THE URBAN FOREST

According to architect Koichi Takada Architects, Urban Forest will be Australia's greenest building, with a carbon-neutral design and the inclusion of 550 trees and over 25,000 plants from 251 native species. 

An Aria Property Group mixed-use development, the building will include 194 apartments, a two-level rooftop garden and public park positioned on ground level. By raising the podium, the ground level becomes an extension of the surrounding parklands, giving back to the community 1,452 sqm of public park. It will also feature a world-class information centre where visitors can learn about the building's design, plants and biodiversity.

On the street level, the building is designed as a useable, comfortable and friendly public park for the community. The building is lifted up, just as the traditional Queenslander is lifted on stumps, with tall sculptural columns envisaged as ‘tree trunks’ supporting the tower above. This space, filled with dappled light, brings the experience of the building to the ground level creating connection to the public domain over 1,452 square meters.

Urban Forest offers a holistic approach to sustainability, creating not just a ‘green’ building with dense vertical vegetation, but also setting a benchmark in environmentally-sustainable design and offering a social sustainability approach through the creation of a large public park on the ground level. And a best-practice approach to energy and water management. In this way, Urban Forest strikes the balance between environmental, social and economic sustainability, prioritising people, planet and profit.

The landscape is not just an attractive feature, but is a dynamic, active component of a sustainable building, increasing biodiversity and reducing the ecological footprint of the city. It will also create a green spine connecting the Southbank Parklands with Musgrave Park.

Urban Forest’s ambition is to be the world’s greenest residential building, targeting 6-star Green Star rating, equivalent to LEED Platinum. The development will set the benchmark for sustainable and subtropical high-rise apartment buildings, creating an exemplar in design-led development and innovative ESD standards in Brisbane. Passive design principles make the most of the subtropical climate, maximising natural light and allowing cross-ventilation.

Other sustainable features include solar panels to generate renewable energy, gardens irrigated by harvested rainwater and grey water collection, carbon offset, and the use of sustainably-sourced and high quality, low maintenance materials. Because this is a low-energy building with high water efficiency, operating costs are reduced also.

According to Aria design manager Simon Maurice, the team’s approach has been “to celebrate Brisbane’s subtropical climate and bring the traditional backyard experience into each apartment.” By oversizing balconies and ensuring cross-ventilation to apartments, the proposal hopes to set a new benchmark for Brisbane City Council’s Buildings that Breathe guidelines.