An Urban Design Workshop

Workshop Outcomes and Key Recommendations

August 2013

UD AL

1
 Foreword:
Brisbane’s Government Precinct is currently one of Australia’s
most cohesive heritage precincts, rich in its recording of
almost two centuries of change from penal settlement to the
Proclamation of Federation from the balcony of the Treasury
building overlooking William Street and including Queensland’s
Centennial gift to the people….the modernist extension to the
Old State Library (originally the first museum). The precinct
embraces Brisbane’s oldest remaining street, originally Kings
Wharf Road (renamed when Queen Victoria ascended the
throne), its first buildings and streets which set the layout
of today’s city grid and the oldest surviving building, the
Commissariat Store.
The heritage significance of the precinct is also underpinned
by modern historical events including the controversial loss
of the 1885 Bellevue Hotel and the almost simultaneous
1980’s Government Precinct Master Plan commissioned by
the same presiding government and awarded via competition
to the US architects Skidmore Owings and Merrill, today
one of the world’s longest practising architectural firms. The
SOM plan established the layout and building volumes for
all buildings including the Parliamentary Annexe, 80 George
Street and set the conditions since adhered to by the nationally
awarded Neville Bonner Building, a collaborative architectural
achievement and an historically important government
building in its own right. The Master Plan was an international
contribution more explicit than any other in Australia since the
Griffin plan for Canberra some seventy years earlier.
2 BBRR Urban Design Workshop
The past century has seen the Crown’s progressive acquisition
of all properties within the precinct thus achieving the status
of Australia’s largest, uncompromised State Government
Precinct. However the precinct has never been as static
as might be construed from old bricks and mortar; indeed
changes of use, differing modes of stewardship along with
chance and creative engagement with the tensions inherent in
development agendas will continue to enrich the evolution of
this public precinct provided the public spaces are afforded
preeminent status and to which all adjoining buildings and
redevelopment will defer.
The insightful strategies proffered by design professionals and
well communicated in this document, can help guide those
who will negotiate the evolution of the precinct. There will be
challenges. Strategies will differ. Interpretation and prioritisation
will require on-going specialist design advice. Changes of
property tenure could steal from successive generations the
chance of enriching further the Government Precinct.
Most importantly, this precinct is the jewel in Brisbane’s crown,
a public asset which, if afforded enlightened and well-informed
custodianship can become both an economic catalyst and an
uplifting place of civic engagement.
Prof. Philip Follent
Former Queensland Government Architect and inaugural Head of
School of the Soheil Abedian School of Architecture, Bond University
Introduction:
Bridge to Bridge; Ridge to River
An Urban Design Workshop
An Urban Design Workshop
There is a special territory in Brisbane’s City Centre extending
between the Goodwill and Victoria Bridges, and from George Street
to the Brisbane River; between the bridges and from the ridge to
the river. This precinct is of deep significance to our city; it contains
the birthplace of our city and its earliest building, arguably the most
significant collection of heritage buildings in the state; our state
parliament, our only city centre University, and one of only two city
river reaches. It is widely acknowledged that the quality of many
of the spaces within the precinct fall short of their real potential as
great Brisbane places.
The precinct is now in a state of transition. Re-development
presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a great
place for all Queenslanders. Given this state of change and in
acknowledgement of the importance of this precinct, members of
the design community of Brisbane have been motivated to gather
and consider design recommendations for the future of the civic
and urban realm.
On the 5th and 6th of August 2013 100 members of the
design community and affiliated professionals gathered in the
Commissariat Stores for the Bridge to Bridge Ridge to River Urban
Design Workshop. The workshop was supported by and brought
together members of The Urban Design Alliance of Queensland,
the Brisbane Development Association, the Australian Institute of
Architects, and the schools of architecture at Griffith University,
Queensland University of Technology and the University of
Queensland. Representatives from Brisbane City Council and State
Government were also in attendance.
The workshop represented a coming together of some of the key
urban design thinkers in Brisbane and a great breadth and depth
of national and international design experience. Facilitating teams
for the workshop were 18 of Brisbane’s leading built environment
design professionals.
Workshop teams were asked to develop key urban design
principles, focusing on the spaces and places - the public realm
- of this precinct. There was a strong common desire across all
teams to see outcomes on the site guided by a strong long term
and holistic vision for the site that created the best possible civic
and urban realm benefits for the people of Queensland.
Workshop participants were passionate about the tremendous
opportunities inherent in the precinct, and were genuinely engaged
and generous with their time, contributing strong positive ideas
to the making of a better city. As convenors we were deeply
impressed with the generosity of the time and materials given in
the interests of contributing to making a better city: everything was
donated. We’d like to think that participants’ contributions will be
considered in the same spirit of generosity.
Workshop Convenors
Caroline Stalker,
Director Architectus, RAIA, LFUDAL
Leigh Shutter,
Assoc. Professor School of Environment
Griffith University, RAIA
John Loneragan,
Director, Studio Tekton, FRAIA,
Deputy President UDAL
Disclaimer: This report does not represent the views of the organisations who
supported the workshop, and has not been prepared on their behalf.
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 Key Recommendations
Ensure that all development contributes to a holistic,
1. long term vision for the precinct where:
• The immeasurable heritage significance of the area is recognized, celebrated, protected and made
substantially more publicly accessible;
• All the dead, unsafe and unwelcoming spaces in the precinct – including under and around the freeway -
are transformed into places that are lively, welcoming, activated and enjoyable in our climate;
• All public spaces have friendly interactive frontages;
• The river’s edge is a wonderful and inviting public space full of engaging activities;
• There are many welcoming pedestrian connections between the river’s edge and George and William St;
• The north and south banks of the river are connected to one another, creating strong integration of the city
centre and Southbank; and
2. • There is a ‘fine grain’ of public spaces and diversity of buildings – giving the precinct a rich network of
spaces, places and architectures rather than a large single ‘monoculture’ development, or single use.

