Major construction milestone: 205 North Quay – a celebration of the subtropics
With lush gardens, dining terraces, an outdoor pool and auditorium, Cbus Property’s 205 North Quay in Brisbane, Australia, will shape the future of tower design in the subtropics.
Designed by Hassell, REX, and Richards and Spence, the commercial tower on Yuggera and Turrbal Country has ‘topped out’, marking a major construction milestone with the final concrete pour now completed. At street level, the scaffolding has come down, unveiling a monumental open-air lobby that promises to enliven Brisbane’s North Quarter with round-the-clock amenities and a welcoming public space.
The generous podium lobby is a civic space designed to provide a shady retreat from the street in a setting that includes quintessential subtropical design elements like gardens, calming river views, porosity for natural breezes, and clever use of materials that directly aid in atmospheric cooling. Additionally, the cathedral-like lobby invites the community to step inside.
“The subtropical lobby is a unique proposition for a commercial tower; naturally conditioned by cooling breezes and without barriers, it’s welcoming and safe and will be a destination for the whole precinct to enjoy.”
— Liam Short, Principal
A 25-metre lap pool on the podium deck extends the health and wellness offering, complemented by a 200-seat auditorium that can be used for public events. Restaurants, retail, café terraces and quiet nooks complete the suite of lobby spaces, which will come alive when finishes, planting, and lighting are installed in the coming months.
205 North Quay delivers on the needs of the contemporary hybrid workforce who seek simple home-like comforts such as places of quiet retreat, fresh air and good coffee. Garden terraces and river views add to an authentic subtropical character that crystallises the project’s ambition of prioritising wellness in the workplace.
Hassell Principal Liam Short says the tower’s proximity to the Brisbane River and the new underground train station at Roma Street positions it well as an agent of positive precinct transformation.
“205 North Quay is a great example of what a future-fit contemporary commercial tower could and should incorporate, from design to sustainability all the way through to wellness and lifestyle features for workers and the public to enjoy,” says Liam.
205 North Quay is due for completion later this year. For more information on this world-class river-edge development, head to Cbus Property.
Photography, top, David Chatfield; video, below, courtesy Hutchinson Builders.