bureau^proberts

Townsville Central

Designing for the Tropics.

Q&A

How did the Townsville Central masterplan revitalise a disused piece of the city?

In reclaiming and developing the North Yards Rail Precinct, Townsville Central creates a destination for residential and commercial activity that invigorates an underutilised city parcel. The North Yards once created an impervious barrier between the city and Ross Creek. By penetrating the site with extensions of Flinders, Aplin, Jones and Fletcher Streets, connectivity between this part of the city to Ross Creek is restored. Dedicated parkland areas extend the creekfront walkway, once terminating at the Stanley Street bridge, to complete the transformation of the site from industry to a thriving and integral piece of the city.

How do commercial components key into the masterplan?

Central commercial establishes the gateway to the seven-staged master planned development. The building expresses a range of simple materials to create visual interest and complexity while utilising screening elements that respond to its tropical climate and urban location. The unique shape of the site resulted in long narrow floor plates, creating opportunity for good natural light penetration to the interior. The façade is constructed using multiple tilt-up concrete panels that bring an economy of structure and material while expressing a striking, new identity for the precinct.

How do residential components key into the masterplan?

The residential component of Townsville Central includes 95 apartments in a range of configurations designed to cater for all household types. The expression of the built form is primarily driven by a response to orientation, views and a tropical environment. A significant portion of the façade is layered with screening to optimise thermal comfort while maintaining privacy and creating visual interest. Perforated metal sun screening to the Flinders Street façade combine pattern and colour to enliven the envelope and create a strongly identifiable piece of architecture.

Details

Typology
Commercial and Mixed use
Commission
Private client
Disciplines
Architecture, Interiors, Master Planning
Location
Townsville, Australia
Status
Complete, 2009
Client
Honeycombes Property Group
Project Details
Seven Staged Mixed-Use Master Plan Situated in the Historic ‘Northyards’ Rail Precinct Between the CBD and Townsville Railway Station / 56,000 m² GFA
Consultants
PPM, Buchanan Architects, Philip Chun and Associates, ARUP, Abba Property, Ron Rumble, Rider Hunt, UDP, Holland Traffic Consultants, Alliance, Ashburner Francis, Cochraine MRP Consulting, WSA landscape architects
Contractor
Hutchinson Builders
Images
Scott Burrows
Project Contact

Awards

2010 AIA Urban Design State Commendation

2010 AIA Regional Commendation