Streets and Public Spaces

1. Retain George St as the key ‘axis’ in Brisbane for the location of State and civic uses
and functions

3.
George Street

2. Create transitions in scale between taller buildings and low heritage buildings in
George St

3. Activate all development fronting George St with small scale ground floor frontages
to create a lively people-oriented street. Design the streetscape to support year-
round interaction and enjoyment.

4.
William

4. Activate all development fronting William St with small scale ground floor frontages to
Street

create a lively people-oriented street. Design the streetscape to support year-round

interaction and enjoyment.

5. Create a clear, safe and welcoming pedestrian connection down to a destination/

activity at the river’s edge at the end of Alice St
Alice Street

5&6. 6. Create buildings, frontages and streetscapes on Alice Street that will make a
pedestrian friendly street environment. Extend the avenue of large shade trees from
the Botanical Gardens through the precinct

7. Create a lively, safe and welcoming river’s edge. Activate the river’s edge with new
decks, restaurants, event spaces, cafes and recreation areas in the short term to
make it a safe and enjoyable place in the city. Consider noisy activities that can co-
exist with freeway noise.
The River’s Edge

7. 8. Plan for the potential redundancy or staged rerouting of the expressway (including
the closure of on/off ramps) so that this highly significant reach of the river can be
reconnected to the city in the longer term.

9. I nvestigate more pedestrian crossing points along the river in the longer term, linking
this precinct to Southbank

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9.
 10. Recognise the historical significance of Queens Wharf Rd in providing a ramped

Queen’s
Wharf
access from river’s edge to city centre. Re-establish Queens Wharf Rd as a vibrant
people street leading to the river. Combine the City Cat and Ferry stops at the lower
end of Queens Wharf Rd and relocate the bus layover area.

10.
Public Laneways, Courtyards
and Cross-Block Linkages

11. Provide multiple pedestrian linkages between George St and the river’s edge
through new development to enhance the city’s connection to the river.

12. Adopt a fine grain network of human scaled lanes and courtyards throughout the
precinct that build on and celebrate the characteristics of existing heritage buildings

13. Provide more pedestrian connections between the river and the ridge through QUT

11.
The Par-
liment

14. Enhance and integrate the public arrival to parliament – both through the Annex and
the original Parliamentary forecourt.

15. Preserve the integrity and historic setting of the lower scale heritage buildings
ment Scale
and Form
Develop-

by keeping adjacent buildings lower scale and providing buffers to new taller
development. Undertake an impact study to determine appropriate scale of new
development immediately adjacent to lower scale heritage buildings and nature of
required buffers.

16. Actively enhance the heritage precinct to improve its enjoyment and accessibility for
12.
The Heritage Precinct

the people of Queensland. It is the most significant collection of heritage buildings in

the state and this should be able to be understood and enjoyed through the design
of its setting and its interpretation

17. More clearly articulate and demonstrate the experience of the historic relationship
between the Commissariat Store and the river in the design of spaces around the
building

18. Support the ongoing development of a richly mixed people-oriented precinct

15.
where street and public space frontages are lively and interactive. Avoid lengthy
streetscapes of blank walls or single uses.
Activities and Uses

19. Locate uses requiring large floor areas in towers with small footprints and mixed
uses on the lower levels, rather than sprawled across multiple sites.

