As one of Queensland’s largest ever commercial office projects, Dexus has invested in the development of two commercial towers with a combined mixed-use podium. A.G. Coombs has been engaged by Principal Contractor John Holland to deliver the base build mechanical services for Stage 1 of the $2.5B development consisting of the basement, podium and 52-storey North Tower.

“We were approached for early input in mid-2022 and awarded the project in April 2023 in what is a reflection of the trust and confidence John Holland and Dexus have in our capabilities to deliver such a landmark project,” says Mark Mitchell, Executive General Manager at A.G. Coombs. “We have worked to build a strong reputation for successfully delivering high-performance buildings and this project is another demonstration of our leading capacity to provide end-to-end solutions,” he said.

Digging Deep

Site preparation and construction are underway, with completion of the North Tower anticipated for early 2028. Dexus has achieved pre-commitment for over half of this Tower’s office space, with leading professional services firms Colliers, DLA Piper, Deloitte, Gadens, and Minter Ellison as confirmed future customers.

In one of the more complex building projects undertaken in Brisbane, significant deconstruction of the old Eagle Street Pier precinct has taken place in readiness for the excavation phase.

Supporting its circular economy objectives for the precinct, Dexus has reclaimed and reused construction waste to create furniture, which will be repurposed in the future Waterfront Brisbane precinct.

Reminiscent of a traditional Queenslander, the completed podium will be elevated to maximise views and is connected to carefully-designed walkways to enhance connectivity. To achieve this unique feature, and to create the required foundations for the two towers, deep excavation is occurring on the riverbed – a process which is anticipated to take approximately 24 months.

With on-site access not expected until mid-2025, A.G. Coombs is collaborating with engineering consultants Floth on mechanical designs, whilst detail planning the offsite prefabrication of components.

“With the total commercial building exceeding 72,000 sqm, off-site prefabrication of mechanical plant provides significant efficiencies and advantages,” says John Holland Project Director, Tony Froio.

“We have a long history with A.G. Coombs and their unique end-to-end in-house ability to design, off-site fabricate, install and maintain, is a distinct advantage on this complex project.”

Setting the benchmark

Aligned with Dexus’s ESG commitments, Waterfront Brisbane aims to embody the highest levels of sustainability, circularity, and energy efficiency. The project is registered for a 5 Star Green Star rating and is targeting the more challenging 6 Star Green Star rating. Other sustainability targets include 5.5 Star NABERS rating, 4.5 Star Water rating, Platinum WELL V2 Core target and a broader precinct circular economy framework.

Dexus has designed the North Tower with flexible 1,600 sqm floorplates within an integrated smart buildings precinct, an outdoor amphitheatre, wellness centre, one hectare of public open space and destination dining, all within easy reach of transportation links. Accessibility has been earmarked as a key component with the development set to achieve a Walk Score® of 98% and a (bicycle) RideScore of 100%.