Brisbane, Queensland AUS

Client: QIC
Completion: 2009
Construction Value: $60M

ARM’s first project in Brisbane is a joint venture with Arkhefield, won via an invited design competition. Our client QIC wanted to enliven and refresh an existing 3 level retail centre on the corner of Queen and Albert Streets in the heart of the city. They also required a new retail zone on an adjacent site, topped with a 10 storey commercial office building.

The retail zones are expressed vibrantly with exaggerated coloured picture frames and the circulation through the existing site has been rationalised to increase lettable floor space, taking advantage of existing but under utilized basement space.

The commercial building, rather squat in its proportions, is a simple glass curtain wall box. The box has been draped with an external curtain of laser cut vertical louvre blades on the Albert Street facade. Through the utilisation of constantly varying profile depths, the louvre blades appear to ripple - the contrast of the reflective glass facade through the repetitive and undulating blade segments provides the illusion of movement.
Following ARM’s original design concept created in early 2005, ARM and Arkhefield worked closely together on all project phases and following some timing delays beyond our control, the project achieved practical completion in October 2009.