20. Avoid the creation of a use ‘monoculture’ across the site. Bring a range of activities 17.
to the site, in small footprints, in a fine grain to the site.

21. Bring new recreational, leisure and entertainment uses to the river’s edge and on
Queens Wharf Rd.
Subtropical

22. Create leafy subtropical streets throughout the precinct and sustainable subtropical towers 19&20.
City
The

with sky gardens, public verandahs and subtropical open-ness

23. Implement delivery mechanisms in which the primary objective is to achieve the best
menting
Imple-

Realm
Public
Great

possible public realm and place-making outcomes. (e.g. establish a design panel,
development incentives to ensure the betterment of the public realm and/or a public
interest entity to control design and development.)

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22.
Group One Recommendations

Team Facilitators
Adam Davies, Principal, HASSELL
Liam Proberts, Director, Bureau Proberts

Team Members
Antonio Sanmartin, Blair Allsopp, Brad Briggs,
Callum Senjov, Carrie Beasley, Jessica Spresser,
David Hatherly, Luke Madden, Jeff Humphries,
Graham Harvison

Key Recommendations
• Create a new RIVER ROOM for the city, extending
from Victoria Bridge to a new pedestrian bridge linking
Alice Street with Southbank
• Celebrate this river arrival to the CBD and create an
enhanced, activated, publicly accessible river edge
• Respect and enhance the COMMISSARIAT
QUARTER, Brisbane’s most significant heritage
precinct located between William Street and Queen’s
Wharf Road
• Activate the CIVIC RIDGE the city’s key civic precinct
embracing George Street and extending from our
Parliament and QUT to the Law Courts
• Support and establish a PROCUREMENT PROCESS
that focuses on world class design and placemaking
with contributions by many ‘design hands’
• Celebrate SUBTROPICAL DESIGN and the unique
architectural character of Brisbane

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Group Two Recommendations

Team Facilitators
Andrew Gutteridge, Director, Arkhefield
Madonna Locke, Associate Director, Design Urbis

Team Members
Laurie Jones, Claire Ulcoq, Des Cloake, Duncan Moore,
Elaine McKendry, Elliot Harvie, Phillip Morton,
Zaheer Esat

Key Recommendations
• Recognise and celebrate the HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE of
the precinct; adapt and reuse heritage buildings, provide
interpretive facilities, and respect the symbolic importance
of the linear spine of George Street
• Establish PEDESTRIAN WAYS through the precinct
more effectively linking this area and the river to the city
• Combine and relocate the two ferry stops (QUT and
Queens Street) to the lower end of Queens Wharf Road
• Establish a FINE GRAIN that creates a destination with
character and scale; create new and enhance existing
laneways and pedestrian linkages.
• Permit only appropriate scaled buildings adjacent to
heritage areas
• OCCUPY AND ACTIVATE; a unique precinct in the city, a
place to meet and hold events

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Group Three Recommendations

Team Facilitators
Barry Lee, Director of Design /
Architect DBI Architecture
Michael Kennedy, Michael Kennedy Architect

Team Members
Scott Chaseling, Ertao Chen, Fred Jacuzzi,
Gavin Hardy, Nicholas Simmonds

Key Recommendations
• Celebrate the historical significance and architectural
qualities of the HERITAGE PRECINCT
• Construct a new QUEENS WHARF FERRY TERMINAL
(replacing existing terminals at North Quay & QUT) to be
sited at its original location on the riverbank in front of the
Commissariat Store
• Establish QUEENS WHARF MARKETS a weekly pop up
market spreading from Queens Park, through Miller Park
along Queens Wharf Road to the river, including back of
the truck daily food markets under the freeway
• Construct (in the short term) UNDER FREEWAY
PENINSULAS to provide marine based activities and a
new entertainment precinct
• REMOVE REX; bury the freeway from QUT to Coronation
Drive and construct new city entry and exits
• Establish strong PEDESTRIAN RIVER CONNECTIONS
• Maximise land value with TRANSFERABLE
DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS; allocate bonus allowances
for development areas transferred to alternate key urban
renewal zones

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Group Four Recommendations

Team Facilitators
Cameron Davies, Director, Deicke Richards Architects
Professor Paul Sanders, Head of School of Design /
Creative Industries Faculty, QUT

Team Members
Georgina Russell, Hannah Black, Ingrid Anderson,
James Baker, Jasper Brown

Key Recommendations
• Respect, express, celebrate and make accessible
to all the rich heritage morphology of the site in its
redevelopment
• Create more bridges over the river to connect the city
centre to Southbank
• Design the buildings and places to accommodate
different uses over long time spans; get the urban
structure right.
• Work towards a longer term redirection of traffic
between Alice and Queen Sts so that an ‘opening’ in
the express-way can be created, enabling buildings to
link to the river

