Innovative Midtown Centre development gets the green light from the Brisbane City Council
TWO tired former Government department buildings in Brisbane’s CBD will be joined together as a single state-of-the-art tower, creating a vibrant new public laneway space in the process.
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TWO tired former Government department buildings will be connected and transformed into a single state-of-the-art commercial tower that developers promise will breathe new life into the CBD’s Midtown precinct.
Brisbane City Council has given approval for a 26-storey office tower — driven by the Buildings that Breathe design philosophy — to be created out of the former Health and Forestry House buildings on Charlotte and Mary streets.
The buildings, which have been labelled Brisbane’s “ugly sisters”, are currently joined by walkways but will “merge” and be refurbished to create called the Midtown Centre.
The tower will have 42,000sq m of A-grade office space, campus style floor plates of 2400sq m to 2500sq m and a vibrant public laneway.
Key elements covered by the approval include a new laneway connection between Charlotte and Mary streets, three additional podium levels, the ability to infill between the two existing buildings and increased building height for the extension to create the premium sky rise levels.
AM Brisbane CBD Investments — a joint venture between Ashe Morgan and DMANN Corporation — bought the buildings late last year for $65 million.
Project director Michael Bruderlin said the Midtown Centre’s design by architect Fender Katsalidis and its environmental credentials were key in gaining the development approval.
“The building embraces and enhances its natural environment in many ways,” he said.
“The land area equivalent has been dedicated to outdoor spaces throughout the building that will promote wellbeing, social and collaboration spaces.
“This, together with the large floor plates that have an abundance of natural light, 3-level mixed-mode naturally ventilated atriums and the iconic Level 20 sky garden are all key elements driven by the Buildings that Breathe philosophy.”
The Breathe philosophy is the gold standard for architectural design to create productive, healthy workplaces and is the foundation of the Brisbane City Council’s New World City Design Guide.
The design will celebrate the existing heritage listed facade at the Charlotte St entrance while restoration work will be guided by Urbis in strict accordance with Brisbane City Council’s heritage guidelines.
It is proposed that the adjacent footpaths be widened to facilitate greater engagement with the heritage facade and the newly activated Mary Charlotte laneway.
Interiors and workspaces will be designed by Hassell, while Landscape Architects Lat27 will be responsible for shaping the outdoor green spaces incorporated into the building.
Developers anticipated work on the Midtown Centre completed by mid 2020.
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