443 Queen Street Brisbane

PROJECT BRIEF

Revitalizing the riverfront landscape overlooking Kangaroo Point and Story Bridge, WOHA and Architectus designed Queensland’s first truly sub-tropical apartment tower at 443 Queen Street. Adapted for the tropical climate, the development strategically integrates greenery to capitalize on natural breezeways and lighting, optimizing livability and earning itself the title of the ‘building that breathes’. 

The ground plane opens itself up to the city and takes on elements of the riverside topography, slowly extending upwards with its elevated building mass mimicking the rugged cliffs of Kangaroo Point. A cladding of plants softens the textured building facade and encases the raised garden terrace complementing and keeping the green canopy intact across the broader landscape. 

With careful attention being paid to the strategic integration of greenery to optimize benefit to both people and the environment, it comes as no surprise that 443 Queen Street received Australia’s first 6 Star Green Star – Design and As-Built Version 1.2 Design Review certified rating for a residential tower by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). 

OUR APPROACH

We conducted Green Star Ecological Value Assessments, Biophilia Assessments and Ecosystem Service Assessments for 443 Queen Street, Brisbane Tower, Australia.

The Green Star Ecological Value Assessment compares the landscape characteristics of a site in its current state to that of its intended design and measures and rewards the change in ecological value. Our Green Star Ecological Value Assessments rated the building at 2.4/3 available points showing a considerable increase in the ecological value of the site.

Our Biophilia qualitative and quantitative assessments which rewards the inclusion and placement of biophilic elements in the built design showed that the building was highly biophilic with 5 of 6 WELL Standard Criteria fully met. 1 of 6 criteria was partially met. 

The ecosystem service assessments incorporated the cumulative effect of dense, medium and light plantings present at different levels of the building. Dense plantings alone cover 115% of the building’s footprint.

The ecosystem service performance of 443 Queen Street was compared with a typical built-up suburb in Brisbane where 20% of the site area would be typically planted with medium and dense plantings. 443 Queen Street was nearly 10 times more effective at filtering air, 15.7 times more effective at regulating air temperature and 10.6 times more effective at sequestering carbon dioxide than a typical built-up suburb in the neighbourhood. 

Overall, the 443 Queen Street development performed favourably in its ecological and biophilia assessments.

ACTION REQUIRED

Designed with the intention to deliver on the principles and aspirations of the Brisbane City Centre Master Plan, the development required guidance in becoming a sustainable entity and being grounded on sound ecological design principles that emulated biophilic elements.

MEDIA

443 Queen Street awarded Australia’s first 6 star green star rating

Multi-tiered greens at the tower. Visual by Architectus x WOHA

The ecosystem service impacts of the vegetation of 443 Queen Street.   

Cover Image Credits: Visual by Architectus x WOHA