Specific Proposals Include

• A pub at the southern end of George St
• 80 George redeveloped as two linked towers; if a
casino, include it in a tower that opens up Mary St at
the ground plane
• Create a great streetscape along William St
• Adaptively re-use the Neville Bonner building
• Construct a River Quay between Victoria Bridge and
QUT which includes a ‘fragmented deck’ whose form
interprets the history of the site
• A new design museum in the Old State Library

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Group Five Recommendations

Team Facilitators
John Grealy, Director, Architectus
Robyn Harding, Director, Design Café

Team Members
Jonathan Cutting, Joseph Pappalardo, Karine Dupre,
Ian Kaye, Ke Ke, Jaydn Bowe

Key Recommendations
• Enhance George St as the primary east-west city street
• Create Alice St as a river-to-river landscape corridor linking
to river bridges connecting to Southbank and Kangaroo Pt
• Create a great people place along the river’s edge with
jetties/activities/a new jumping off point for Alice St
• Create a network of lanes and rooms linking George St
to jetties and activities on the rivers through the blocks,
building on the existing laneway and courtyard network
• Create a places which evoke gentle subtropical people
oriented experiences thought the precinct and richly
interpret heritage
• New buildings should be subtropical towers – expressing
the vernandah city

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Group Six Recommendations

Team Facilitators
Peter Edwards, Director, Archipelago
John Mainwaring, Director, JMA Architects Qld Pty Ltd

Team Members
John Morwood, Peter Dawson, Lizbeth Montesinos,
Michael Hanbury, Mike Lepre

Key Recommendations
• Create two precincts of different scale and character;
low scale heritage precinct to the west and intensely
developed to the east - with a green space buffer
between the two
• Use redevelopment to create through block linkages
between city streets and the rivers’ edge, including a
45degree link to the river from parliament and Alice St
• Create a new ‘river deck’ out beyond the edge of the
freeway with great people places that help connect the
city to the river
• Elevate the place of Parliament in the city through the
creation of a network of spaces and places along Alice St
linking to bridges across the river
• Accept superscale development in
• Retain the scale of the heritage precinct – linking it to the
river and createing a green space ‘buffer’
• Immediate action – create a signalized intersection at
Margaret St and Queen’s Wharf Rd

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Group Seven Recommendations

Team Facilitators
Professor Peter Skinner, School of Architecture, University of
Queensland
Shane Thompson, President Qld Chapter Australian Institute of
Architects and Director Shane Thompson Architects
John Loneragan, Director, Studio Tekton

Team Members
Oscar Bouman, Nathan Clausen, Des Cloake, Naomi Edson,
Murray Henma, Morgan Kennedy, Mike McKeown, Milton
Zietsman

Key Recommendations
• A pedestrian focussed street network with regular city blocks.
• streets to connect the high ground on George Street to the river’s
edge and Brisbane Square through to the Goodwill Bridge.
• Respect the enhance the heritage quality. Use a development
framework (requirements for podiums, a restricted material
palette and carefully managed building heights, etc) to achieve
these aims.
• Use ferry terminals as key waterfront activators within the precinct.
• Activate the spaces under REX with temporary leisure (fitness)
and startup business opportunities.
• Linear park under REX in the medium term with physical
connections to river between the Victoria and Goodwill Bridges.
• Lessen the impact of buses - remove bus standing and service
street functions from precinct to consolidate first aims.
• Investigate long term strategy for REX to allow unimpeded
connection to river (eg cross river connections rather than along
river solution).
• New grade separated pedestrian connection across Victoria
Bridge linking Cultural Centre arts plaza above bus station level
to a new “peoples’ amphitheatre at Reddacliffe Place designed
to both facilitate and conceal bus movements.

12 BBRR Urban Design Workshop

Group Eight Recommendations

Team Facilitators
Kathi Holt-Damant, Associate Professor - Creative
Industries Faculty, School of Design
Toby Lodge, Principal, HASSELL

Team Members
Anne Kovachevich, Tawera Whatarangi,
Danielle Sturton, Paul Songhurst, Phillip Hindmarsh,
Roger Parkin, Simon Chong Zhang, John Massey, Jadon
Bowe

