About the project
Lamington Markets is a unique lifestyle precinct that will enhance the way Brisbane locals experience their everyday. As one of the first significant, transit-oriented developments, the retail precinct will have one of Brisbane’s largest indoor-market halls, rooftop urban farm, craft brewery, boutique cinemas, restaurants, cafes, health centres and commercial spaces. It will also have two residential towers with 134 apartments.
Sitting high on a ridge within a significant retail and commercial corridor, and with close proximity to major public transport, the prominent site has informed the design response, delivery program and the variety of functions.
The precinct is designed to create a vibrant village in Brisbane’s north, taking cues from established inner city food and lifestyle venues. The mixed-use tenancies and scale of the built form will act as a catalyst to revitalise the existing Lutwyche high-street retail and commercial precinct. Central to achieving this delivering a generous public realm that prioritises pedestrian activation and leverages the connection to the Northern Busway over Lutwyche Station. The broad site is made permeable with a cross-block laneway connecting Lutwyche Road and Lamington Avenue providing opportunities for fine-grain retail activation along the edges.
The publicly accessible ground plane and podium is characterised by arched fenestrations and is inspired by architectural language of renowned markets throughout the world. The vast interior will be covered by an arched roof canopy lined with skylights providing a naturally lit retail experience. At the precinct’s core is the unique architectural setting and engaging retail experiences that will include:
- A 4,500 sqm indoor-market hall designed to accommodate over 100 stall holders, along with a specialty supermarket and boutique retail.
- A highly visible 400sqm craft brewery on the lower-level
- A 500sqm rooftop urban farm accessible to the public and connecting to the premium restaurant.
- Integrated landscaping throughout the precinct and wall-lined greenery to achieve temperature control.
- A boutique cinema and speciality function space inspired by Tasmania’s Mona building, with raw, excavated, exposed rock. The cinema complex will be sleeved into the 9.0-meter-deep light-filled excavation.
- Over 134 residential apartments designed for owner-occupiers designed to reflect the aspirations of Brisbane City Council’s Buildings that Breathe Guidelines.
“The vision behind Lamington Markets has always been about creating a permanent paddock-to-plate experience, connecting us directly with over 100 different market owners, artisans and farmers, right on our doorstep”
— James Rennell, Marketplace Developments.
The sculptural family of towers resting above the public realm creates a cohesive neighbourhood across the skyline emphasising the significance of the precinct. The mix of apartment types, sizes and price points responds to the Brisbane housing demand and encourages a diverse residential community.
Sustainability
The architecture has been resolved with meaningful consideration to each of the key design principles set by Brisbane City Council’s “New World City Design Guide: Buildings that Breathe”. Key sustainability initiatives include:
- Harnessing the roof area for harvesting rainwater which will be used to irrigate the extensive landscaping. The water sensitive design will also reduce the overland flow, capture and treat pollutants and contribute to a clean and green city identity.
- Integrating manual and automated waste handling systems into the complex.
- Providing an end of trip facility to encourage an active lifestyle for residents as well as assisting in the reduction of carbon emissions and traffic congestion.
- Providing generous and integrated public green spaces for public amenity.
- Providing south facing private rooftop recreation areas offering breakout spaces with spectacular views towards the city and the surrounding neighbourhood.
- Designing the apartments to enable summer easterly breezes to be captured as well as providing protection from the harsh sun with a combination of vertical and horizontal shades.
- Linking the outdoor spaces to create connections around the proposed north tower.
- Harnessing natural light with full height glazing to the North, East and southern facades with appropriate horizontal and vertical sun-shading to minimize heat-gain.
- Ensuring natural and mechanical ventilation provision exceeds regulatory requirements.
- Through the apartment planning, achieving cross ventilation cross ventilation and captures natural light to common corridor spaces.
- Providing an extensive colonnade with awnings to the ground floor pedestrian spaces, deep verandas to living rooms and shading to roof terraces combine to protect the public, commercial and residential spaces from harsh solar conditions.
- Providing horizontal and vertical living greenery provides a strong landscape character fostering a vibrant hub of social activity.
