List of tallest buildings in Brisbane

Brisbane, Australia's third largest city, is home to at least 360 completed high-rise buildings,[1] at least 70 high-rise buildings over 100 metres in height,[2] and has 19 completed skyscrapers (and 5 under construction 2024) which exceed the height of 150 metres (490 ft).[3] With the third greatest number of skyscrapers in any city within Australia (behind Melbourne and Sydney), Brisbane boasts some of the tallest buildings in the country, including the city's current tallest, the 270.5 metres (887 ft) Brisbane Skytower, completed in 2019.

The Brisbane city skyline from South Brisbane in 2023

All of Brisbane's skyscrapers (defined as buildings with a height greater than 150 metres) are located within the CBD, with large numbers of high-rise buildings also proliferating in the inner suburbs of South Brisbane, Kangaroo Point, Fortitude Valley, Newstead, Teneriffe, New Farm, Bowen Hills, Spring Hill, Milton, Auchenflower, Toowong, Taringa, St Lucia, West End and Woolloongabba.

There is a 274.3 metres (900 ft) height limit for buildings in the CBD. As of 2013, a review of height limits for city skyscrapers has been requested by Brisbane Lord Mayor to allow construction of buildings over 300 metres (980 ft) above sea level.[4]

Brisbane's 91 metre City Hall was the city's tallest building for decades after its completion in 1930 and was finally surpassed in 1970 by the Westpac Building, which marked the beginning of the widespread construction of high-rise buildings over 100 metres in height. The city's first skyscraper with a height of over 150 metres was Central Plaza One, completed in 1988. Central Plaza One and Waterfront Place, completed in 1989, remained the city's only skyscrapers until the completion of the 200 metre Riparian Plaza in 2005, which has since been surpassed on numerous occasions in the widespread construction of skyscrapers which has been ongoing since the mid-2000s.

Brisbane plays host to other structures over 150 metres in height such as the five television transmission towers atop Mount Coot-tha and the Bald Hills Radiator transmission tower however these are not considered to be buildings as they are uninhabitable.

Tallest buildings

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Brisbane CBD from Southbank in 2024

This is a list of Brisbane's tallest completed and topped out buildings.[5] Structures are not included. Official heights are ranked by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, and include spires but exclude communications masts and spires.[6] All of the buildings that are listed are over 150m in height.

Rank Name Image Height Storeys Usage Year Notes
1 Brisbane Skytower   270.5 m (887 ft) 90 residential 2019 Brisbane Skytower (nicknamed Bon Bon) is a 270-metre (890 ft) skyscraper at 222 Margaret Street in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The 90-storey residential tower is Brisbane's tallest building. It also has the highest infinity pool in the southern hemisphere on the top level at 270 m (level 90) with 180 degree views to the north and south.
2 The One   264 m (866 ft) 82 residential 2021 The tallest tower of the three buildings of the Brisbane Quarter complex. Topped out in December 2020.[7]
3 1 William Street   259.8 m (853 ft) 46 office 2016 Brisbane's tallest building from 2016 to 2019; inhabited by the executive branch of the Queensland Government; nicknamed One Big Willy or the Tower of Power and seen as symbolising the legacy of Premier Campbell Newman.
4 Infinity   249 m (816.9 ft) 81 residential 2014 Tallest building in Brisbane from 2014 until 2016; also known as Meriton Herschel Street Serviced Apartments
5 Soleil   243 m (797.2 ft) 74 residential 2012 Tallest building in Brisbane 2012 until 2014; also known as Meriton Adelaide Street Serviced Apartments
6 Aurora   207 m (679.1 ft) 69 residential 2006 Tallest building in Brisbane from 2006 until 2012
7 Riparian Plaza   200 m (656.1 ft) 53 mixed use 2005 Tallest building in Brisbane 2005 until 2006; notable for its 50-metre communications mast (not counted in the building's height) and being one of the last projects of renowned architect Harry Seidler. The adjacent Riverside Centre was also designed by Seidler and shares many design elements with Riparian Plaza
8 One One One Eagle Street   194.7 m (639.7 ft) 54 office 2012 Notable for the illuminated curved columns resembling the roots of the Moreton Bay Fig visible through its facade
9 443 Queen Street   183.7 m (602.6 ft) 47 residential 2023
10 300 George Street   182.2 m (597.8 ft) 41 office 2021 Part of the Brisbane Quarter development which also comprises a hotel and a residential building
11 Central Plaza One   174 m (570.8 ft) 44 office 1988 Tallest building in Brisbane 1988 until 2005; Brisbane's first skyscraper over 150m
12 275 George Street   171 m (561 ft) 32 office 2009
13 Waterfront Place   162 m (531.4 ft) 40 office 1989 Notable for its curved blue glass facade and hosting federal cabinet meetings when these are held in Brisbane at the Commonwealth Parliament Offices on the top floor
14 480 Queen Street   153 m (501.9 ft) 34 office 2016
15 180 Brisbane   152 m (498.6 ft) 34 office 2015 Notable for the large image of the course of the Brisbane River on its facade
16 Brisbane Square   151 m (495.4 ft) 38 office 2006 Headquarters of the Brisbane City Council and the Brisbane Square Library
17 Skyline Apartments   150 m (492.1 ft) 48 residential 2007 Located within the Petrie Bight cluster of apartment buildings

