View Brisbane’s history from Queen Street’s high-rise public park
Brisbane is soon to gain a new public green space – which will be uniquely positioned on the fourth floor of the new Grocon building at 480 Queen Street. As well as providing city goers with a sheltered park area, the new space will also give the public a view to an almost-forgotten piece of Brisbane history.
The public green space will be a feature of Grocon’s new 31-floor office tower, which is currently under construction. Looking to set a benchmark for upcoming developments in the city, the company’s innovative and environmentally friendly design will see green walls and raking gardens covering the concrete surfaces, high above the busy city streets. Sitting between Adelaide and Queen Streets, the space will also look over Adelaide House, a heritage-listed building that sits in the grounds of St John’s Cathedral.
Grocon recently announced that the park would be named Hobbs Park, after Queensland scientist Dr William Hobbs who built Adelaide House in 1853. The house holds a very significant place in Queensland’s history – it was from its verandah that Governor George Bowen read the proclamation of the new colony of Queensland and its separation from New South Wales. As Brisbane as grown, it has become increasingly harder to view Adelaide House from the road. The new space will allow the public that view once again, almost lost for 140 years. Construction of 480 Queen Street is expected to be completed by next year.