Scape Toowong
Client | SCAPE
TYPE | ARCHITECTURE, Interior DESIGN, DOCUMENTATION
Sector | Student ACCOMMODATION
STATUS | COMPLETE (2019)
Location | TOOWONG, QLD
HEIGHT | 17 Storeys
SCALE | GFA: 25,200 sqm, 678 rooms
COST | $80M
Photography | Annette O’Brien
The ongoing collaboration between student accommodation provider Scape and Plus is revitalising the Brisbane Student Accommodation market.
Rather than simply deliver a given number of rooms, the brief was to create a community. The innovative 17 storey project is centred around the concept of ‘vertical communities’ and features several unique design elements including a stepped external terrace.
Communal areas include a densely landscaped courtyard located just past the main lobby creating an oasis in the middle of such a frenetic environment. A communal lounge and coffee shop activate the lobby, with a double-height space connecting students to the communal amenities on the mezzanine above. The outdoor terraces are stepped, breaking down the mass of the building with their broad amphitheatre-style steps connecting all levels.
Despite the amenity and proximity to the river, the immediate aspect of the development is across the six busy lanes of Coronation Drive. The lower levels of Scape Toowong are wrapped with a laser-cut screen that acts as both a filter and a veil to attenuate some of the traffic noise, as well as provide privacy for students occupying the lower levels.