Key Recommendations
• Connect precinct beyond designated boundaries -
include QUT, River Stage, river and city wide network.
• Create a series of pedestrian focussed transects from
ridge to river all the way along to the Goodwill Bridge
including Parliament and QUT.
• Lower level development around main heritage area from
Queen to Mary Steets.
• Green tropical river edge.
• Improve quality, safety and number of cross river
connections (Goodwill Bridge + Edward Street link)
• William Street as an early opportunity to integrate the
Government Precinct and the city (connecting to the
Queen Street Mall)
• Sequential renewal focused around ‘River Links’
• Focused investment to realise river edge ‘hot spots’
• Integrate major CBD south activities and infrastructure
including QUT, River Stage, Government Precinct and
Goodwill Bridge
• Revitalise River Stage and the southern extent of the
Botanic Gardens
• New plaza at Goodwill Bridge landing with riverside cafes
and relocated ferry terminal
• New park front buildings south of QUT to improve safety
(within footprint of historic warehouse precinct)
• New heritage link in unused space between QUT and
Parliament House
• Open up River edge and upgrade River Stage
• Celebrate our heritage with interesting spaces and
intimate urban rooms
• Create links OVER the Expressway where possible – A
river front ‘veranda’!
• Manage building heights to enable density while
respecting heritage

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Group Nine Recommendations

Team Facilitators
Penny Hall, Associate I Leader – Integrated Design +
Planning, Arup
Robert Riddel, Director, Conrad Gargett Riddel

Team Members
Jennifer Hutcheon, Peter Richards, Simon Maurice,
Stewart Armstrong, Tarah Jameson, Zeglar Fergus,
John Simpson, Renulsa Bhoge, Phillip Culpan

Key Recommendations
• Energize precinct with network of pedestrian
and shared streets.
• Acknowledge area as Brisbane’s first landing site.
• Develop Queens Wharf Road into active street (road pop-up
events) with fronting buildings (not a service road or bus park)
with entry signified at Victoria Bridge. 1 William Street frontage
to also be active at lower level.
• Develop an overall bus strategy to minimise the impact of
buses in the area including the Meyer Centre Bus Station
ramp.
• Create vistas from city to river and beyond.
• Create connections to river at Alice and Queen Streets.
• Restrict building heights around heritage buildings with highest
buildings north of George.
• Additional cross river bridge at Mary or Alice to further
explore “river room.”
• Treasury to become a hotel with Casino in Alice or Mary
Street area.
• William Street to be a pedestrian priority street.
• Reclaim REX base for the people in the short term but
Investigate long term options for redirecting REX.

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The convenors would like to thank all of the people listed below who attended, participated, and made this
an extraordinary and successful event. The convenors would also like to thank the BDA and UDAL for their
assistance in the organisation of the workshop and the Directors and staff of Architectus Brisbane who have
contributed significant resources to make the workshop possible, including the preparation and production of
this report.

Adam Davies HASSELL Kirstie Galloway Petitek

Alex Cohn Place Design Group Laurie Jones Brisbane City Council
Andrew Gutteridge Arkhefield Liam Murray Arup
Andy Healy Arup Liam Proberts Bureau Proberts
Anne Kovaciech Arup Liana Heath Artisan Queensland’s
Antonio Sanmartin Centre for Design and
Craftsmanship
Barry Lee DBI Architecture
Lizbeth Montesinos Cottee Parker Architects
Blair Allsopp
Luke Madden Student
Brad Briggs Hargraves Briggs Jacuzzi
Madonna Locke Urbis
Callum Senjov Heise Architecture
Malcolm Middleton Queensland Government
Calum Prasser Architectus
Architect
Cameron Davies Deicke Richards
Mark Doonar Brisbane Development
Carrie Beasley Student
Association
Claire Ulcoq
Matthew Lawson Department of
Daniel Pringle Student
State Development,
Danielle Sturton Brisbane City Council Infrastructure and
David Cowan Brisbane City Council Planning
David Eustace Brisbane City Council Megan Stokes Student
David Roberts Citicene Michael Hanbury Arup
Des Cloake PDT Landscape Michael Kennedy Michael Kennedy
Architects Architects
Duncan Moore Student Mike McKeown Land Design
Elaine McKendry Naomi Edson Student
Elliot Harvie Student Nathan Clausen PDT Landscape
Ertao Chen Student Architects
Fred Jacuzzi Hargraves Briggs Jacuzzi Nick Simmonds Griffith University
Gavan Ranger Oscar Bouman Architectus
Gavin Hardy City Projects Office Paul Sanders QUT
George Katsanevas QIC Paul Songhurst Brisbane City Council
Georgina Russell Student Penny Hall Arup
Graeme Harvison Tract Peter Dawson Architectus
Grant Chapman Peter Edwards Archipelago
Hannah Black Peter Richards Deicke Richards
Ian Kaye RCP Peter Skinner School of Architecture
Ingrid Anderson IA Architecture UQ
James Baker Architectus Phillip Culpan
Jasper Brown Architectus Phillip Follent Bond University Gold
Jayden Bowe Student Coast
Jeff Humphreys Cardno HRP Phillip Morton Regional Design
Jennifer Hutcheon Department of Renaye Peters Brisbane Airport
State Develoment, Corporation
Infrastructure and Renuka Bhoge
Planning Queensland Robert Riddel Conrad Gargett Riddel
Government Robyn Harding The Design Café
Joel Northcott Roger Parkin
John Clarke Parish Clarke Architects Scott Chaseling Brisbane City Council
John Grealy Architectus Shane Thompson Shane Thompson
John Loneragan Studio Tekton Architects
John Mainwaring JMA Architects Simon Chong Zhang Student
John Massey Simon Maurice Architectus
John Morwood Cardno HRP Stewart Armstrong National Trust of
John Simpson John Simpson Architect Queensland
Jonathan Cutting Student Tarah Jameson Hargraves Briggs Jacuzzi
Joseph Pappalardo Student Tawhera Whatarangi Student
Karine Dupre Griffith University Toby Lodge HASSELL
Kathi Holt-Damant QUT Zaheer Esat
Keke Zeglar Fergus

