The Archdiocese of Brisbane has unveiled plans to build an eight-story office block adjacent to the city's historic St. Patrick’s Church in Australia. Designed by architecture practice BVN, the project was made to respond to both the existing church and the urban fabric of Fortitude Valley. The proposed development would preserve views to the church from James and McLachlan streets with over 11,000 square meters of office space.
The project was submitted as part of a development application to the city council. As BVN explains, it was made to be a "contemporary, flexible and sustainable building" for the 21st century, with interwoven community workplace and landscaped realms. Sited between the church and a series of two-story ancillary office buildings, the design features an outdoor garden room and an articulated soffit made with direction connections to the church.
The office block development was created with a building envelope that responds to the finely detailed quality of the the existing church's exterior and draws references to it. Designed by Andrea Giovanni Stombuco, St Patrick’s is a Gothic-style church listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. In addition, the team notes that “each floor features living greenery and access to the outdoors overlooking the Church to the South-West and the Brisbane CBD beyond.”
BVN is working with landscape architect Urbis on the office project.
