Approval has been granted for a new 82-storey Brisbane tower designed by ROTHELOWMAN and developed by Aria Property Group. 171 Edward Street is set to become one of Brisbane’s tallest buildings. (See original DA article here).

The design of the project has been masterfully considered to provide the Brisbane skyline with an iconic new landmark. The curved, gold facade draws heavily on the elegant form of Constantin Brancusi’s ‘Bird in Space’– a series of 16 sculptures created between 1923 to 1940 that collectively communicate the notion of flight.

The original work was sold in 2005 for $27.5 million– a record price at the time for a sculpture sold at auction– and the first of the series is currently housed in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

“The design intent is to reinforce the slender nature of the tower proportions through the refinement of a simple, singular and organic form that is contextually responsive,” says ROTHELOWMAN Principal Jeff Brown. “Wind engineering objectives are addressed through the ‘roughening’ effect of the open corners and asymmetry of the building form.”

The ‘peeling’ corners provide visual asymmetry and create opportunities for maximising views from corner balconies, gardens and living spaces.

In keeping with ROTHELOWMAN’s tradition of designing interactive vertical communities, 171 Edward Street will be opened up to the wider neighbourhood through a four-storey podium featuring over 2,100 square metres of retail and commercial space.

Residents of 171 Edward Street will also be provided with over 3,000 square metres of communal residential recreation space, the largest offering in the Brisbane CBD for one building. Extensive amenity in the form of ‘recreation floors’ on levels four, five and six will include a residents’ bar, theatre, karaoke bar, dining, gym, yoga studio and residents’ lounge, large landscaped roof garden, lap pool and spa.

Adding to the five star feel of the development, there will be additional resident facilities on the ‘Club Floor’ on level 60. Here, residents can take in the unrivalled city views from the dining room, with a dedicated kitchen, games room and a second residents’ lounge.

Introducing hotel-like amenities to residential developments has become standard practice for ROTHELOWMAN projects to provide residents with a heightened sense of luxury, community and belonging. Much like a traditional hotel, these amenities encourage the mingling of residents through communal entry points, added facilities for heath and fitness and areas for entertainment.

Reconsidering the craft of hotel design in residential projects means these communal facilities are no longer reserved for holidays but are able to be experienced year-round to effectively enhance the lives of residents.

“171 Edward Street is set to become a world-class residential development that positively enhances Brisbane CBD’s emerging reputation as a highly livable civic centre,” Brown says.

171 Edward Street will feature a mix of one and two bed dwellings across a total 652 apartments. See original article here.