15
 Full Workshop Presentations by Group

16 BBRR Urban Design Workshop

Introduction by Convenors

01.Place in the City &

02.A Network of Public Spaces
Connections Beyond
Highly symbolic and significant
precinct • One of the city’s most
significant quarters with
significant public spaces
• Network of spaces in the
city

02.A Network of Public Spaces 02.A Network of Public Spaces

Troll zones

• George Street vibrance

• William Street service
• Large dead spaces
• Intimate lanes and courtyards

03.Urban Morphology 03.Urban Morphology

A gateway & a key city edge.

Human scale & mega scale;
what is the right response?

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Introduction by Convenors

04.Connections to the River 04.Connections to the River

• What to do about REX? What is the history?
• The river is a key public space within the city
• Various schemes for animating the edge –
how do they connect?

CITY AXES GREEN CITY GATES

RIVER EDGE EVENT READY

WALKABLE GRID OF VIBRANT

STREETS

05.Places of Significance 05.Places of Significance

Birthplace of Brisbane; first building, wharf and road

• The ‘Birthplace of
Brisbane’
• Indigenous heritage
• Concentrations of Survey Plan 1848 Queens Wharf circa 1880s
heritage

05.Places of Significance 05.Places of Significance

Early development as Government Precinct. How do we best acknowledge
Wharves remain into the 1960s the Turrbal people and their
bond
with the river?

18 BBRR Urban Design Workshop

Introduction by Convenors

06.Moving Around 07.Flood Mitigation

• The one way couplet

system creates
challenging streets
• Movement on the river
• George Street – external
corridor of power and 2011
student life
• Link through QUT
• Cyclists

08.Subtropicality 09.Functions & Activities

in the Public Realm
• River to River, Park to
• What could or should
Park
they be?
• Some of the best trees in
• Students, tourists, office
the city
workers... places and
spaces to support life?
• Linkages & Destinations

10.The Experiences
of the Place

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Group 1 Presentation

Key Objectives

1 > A public accessible & usable edge to the river.

11 > At ground interface externalise and integrate the right
2 > A river arrival and celebration point for the city. building functions.

3 > Celebrate Queens Wharf Road.
4 > Establish the grid... for pedestrians & viewing points - as
a sequence from George Street to the riverfront.
5 > Preserve George St / William Street block structure as
the civic spine but allow interventions -->
residential/commercial.
6 > Extend the precinct to encompass the area south to
Albert St.
12 > Demand innovation in subtropical architecture &
public realm.
13 > Establish procurement processes that place design
and place making outcomes at its heart.
14 > Demand a design dividend to encourage the work of
many design hands. No one design firm should dominate.
15 > Plan for the transition of key assets.

7 > Encourage the merging of QUT & the city.

Delivery
8 > Reinforce & strengthen the pedestrian loop from Kurilpa
to Green Bridge - CITY TO CULTURE TO CIVIC LOOP. 1 > A strategic / structure plan?
9 > Provide public permeability.
2 > Design panel.
10 > Encourage smaller floor plates & utilise life on the edge.
3 > Public dividend.

