Eats Heritage for Lunch

Refurbished Heritage Site Catapults Brisbane as a World-Class Tourist Destination

Howard Smith Wharves

This roughly three-hectare masterplan activates a prime, waterfront site in Brisbane and welcomes public accessibility to preserved World War II era, heritage-listed air raid shelters as well as a hybrid park that creates an entertainment and lifestyle precinct.

Four historical buildings have been meticulously restored and now include restaurants, a brewery and an events space. Additionally, three new buildings, which include a hotel set against the cliff, a new function and events facility on the riverbank, and a cocktail bar over the river, were constructed.

Project details

These buildings, however, occupy less than 10 percent of the site area, with the majority of the project dedicated to open space. Grassy areas and shady trees create a welcoming respite for the retail-inspired activity across the site. Careful urban and landscape design provides visitors with a direct link from the river’s edge and into the city.

Nearby cliffs and the lack of a direct pathway to the surrounding community previously created accessibility hurdles. In response, new lifts were integrated at each end of the site to improve access without interfering with the natural environment and existing built forms. The lifts have glass sides for optimal visibility for safety as well as views to the adjacent city and corten steel sides to reflect the industrial heritage of the site

An additional challenge was the task of rebuilding Howard’s Hall, the largest exhibition and events space in the precinct and make it function for the modern-day. Designers achieved this delicate balance by echoing the same simplicity of the nearby wharf structures with a similar sawtooth-shaped roof. The Hall’s exterior is a fully glazed exposed steel frame topped with a shed-like sawtooth roof. Refurbished timber found on the site has been used for its riverfront decks and retractable floor-to-ceiling windows provide a connection back to nature.

Location
Brisbane, Australia
Client
Howard Smith Wharves
Size
3 Hectares
Completion
2018
Awards
  • 2019 Heritage Hero – The National Trust of Australia, Adaptive Reuse, Winner
  • 2019 AIB Professional Excellence in Building Awards (Queensland) – Commercial Construction over $50M, High Commendation
  • 2019 Property Council of Australia (PCA) – Retail Project of the Year, Winner
  • 2019 PCA – Excellence in Food Retailing, Winner
  • 2019 PCA – Excellence in Design, Shortlist
  • 2019 Urban Developer Awards – Development of the Year (Urban Regeneration), Finalist
  • 2019 Urban Developer Awards – Development of the Year (Retail), Finalist
  • 2019 Urban Developer Awards – Best New Commercial Space, Finalist
  • 2019 Australian Urban Design – Built projects (city & regional scale), Winner
  • 2020 Queensland Government – Ministers Award for Urban Design, Winner
  • 2020 Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) Queensland – Heritage, Commendation
  • 2020 AIA Queensland – Urban Design, Commendation
  • 2020 World Architecture News (WAN) Awards – Waterfront, Finalist
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