The primary aim of
the design is to re-invigorate the 141 Queen Street Tower and it’s immediate
surroundings; this includes Queen Street, Albert Street and its subterranean
connections.
Currently pedestrian
traffic is channelled along the sides of the street, due to a combination of
inadequate shelter and obstructions on the street. This results in congestion
and points of conflict, where pedestrian channels collide with one another.
My design proposal
resolves these problems by tapering back the remaining two corners on the site,
creating space for pedestrians. In addition to this, obstructions on Queen and
Albert streets will be removed and adequate shelter provided along street
edges, allowing pedestrians to navigate the site freely.
A key part of this
design is improving the connectivity of the site; this is primarily done
through a new underground public transport interchange. Integrating Queen
Street, Albert Street and adjacent buildings above ground with the existing
busway and new railway lines below ground.
Despite implementing
a brand new scheme, the design retains key existing elements such as the Hungry
Jacks restaurant and advertisement screens. This preserves the identity of the
site, helping to maintain it’s iconic status.
The interior of the
building is no longer fully utilized, as exclusive office space is not in
demand. I am solving this problem by retrofitting the tower, with a
cinema/entertainment complex on the podium levels and residential pods
occupying the upper levels.
Access to the respective
parts of the building are separated at ground level, with each ‘street facing
façade’ of the building housing a separate access point.
Both the Cinema and
Residential Pods contain ground level foyers that lead to vertical
transportation. The existing central core of the building is retained,
providing elevator and stairwell access to the upper levels.
The buildings
anarchic form is driven by the functional arrangement of pods within and helps
ethicise its modularity. This arrangement allows the pods to interlock and fit
within the original framework of the building, also providing a variety of
living environments for tenants.
The pods are to be
leased out by the building owner or management, zoned as residential space. The
primary function of the pods is to provide dwellings, but they can also provide
private office or conference spaces if desired by a tenant. This can be enabled
at will, by utilizing the state of the art glass screen technology embedded
within walls and furnishings.
Podium and rooftop
gardens provide spaces for tenants to relax and reflect, also housing
sustainable initiatives. Rooftop solar panels and rainwater collection allow
the building to be water and electricity independent.
