Riverside Centre, more than any other development, changed the face of the Brisbane CBD
IT OPENED two years before Expo 88, ushering in a new era of office towers to rival any in Australia. But more than that, this development spelt the end of the original ‘Golden Triangle’ of the 1970s’ CBD centred around Queen St. | PICTURE SPECIAL
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ALMOST 30 years ago, the Australian business community’s view of the Brisbane CBD made a seismic shift.
On October 1, 1986, the Riverside Centre officially opened, and immediately set a benchmark for city office towers.
It opened two years before Expo 88, ushering a new era of state-of-the-art office towers that could rival any in Australia and the world.
JLL Australia chief executive Stephen Conry said the 40-storey office tower at 123 Eagle St was the catalyst for change in the CBD.
“At the time it was referred to as Brisbane’s first intelligent building for its technology and services,” he said.
“It was also the highest quality office space we had seen and it was the biggest office building that had been developed.” Designed by Harry Seidler & Associates, developed by Lend Lease and owned by GPT since it opened, the tower complex also included a two-level retail plaza and ferry terminals opening it up to the river.
Riverside is also heritage-listed as an example of Australian architecture of the late 20th century.
It’s all a long way from the site’s original use as a cemetery and later, its strong association with the wharves.
Mr Conry said the building with its 1500sq m floor plates transformed how business viewed the Brisbane office market, especially after the Australian Stock Exchange made an early commitment to move from its long-term Queen St base to the Riverside Centre.
“You have to remember that before the Riverside Centre, the buildings on this site on Eagle St were old and backed on to the river,” he said.
“They didn’t take any advantage of the views. The Riverside Centre changed that and opened up Eagle St for developers to create buildings that celebrated the river.
“That also meant that the original Golden Triangle of the 1970s centred around Queen St now started gravitating towards the river.”
The Riverside Centre was not the only major quality CBD office tower built in Brisbane during the 1980s to catch the eye of corporate Australia.
Central Plaza One and Two and Waterfront Place were also built during that decade and paved the way for other buildings with river views such as Riparian Plaza, One One One Eagle St and 480 Queen St.
The Riverside Centre also a recognition of the changing needs and expectations of tenants.
As well as all the latest mod cons, the building also had a large empty foyer that replaced lobbies with attached retail that were popular in the previous decade.
Mr Conry said small lobbies with retail were “deemed inappropriate for an office tower in the 1980s”.
For a serious building you needed a serious lobby,” he said. “Today the foyer doesn’t need to be as large but it needs to be active with quality coffees shops.”
Mr Conry said the Riverside Centre also helped Brisbane shed its so called “big country town” image.
“Brisbane may be a smaller city but it’s a cosmopolitan city and a highly desirable global city,” he said.
“It’s highly regarded in the investment market and of all of Australian cities, Brisbane has improved its position globally more than any other.”
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