design
mag |
87
The use of off-white bricks was Spence’s way of
easing acceptance of masonry in a hot
climate. He references Palm Springs, the
upmarket Californian desert community, as an
example.“We thought a darker brick, maybe
red or brown, would have been a bit too civic
in its palette for a shopping and restaurant
precinct,” he expands,“and that the off-white
brick lightens the mood a little and was more
appropriate to these kind of recreational uses.
It also provides a further context for the palm
trees.”The off-white bricks blend smoothly with
large areas of glass, concrete and black steel.
The upper-level brick screens are a signature
element of the building.Also known as hit-and-
miss brickwork, this technique has been widely
used for centuries, especially in hot climates
where it is used for ventilation.The
combination of tall (three course) “misses”
and an unrestrained top edge prompted Scott
McDonald of structural engineers Sheehy &
Partners to specify T-shaped steel
reinforcement to be embedded in each
continuous course beneath the openings.
Sheehy also did the structural engineering for
the remarkable three-sided brick screen that is
suspended over four storeys from Brisbane’s
AM-60 tower building (see
com.au).
Tenancy fit-outs were carried out progressively
with the major commercial tenant, a mining
company, taking possession several months
before the retail tenants.The project was
completed at the end of 2011. In the ultimate
sign of a successful development, the entire
project was promptly fully tenanted.
19 James Street was a finalist in the UDIA 2011
Awards for Excellence in the Retail/Commercial
up to 3000 square metres category.
Quick Facts
19 James Street
Location:
Fortitude Valley QLD
Owner:
Centro 1&2 Partnership
Architect:
Richards & Spence
Structural engineer:
Sheehy &
Partners (brickwork), Intelara
(overall project)
Builder: :
CMF Projects
Bricklayer:
Ultimate Brick &
Blocklaying
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