26 Cairns Street, Brisbane

Project Summary 

The development is a multi-storey residential tower in Brisbane, situated in the Kangaroo Point peninsula and Dockside precinct.  Kangaroo Point has a rich natural history formerly having open forest and covered with grass and fringed with mangroves.  

bioSEA worked with WOHA Architects, Architectus and the RPS Landscape Architecture team to develop biodiversity predictions for the site. Our assessments suggest that the site is expected to typically attract 75 species including 30 birds and 38 insect species. In comparison, a minimum compliant building design development in Brisbane is expected to attract 28 species, the current site condition is expected to attract 43 species whereas a nearby park is expected to attract 73 species. The site’s expected biodiversity was attributed to the creation if key habitats, such as multi-tiered vegetation,  wetlands and vertical green fins.  The value of various habitats for biodiversity was assessed based on their height – the ground floor, residential levels and roof top.  A biodiversity matrix detailing potential interactions between flora and fauna on site was also developed.

To further enhance biodiversity, recommendations were made for improved plantings, better habitat connectivity, and the design of wetlands with trailing creepers and a stoneface. Additionally, totems and nest boxes were suggested to be included. The ecological strengths of the proposed landscape plan were highlighted.

The ecosystem service benefits of the greenery and wetlands in the development were calculated. Compared to the minimum compliant scheme, the development provided significant advantages, including 3.65 times solar heat reduction, 3.45 times carbon sequestration, and 2.6 times Air PM10 removal. The ecosystem service benefits of various scenarios were explored if the development were scaled to the entire Kangaroo Point Peninsula.

Overall, the project emphasizes the unique positioning of the residential tower in a historically significant area and the efforts made to incorporate biodiversity enhancements, ultimately resulting in substantial ecosystem service benefits compared to standard building designs.