Architects let imagination run wild in city

A double layered, curved, pedestrian cross-river bridge linking Alice Street to Kangaroo Point and an underground shopping mall akin to Sydney's Queen Victoria Building are among the proposals Brisbane's top urban designers have brought before City Hall in a bid to transform the city.

The designs will be launched by Lord Mayor Graham Quirk on Thursday as he kicks off the start of public consultation for the City Centre Master Plan by way of an Ideas Fiesta announced earlier this year.

Cr Quirk said the concepts came about after the council challenged leading consultants and design and architecture students to deliver proposals on how to improve the city's design.

But he warned residents not to get too excited, saying the concepts were aspirational and as such were intended to stimulate conversation rather than stand as concrete blueprints for the future.

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Vibrant city centres are at the economic and social heart of successful cities, and as Brisbane's economy grows we need to ensure we have an attractive and accessible city centre that draws people to live, work, trade, visit and mingle, Cr Quirk said.

Those values are very evident in eight concepts to be unveiled at the launch event, and will form the basis of eight more designs yet to be revealed.

In addition to the Kangaroo Point pedestrian bridge proposed by Richard Kirk Architects, comes a Conrad Gargett Riddel design which creates new pedestrian and cycle connections between Roma Street Parklands, Hardgrave Park, residential areas and Victoria Barracks via a series of bridges.

Meanwhile the City West concept by Architectus turns William Jolly Bridge into a pedestrian and public transport bridge, and proposes a spiral-shaped events space connecting Roma Street with The Barracks.

And there would be boardwalks, a new public wharf, floating parks, a 50-metre river pool and pontoons to host temporary activities such as fresh food markets, live music and multi-sport courts if Queen's Wharf by Lat27 was realised.

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Architects let imagination run wild in city