20 BBRR Urban Design Workshop

Group 2 Presentation
Objective #1
Recognise and
celebrate the historic
significance of the
precinct
- Adapt and reuse heritage
buildings in accordance with the
Burra Charter
- provide interpretive facilities to
allow their roles to be understood
and appreciated
-acknowledge the symbolic
importance of the linear spine of
George Street
Objective #2
Establish routes
through the precinct
linking it into the city
Make it apart of the desire lines
Connect to the river, and the
surrounding destinations
- Combine and relocate the two
ferry stops (QUT and Queens
Street) to Queens Wharf
Objective #4
Occupy and activate
An identifiable and unique use that
contributes to the lifestyle of the city
thats meaningful to residents and
visitors.
The front door to the city
A place to meet, and
An event place
Remove the Elizabeth Street ramps and open up the site
Objective #3
Establish a fine
grain that creates
a destination with
character and
scale
Permeable site at the
ground plane
Appropriate scaled building
adjacent to heritage
Short Term to Medium Term to Long Term.
If this happens quickly what we do now will determine the long term. The short term decisions will create these
longer term opportunities.
- Relocate buses from Queens Wharf Road and remove parking from under REX.
- Relocate the 2 existing ferry terminals to create a single unified terminal at Queens Wharf to reinstate our
historic landing in the everyday activity of the city
- Re-connect pedestrian activity with the River with improved friendly and safe access
- Remove Elizabeth Street on/off ramp
- Adaptive re-use of Heritage Buildings and spaces across more hours of the day
- Insert temporary / semi permanent structures to activate the troll precinct and investigate opportunities for
new 2 storey buildings within the precinct.
- Remove Executive Building to Extend street grid between George and William Streets to River edge
- Take advantage of the steep topography from the River edge to George Street to connect to the River at
different levels
- Reduce William Street from 4 lanes to 2 lanes to rebalance traffic priorities and create a place not just a
street
- Provide for this section of the Expressway to by-pass the CBD, re-directed or demolished - Possibility for
re-use
- Investigate location of pedestrian bridge to connect future Albert/Alice Street Cross-River Rail Station
South Bank
- Encourage development to provide additional visual and physical connections to the River including viewing
platforms and places to touch the water
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Group 3 Presentation

IMMEDIATE IMMEDIATE
- Close the Alice St and Margaret St ramps and pedestrianise the roads.
- Construct Queens Wharf Ferry Terminal to be located in its original
position on the riverbank near the Commissariat Store & takes the place of
the existing terminals at North Quay & QUT.
- Queens Wharf Markets - a weekly pop up market spreading from Queens
Park, through Miller Park along Queens Wharf Road to the river.
- Develop back of the truck daily food markets under the freeway.

MEDIUM TERM MEDIUM TERM

- Construct under Freeway Peninsulas to provide marine based activities and entertainment
precinct
- If the Casino moves out of theTreasury Building it should be used for a function which allows
the courtyard to be restored such as a hotel
- Any new development between George and William Sts should respect the scale & grain of
the existing heritage buildings and be no more than 6 storeys and be built to boundaries with
internal courtyard.
- Maintain a Government presence but encourage other uses to activate the precinct.
- develop street planting along William and George Streets.
- To maximise land value consider transferable land rights with bonus for transfer to key urban
renewal areas

LEGACY
- Bury the freeway from QUT to Coronation Drive and construct new entry
Elizabeth St entries & Ann St Exits.
- Develop the peninsular park along river

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Group 4 Presentation

MORPHOLOGY

BANK TO BANK FORM TRANSCENDS USE

23
Group 5 Presentation

IMMEDIATE
WINDOW ON THE WORLD: a Genuine Paradigm for how we address our city.
IMMEDIATE
PHASE 1 Promoting the Public Realm and Developing Trunk Infrastructure

1. Pushing the Edge

Primacy of George Street
What is a Qualitative City; Gentle City; Sub-Tropical City
Being Adventurous

2. Heritage-Scaping
Identity
Density
Physical Fabric
Opportunities

3. Grounding Linkage
Public/Private
Movement - to and from; how and why
High Quality Experiences

MEDIUM TERM
PHASE 2 Densification and Verandah City
MEDIUM TERM
PHASE 2 Densification and Verandah City

Big and little moves

Edge reshaping

LEGACY LEGACY
PHASE 3 Enacting the Window PHASE 3
Engaging public development Making people places
Architectural typology

• Subtropical architecture connected to natural light

and landscape
• Multi-functional world building type
• Ground floor as an extension of the public domain

Summary
• Primacy of George Street (increase density)
• Ground activation of George and Alice Streets
• Re-engage with River connected to major/minor circulation paths
• Exemplary subtropical multifunctional high rise
• Respect existing heritage stock