Under construction and proposed

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This is a list of buildings currently under construction or proposed that are planned to reach 150 m in height.[8]

Key:
Topped out Under construction Approved Proposed
Name Height Storeys Usage Completion Status
204 Alice St - Meriton Tower A 273.5 m (897.3 ft) 79 residential 2027 Proposed[9]
204 Alice St - Meriton Tower M 244.2 m (801.2 ft) 70 residential 2027 Proposed[9]
30 Albert Street 270 m (885.8 ft) 91 residential TBA Approved
171 Edward St 265 m (869.4 ft) 82 residential 2027 Proposed[10]
25 Mary Street 254.1 m (833.7 ft) 71 residential TBA Proposed
Queen's Wharf Twr 5 253 m (830.1 ft) 71 residential 2025 Under Construction
Brisbane Waterfront North Tower 238 m (780.8 ft) 49 office 2026 Under Construction[11][12]
Brisbane Waterfront South Tower 212 m (695.5 ft) 43 office 2026 Under Construction[11][13]
Queen's Wharf Twr 4 231.1 m (758.2 ft) 63 residential 2024 Topped Out
195-199 Elizabeth Street 196 m (643.0 ft) 62 residential TBA Approved
101 Albert Street 190 m (623.4 ft) 40 residential 2026 Proposed[14]
62 Mary Street 189 m (620.1 ft) 39 office TBA Proposed[15]
150 Elizabeth St Regent Tower 174 m (570.9 ft) 42 residential 2027 Approved[16]
205 North Quay 172.1 m (564.6 ft) 40 office 2025 Under Construction[17]
Queen's Wharf Twr 1 171 m (561.0 ft) 43 hotel 2024 Topped Out
Station Square Stage 1 55-75 hotel/office 2029 Proposed[18]
360 Queen Street 157 m (515.1 ft) 37 residential 2025 Under Construction[19]
200 Turbot Street 152.3 m (499.7 ft) 38 office TBA Proposed[20]

Timeline of tallest buildings

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This lists buildings that once held the title of "tallest building in Brisbane".[5]

