Overlooking the dynamic skyline of South Brisbane, Australia, Upper House by Koichi Takada Architects is racking up architecture awards around the globe. Both juries and the public have commended the 33-story multi-residential project for its conscious choices, introduction of natural materials, biodiverse plantings, respect for people and planet, as its shapely form.
The building delivers 188 luxury apartments inside expressive architecture that references the Moreton Bay Fig tree, while a 5-story artwork on the façade shares a message about Australia’s Indigenous people, the world’s oldest known living civilization.
“Highrise lifestyle has become detached and disconnected – from the community, from nature, from one another,” says Koichi Takada. “With Upper House, we are looking to challenge that and establish a new model for vertical living that is about connection.”
The first collaboration between Aria Property Group and Koichi Takada Architects, Upper House is designed to celebrate Brisbane’s natural beauty, relaxed urban lifestyle and mild sub-tropical climate. Punctuating the city skyline with a timber pergola and tropical rooftop oasis, Upper House has over 10,000 square feet of progressive well-being amenities that bring residents together.
The Australian Institutes of Architects jury said: “The Upper House project exemplifies large-scale sustainable development. Guided by a robust Climate Adaptation Plan, it achieves meaningful improvements across various sustainability metrics, from construction waste reuse to heat wave preparedness. The incorporation of First Nations artwork, extensive community-building features, and a distinctive built form underscores the project’s ambition and impact. Collaborating architects and developers have created a sustainable legacy for generations to come.”
“The incorporation of First Nations artwork, extensive community-building features, and a distinctive built form underscores the project’s ambition and impact.”
The curvaceous lines of the architecture exist in harmony with the façade artwork that draws directly from the site’s history. Bloodlines Weaving String and Water, 2023, is expressed on perforated metal, folded and backlit in order to bring to life Indigenous history and traditional narrative.
“Lines of light crisscross the river and the land. Local routes follow Aboriginal walking tracks,” artist Judy Watson explains. “They are the bloodlines that pull us to Country and culture.”
This prominent expression of Indigenous history lays the foundation of respect, fosters a sense of inclusion among residents, and opens a dialogue about Australia’s significant past. Aria Property Group’s commitment to art continues inside the Hope Street lobby, which is a public gallery space to showcase emerging artists, aligning with their mission of the nearby Fish Lane Arts Precinct.
Photography by Scott Burrows and Mark Nilon.
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