21 Jul 2015

Urbis congratulates the Destination Brisbane Consortium led by Echo Entertainment Group, on winning the Queensland Government’s tender to redevelop Brisbane’s Queen’s Wharf precinct.

The Consortium, made up of Echo Entertainment Group, Far East Consortium and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, was announced as the bid winner last night by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

The multibillion-dollar development will stretch 10 blocks across the south end of the Brisbane CBD, completely reshaping the river waterfront. It involves building a new integrated casino resort complex, transforming the Treasury into a boutique department store and hotel, and rejuvenating 12 football fields of public space among many other exciting new features.

Echo Entertainment Group commissioned Urbis in 2013 to assist in preparing and coordinating their initial Expression of Interest submission and then the critical detailed master plan component of the tender process.

Urbis Brisbane National Design Directors James Tuma and Natalie Hoitz, Associate Director Madonna Locke, Heritage Planning Director John Brannock and Planning Director Ben Slack, led a multi-disciplinary team to take on this pivotal role.

The master plan included adaptive reuse of a number of Brisbane’s most significant heritage buildings, the delivery of new, exciting, active spaces and development that seamlessly link the surrounding urban fabric of the city to the development and beyond to a reimagined and attractive riverside environment.

Director Natalie Hoitz believes that the key to the bid’s success was ensuring that the proposed development will serve as an activated and vibrant extension of the city to the river, with key elements showcasing the core fabric of Brisbane, while taking it into the modern era.

“The master plan included adaptive reuse of a number of Brisbane’s most significant heritage buildings, the delivery of new, exciting, active spaces and development that seamlessly link the surrounding urban fabric of the city to the development and beyond to a reimagined and attractive riverside environment,” said Hoitz.

The Urbis team also worked hand-in-hand with leading local and international architecture and design firms including Cottee Parker Architects, ML Design Brisbane, CUSP and Jerde PlaceMaking, with Brookfield Multiplex as the overall bid coordinator.

The next challenge for the development team will be determining the planning controls to meet the unique requirements and importance of this project.

The development will not only make Brisbane a premium tourism destination but will also lead to the creation of 3,000 jobs during construction and over 8,000 ongoing jobs. This is certainly a significant win not only for the Consortium but for the entire Brisbane community.

Click here for more information on this bid proposal.

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