A new three tower residential proposal has been submitted for the old Banyan Tree residential development located at 8 River Terrace, Kangaroo Point.
Proposed by Pikos Group, the development comprises of two 15 storey residential highrises and one 14 storey residential highrise.
The project has been designed by Arkhefield and includes a restaurant, bar and pool deck on the rooftop of building 1. The design also includes a notable glass elevator which would feature city views as it travels up to the rooftop restaurant and bar.
The development application is a departure from the previous Banyan Tree Residences development scheme which was a single tower with a larger floor plate design. The updated scheme by Archefield splits the previously approved building into three separate residential towers, with two of them joined at the rooftop.
A cross block link is also proposed as well as the addition of a courtyard green space between the newly designed highrise buildings.
Additional proposed changes relate to the unit composition, restaurant relocation, reconfiguration of the ground plane, and inclusion of a porte-cochere.
According to the development application, changes which incorporate updates and refinements to the approved development and alterations to the mix of uses to meet current market demands include:
- Internal configuration amendments to incorporate 3 bedroom apartments
- Changes to the ground floor plane and roof top to improve resident usability
- Facade changes to provide for increased design excellence and sub-tropical design
- Minor changes to the basement layout
- Removal of the short-term accommodation use as per the most recent other change, however this was not present in the original approval so thus does not constitute substantially different development.
Development rundown
- Height: The building form is generally consistent with the approved with an overall height of RL71.1, with a minor increase to RL73.3 largely resulting from an increase ground level and roof top floor-toceiling heights. x2 buildings at 15 storeys each, x1 building at 14 storeys.
- Apartment mix: 63 three bedroom apartments
- Parking: 147 car parking spaces in total are provided, increased from 132 previously approved
- The proposal does not significantly alter the approved setbacks of the tower and the changes are considered to be largely contained within the approved building footprint.
- Re-introduction of the arcade through the centre of the site
Plans
Plans
Tell us what you think about this development below in the comment box. The development application for this project, available to view on Brisbane City Council’s Planning & Development Online is A005564915.
A brilliant concept for such an iconic Brisbane location, great to see the rooftop restaurant and bar available to the public and not just the residents.
Can’t wait to take in the views of our beautiful city from the rooftop.
Looks boring. This land is one of the prime pieces of real estate in Brisbane, with amazing views at the top of the Kangaroo Point cliffs – I only wish they would design and construct a memorable building worthy of it’s location..
Both designs would be a great addition to the area, however the new proposal is fresh, modern and will really liven this area of Kangaroo Point – currently an eye sore that desperately needs developing. The roof deck restaurant and bar is a great addition for the public to take in those amazing views of our wonderful city. The new proposal has my tick of approval
Totally with Chris’s comment – this is really just another block of spec apartments with no over and above the call redeeming qualities to the architecture on an iconic and highly visible site. I’m sure the apartments will be lovely, but it doesn’t offer much back to the city.
Generic architecture wasting a great opportunity for a superb site. Slap a glass elevator on a block & call it ‘inspired’? Hardly. Mediocrity from developer, architects and council.
Out of curiosity, what would this mean for people who have already purched units off the plan when the DA is changed and means that the building and apartments they purchased looks nothing like what they signed up for?
Ugly building looks like Lennons Broadbeach Gold Coast hotel built in the 1950s _not opposed to the proposal for a high rise on this site, and rooftop bar restaurant is a great idea. Ugly facade. Looks like a eastern european social housing block.In this day and age the designers should have come up with a exciting & architecturally significant better looking building
Why do I fell like Sally and Charley are developer’s kids who are trying to force through some positive feedback on this below average proposal?
I am afraid that this building is extremely unattractive.
Can you imagine that a group of such highly regarded architects got to the end of these plans and said “yes, this is perfect. We could do anything better” ?
Honestly, this site deserves so much more than this generic apartment tower.
C- Can do better.
Would just like to point out that it’s not always 100% the architect’s fault when the building is bad. Often they end being little more than drafters for the developer’s design whims. They also have to work to constant calls to maximize yield and make it cheaper. After this lodgment, they will probably have to incorporate arbitrary demands from the council which usually produce an aesthetically worse result. Then the design integrity will be further ravaged by a D&C building contract.
These architects have produced decent work in the past, so I suspect there is more behind this result than simple laziness on their end.
So very disappointing.
How and why do these horrible projects keep getting approved.
Extremely disappointing to see yet another generic development in Kangaroo Point with no real architectural identity. The cross-block link is largely redundant being so close to the corner of the site and many of the apartments are awkwardly planned. The rooftop bar would be a nice offering for the neighbourhood but is also poorly planned (some may argue the rooftop pool faces the wrong aspect). A lazy design; Brisbane deserves better…
It’s not great. The ground level is particularly bad – one cafe and a dead wall on Main Street. It’s closed off from the surrounding community, especially with the new port cochere encouraging people to drive there rather than walk.
Over development of a iconic site contributing nothing to the community, the surrounding buildings and the cliffs of KP. The only contribution is the profit the developer will deposit into his bank account.
Please no, this is a terrible design, this is going to be one of the most prominent buildings in Brisbane, identifiable from botanical gardens right through Eagle street and beyond.
Please get a good architect to redesign the exterior. I am looking to buy a good penthouse and would not be paying several million to buy one in this plain already outdated building…
I do like that the rooftop is now open to the public and that there are more car parks, two big wins, and also being more 3-bedroom apartments meaning higher-end residents is always a bonus.
Please please just redo the exterior to make it iconic for many years to come!
OMG!!! How FU is this?!?!?!
Is this the same mob that “designed” the redeveloped King George Square monstrosity?
Show some imagination and design something iconic and recognisable with a WOW factor and not this dumpster fire train wreck.