Name Image Years as tallest Height floors Notes
Brisbane City Hall   1930–1970 92 m (302 ft) 4 Brisbane's tallest building for four decades, City Hall now plays host to the Museum of Brisbane and auditoria for events
Westpac Building   1970–1971 105 m (344 ft) 23 Brisbane's first high-rise building with a height greater than 100 meters
Suncorp Plaza   1971–1976 118 m (387 ft) 26 A 10-metre digital clock sits atop the building. Before placement of the clock, a rotating restaurant sat atop the building
Hitachi Building (formerly MLC Centre) 239 George Street   1976–1977 141 m (463 ft) 33 A 31 meter weather beacon sits atop the building with lights indicating temperature rise and fall, potential rain and windy conditions, controlled directly from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. In late November 2007, the weather beacon was turned off. High electricity costs, energy usage, and more modern methods of providing weather forecasting were cited as the reasons for the beacon being turned off. For over 30 years the beacon warned Brisbane residents of the impending weather - the upper white lights for temperature, the lower lights showed continuous white for fine, 1/2 sec flashing white for windy, 2 sec flashing white for clearing, continuous red for rain, 1/2 sec flashing red for strong winds and rain, and 2 sec flashing red for showers.
AMP Place   1978–1986 135 m (443 ft) 35 Nicknamed The Gold Tower and located adjacent to the 134 meter Comalco Place, which was completed in 1983 and is nicknamed The Blue Tower
Riverside Centre   1986–1988 142 m (466 ft) 40 Located adjacent to Riparian Plaza, which was also designed by renowned architect Harry Seidler and with which it shares numerous design elements
Central Plaza One   1988–2005 174 m (571 ft) 44 Brisbane's first skyscraper over 150m in height
Riparian Plaza   2005–2006 200 m (660 ft) 53 Tallest building in Brisbane 2005 until 2006; notable for its 50-metre communications mast (not counted in the building's height) and being one of the last projects of renowned architect Harry Seidler. The adjacent Riverside Centre was also designed by Seidler and shares many design elements with Riparian Plaza
Aurora   2006–2012 207 m (679 ft) 69 Brisbane's tallest building from 2006 until 2012
Soleil   2012–2014 243 m (797 ft) 74 Brisbane's tallest building from 2012 until 2014; also known as Meriton Adelaide Street Serviced Apartments
Infinity   2014–2016 249 m (817 ft) 81 Brisbane's tallest building from 2014 until 2016; also known as Meriton Herschel Street Serviced Apartments
1 William Street   2016–2018 259.8 m (852 ft) 46 Brisbane's tallest building from 2016 until 2018; inhabited by the executive branch of the Queensland Government; nicknamed One Big Willy or the Tower of Power and seen as symbolising the legacy of Premier Campbell Newman
Brisbane Skytower   2018–present 269.4 m (884 ft) 90 Tallest building in Brisbane. Fifth-tallest building in Australia. Topped out in December 2018.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Brisbane | Buildings". Emporis. Archived from the original on 22 March 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ Brisbane - The Skyscraper Center. Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 10 February 2017
  3. ^ Brisbane - The Skyscraper Center. Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 2 November 2019
  4. ^ Andrew MacDonald (26 March 2013). "Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk wants a review of the 274m height cap on skyscrapers in the city". The Courier-Mail. News Ltd. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  5. ^ a b Brisbane: Building list - Base Data - The Skyscraper Center. Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 10 February 2017
  6. ^ CTBUH Height Criteria. CTBUH. Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
  7. ^ "The One Topping Out – Brisbane Quarter". 21 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Brisbane". SkyscraperPage. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  9. ^ a b Development, Brisbane (10 January 2024). "Meriton Unveils $1.3 Billion Dual-Skyscrapers, Soaring to Maximum Height at 204 Alice Street".
  10. ^ "171 Edward Street".
  11. ^ a b "Waterfront Brisbane: Dexus' New Retail and Office Development Approved".
  12. ^ "Dexus picks up pace at $2b Waterfront Brisbane". 14 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Waterfront Brisbane North Tower - The Skyscraper Center". www.skyscrapercenter.com.
  14. ^ "Way Cleared for Albert Street Cross-River Rail Tower". 24 November 2023.
  15. ^ "62 Mary Street - the Skyscraper Center".
  16. ^ Paris, Taryn (26 September 2023). "ISPT Reveals 42-Storey Office Tower Above Brisbane's Regent Theatre". www.theurbandeveloper.com.
  17. ^ "205 North Quay - the Skyscraper Center".
  18. ^ "Station Square: $1.2 Billion Development Unveiled in Woolloongabba Ahead of 2032 Olympic Games". brisbanedevelopment.com. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  19. ^ "360 Queen Street Secures Pre-commit Tenants for $800 Commercial Tower". 6 April 2022.
  20. ^ "200 Turbot Street - the Skyscraper Center".