Brisbane developer Aria Property Group has lodged plans for a 13-storey residential tower east of Brisbane’s CBD.
The 2,581sq m site, located at 470-480 Main Street along the narrow Kangaroo Point peninsula, currently consists of two, two-storey residential buildings and a two-storey retail building.
The amalgamated site was sold by the developers of Brisbane’s Howard Smiths Wharves, Adam Flaskas and Elisha Bickle, late last year for a combined price of $3.6 million.
Aria has now moved to build 127 apartments above two levels of basement parking for 167 carparks, as well as a rooftop recreation area with indoor and outdoor spaces.
The apartment tower, flanked by the Brisbane River, will also sit between Devcorp’s 13-storey Lume project, which is currently under construction, and Gallus and Partners’ 12-storey 240-apartment River & Main project.
Aria said it matched the building’s height and mass to its neighbouring projects in order to “create a coherent built form along the cliffs above the Brisbane River”.
“Aria is excited to bring this project to life that will truly integrate the surrounding landscape of Kangaroo Point into a residential building,” Aria Property Group development director Brent Liddell told The Urban Developer.
An architectural design competition was undertaken between Bates Smart, Richards & Spence and Koichi Takada.
The winning design, from Bates Smart, was selected by Aria due to its “striking architecture” and facade materiality.
The design was also praised for its floor plan layouts which featured a very high percentage of naturally lit apartments.
“Our vision is to create a distinctive architecture that captures the uniqueness of the site’s clifftop location while maximising river and city views,” Bates Smart noted in the proposal.
The building’s horizontal spandrel facade will also helps to articulate the cliff faces along the banks of the Brisbane River which connects architecture to its proposed location.
The proposed design also aims to respond to the sub-tropical climate and aims to connect internal spaces to the external environment in line with the Buildings that Breathe strategy adopted by Brisbane City Council.
Aria has also enlisted RPS Landscape Architects to champion that strategy and create a succinct experience, from the building’s entrance, extending through all levels and culminating in a “generous” communal rooftop.
On the ground level, residents will be met with a reflection pond which leads to a resident’s lounge.
The ground level will also feature a dry creek bed with boulders, nature play space, butterfly walk and a cinema and cellar dining room.
Speaking at this year’s residential property summit held by The Urban Developer in Fortitude Valley on Friday, Aria Property development director Michael Hurley said Aria’s brand reputation and philosophy for placemaking had allowed it to press forward with high-end developments in challenging market conditions.
“Our product speaks for itself, but we do spend a tremendous amount of time making sure that we are exceeding people’s expectations,” Hurley said.
“We want to create developments we are proud to walk our families past in 20 years time and we want our buildings to get better in time.”
Aria recently completed Valencia in Kangaroo Point and The Drapery in Woolloongabba.
The developer also has plans for a 145-apartment tower in West End, designed by Rothelowman.
Source: theurbandeveloper.com