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Group 6 Presentation

Key Principles
Ways
River is king
through

Building as
connective
City
tissue
connections

People
first
Embrace REX

The Embracing Precinct Legacy

Citywide
parliamentary
connection

Big river city AND

fine grain heritage
fabric

New river edge

celebrating REX

Immediate Medium

25
Group 6 Presentation

Legacy

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Group 7A Presentation

27
Group 7B Presentation

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS - IMMEDIATE

- FIFO - Float In Float Out - To minimise financial and flood risk

- Leisure barges

- 50m floating swimming pool

- Floating basketball courts
- Floating volleyball courts

- Commerce

- Floating markets
- Floating temporary circus arena
- Floating exhibition spaces
- Floating nightclubs

- Embrace the commodity of Alice and Margaret Streets to finance and

power the development

- Create a boulevard down from Mary Street to a transport hub

- Consolidation of ferry terminals into one

- Emphasise priority of river edge as a pedestrian zone

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS - MEDIUM TERM

- The redeveloped George/William Street precinct complete

- Tourism and leisure focus

- Casino, hotels, etc.

- Create New Queen's Wharf linear park

- Bridge to bridge
- Reclaim land on river side REX (cut 100 & 80 George Street and fill into park?)
- Use land under REX for sport , music, bars, parkland
- Boardwalks
- Footbridge to South Bank
- Queen's Wharf Road pedestrianised
- Boats

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS - LONG TERM LEGACY

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS - LONG TERM LEGACY

- KEEP VICTORIA BRIDGE FOR BUSES AND CARS

- WISHFUL THINKING WON'T REMOVE THE REX

- BUT ADD A PEDESTRIAN & CYCLE DECK OVER

- We need new entries to the city to accommodate growth
- A people's amphitheatre in Raddacliffe Place
- Conceals the ghastly bus ramp
- ROADS THAT GO ACROSS THE RIVER, NOT ALONG IT
- Steel truss section stiffens the bridge
- Pedestrian link from West End to Queen Street Mall
- A new major Margaret Street traffic bridge
- Freeway access along existing bus and rail corridor - Pedestrian plaza over Cultural Centre bus station
- Completes Gibson's planned grade separation
- A new Edward Street traffic bridge from Main Street - A safe pedestrian environment at last
- Buses and cyclists only on Captain Cook Bridge from QUT
- Buses continue under Melbourne Street into tunnel
- The expressway zone is now ripe for development
- Riverfront towers on pilotis over boardwalks and parks - THE MOST IMPORTANT ENTRY INTO OUR CITY
- Minor busway tunnel under new North Bank IS RETURNED TO THE PEOPLE

- Development potential without projecting into the river

- See also Victoria Bridge proposal

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Group 8 Presentation

29
Group 9 Presentation

SHORT TERM PLAN View west down queens wharf road

SHORT TERM GOALS

'Activating Queens Wharf Road'

- First landing site as destination (Ferry Terminal)

- Signify entry at top of Queens Wharf road

- Activate ground level at 1 William street (Cross River Rail Station)

- Activate car parking at ground level along Queens Wharf road-pop up events markets, coffee carts

- Redirecting buses off Queens Wharf road View along river edge at terminal

MEDIUM TERM PLAN MEDIUM TO LONG TERM PLAN

MEDIUM TERM GOALS MEDIUM TERM GOALS

- Redirect buses from Melbourne street to Roma Street - Treasury becomes hotel
station underground
- Casino to Alice or Mary st
- Mary street connection to south bank (Bridge) as an
option or further explore the 'river room' the loop - William st - pedestrian priority
between goodwill bridge and Victoria bridge including
north and south bank - building density change - yellow is 7 story and red
is 50+

Alice street pedestrian bridge

William street boulevard

LONG TERM PLAN Ideas for further thought #1

LONG TERM GOALS
- Lane-ways and linkages
- redirect freeway
- connection to river (Alice and queen street) - Removal of freeway
- permanent activation ie. restaurants, bars
- boardwalk edging on waterside - Retain scale

- Expand precinct boundaries

- Mary Street access (connection to south bank)

- Removal of buses from Queens Wharf Road (redirect to Roma street entry)

- Relocate casino

- Pedestrianise William street

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Group 9 Presentation

Ideas for thought #2 Ideas for thought #3

- Connection to river - Open treasury courtyard

- Pedestrian access - Ensure queens wharf road is used by redirecting ferry terminal

- Repositioning of ferry terminal - Combine QUT with north quay

- Cost and scale of development - Extend boundary of development to include city side of George street

- Public Space - Limit 1 William street height to Parliament House height (6 storeys)

- Connect to future rail links - 7 future development sites

- Vistas

- Activation of public space

- Reclaiming freeway at base

31
Group 1 Presentation

32 BBRR Urban Design Workshop

33
Group 1 Presentation

The following organisations supported the workshop however the contents

of the workshop report is not submitted on behalf of these organisations’.

UD AL

34 BBRR Urban Design Workshop