Sydney, Australia, Jan. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading Australian property developer Crown Group has engaged one of the world’s most renowned architects, Kengo Kuma, to design his first ever residential project in Brisbane, a $500 million development at West End, alongside award-winning Australian firm, Plus Architecture.
Kengo Kuma & Associates has started work on the new design for the remarkable apartment development planned for the burgeoning suburb, which will offer luxury riverside living only minutes from the city. The collaboration is yet another aspirational push for Brisbane which is fast becoming an architecturally rich city, with billions of dollars worth of recent projects elevating the local experience and aesthetic.
Kengo Kuma is a highly acclaimed Japanese architect, known for creating some of the world’s most extraordinary public buildings and homes. With offices in Tokyo and Paris, he is famous for his use of cedar and often melds timber and the natural environment with contemporary urban structures.
Some of Kuma’s most notable works include the Suntory Museum of Art in Tokyo, Bamboo Wall House in China, LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) Group's Japan headquarters and Tokyo's Olympic Stadium for the 2020 games.
Crown Group is an international developer headquartered in Sydney and is renowned for premium apartment projects that have set new design benchmarks. It has become globally recognised most recently for its iconic developments Arc by Crown Group in the heart of Sydney and Infinity by Crown Group at Green Square, both of which have won multiple international design and construction awards.
Chairman and Group CEO Iwan Sunito said he was honoured Kengo Kuma had agreed to work on a project with Crown Group again.
“We were fortunate enough to secure Kuma san as one of the designers of Mastery by Crown Group, at Waterloo in Sydney, which became his first ever residential project design in Australia,” Mr Sunito said.
“Now our buyers will enjoy the opportunity to live in Brisbane’s only Kengo Kuma-designed homes.
The West End development has the potential to become the largest residential development that he has designed to date, in terms of its expansive floor area.”
The West End development will be Crown Group’s first in Queensland and will offer beautifully designed luxury apartments set on 1.25ha of prime waterfront land at 117 Victoria Street.
There will be a mix of apartments, terraces homes and penthouses, with many taking advantage of river and city skyline views. It will offer Crown Group’s signature resort-style facilities including a pool, barbecue and poolside facilities, gym, community room and lush tropical gardens.
Kuma said he was looking forward to creating West End’s first urban resort with open spaces that would bring the riverfront alive.
“Brisbane to me is a very beautiful city with rich culture and natural heritage,” Kengo Kuma said. “In general, I think there is a strong connection between people and nature in Australia. The rich natural environment there is special and people’s lifestyle and culture has evolved around embracing and integrating nature into their everyday lives.
“I think Australians are looking for a hardware (architecture) that fits this kind of lifestyle, more so than people living in other countries, so the design will seek to embrace that.”
Kuma said he also wanted to make a strong physical, cultural, and emotional connection between the Brisbane river and the residences.
“A large open space component will provide a place where people can connect with one another while enjoying the views, sounds, and atmosphere of this beautiful river,” Kuma said.
Plus Architecture’s Brisbane Director, Danny Juric, said the Kuma project represented a new era in architecture, in which globally awarded and culturally rich design would become accessible to everyday consumers.
“Kuma’s iconic style will be a great addition to West End and we will work closely with him to ensure the localisation of the design is exceptional,” Juric said. “It’s a very special collaboration for us, one which will enhance the cultural fibre of the city and create a valuable and rare piece of local history.”
Queensland Development Director Trent McLauchlan said he expected to have a design concept early next year and to lodge revised designs with Brisbane City Council in mid-2021.
“This design is going to set a new benchmark for residential living in the locality,” Mr McLauchland said.
“It will become the most sought-after development Brisbane has seen in decades.”
https://www.crowngroup.com.au/brisbane/
Media Interviews on request
- Crown Group Chairman and Group CEO Iwan Sunito
- Crown Group’s Queensland Development Director Trent McLachlan
- Plus Architecture’s Brisbane Director, Danny Juric
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