’s a signature to the building easily recognizable from a distance. A very bold idea, the Brisbane River is pix-elated on the North Eastern facade of the building through the use of a Frit on the glass. The Frit on the curtain wall panels is a rain drop pattern, following the theme of water and sustainability. The building itself has already been nicknamed the “Brisbane River Tower”
When complete this iconic building will truly transform the CBD and set a new standard for commercial buildings.
Below are aerial images of the building under construction;
