An Australian first, Midtown Centre sets a benchmark in adaptive reuse, representing a new era of sustainably designed commercial office space. Re-purposing two ageing inner-city office towers by strategically merging them has resulted in the creation of single macro commercial floorplates. Midtown Centre has become an exemplar of how to sustainably repurpose an underutilised asset into an innovative, contemporary workplace with minimised environmental impact.

The heritage-listed Walter Reid facade has also been respectfully reconditioned, improving the connection within its context and the repurposing of the new building. Landscape has been used to mark various transitions between old and new structures in key locations. This includes a ‘green seam’ which runs vertically down the middle of the building in addition to 3000 square metres of activated greenery across outdoor terraces, double-height sky gardens, mixed-mode atriums and balconies.

The creation of an internal, publicly accessible link between Mary and Charlotte streets provides the ‘missing piece’, connecting seven city blocks through a collection of laneways. This repositioning has elevated the urban experience, activating the laneway to engage with the public realm through a highly permeable streetscape. Midtown Centre’s laneway doubles as a canvas for local Queensland and Australian artists, continuing the city’s art trail.

Photography by Angus Martin, Milli Stuurop (Fender Katsalidis)

Dissections
Furniture: Five At Heart, Interloc, Grazia and Co, Space, Hub, Cult. Lighting: Living Edge (Tom Dixon). Finishes: SRG global, EuroPrecast, First Line engineering Pty Ltd, Iron Fist Metalcraft & Design, Aclad, Robertson’s Building Products, Earp Brothers, Signorino, DuluxGroup, Godfrey Hirst, Armstrong Ceiling Solutions, Laminex, PGH Bricks, CSR, SNB Stone, RC+D. Fittings & Fixtures: Schindler Lifts Australia Pty Ltd, Bradco (QLD) Pty Ltd, Barben, Caroma, Con-Serv.