Koichi Takada Architects Nature-inspired Architecture Holds the Winning Formula - Brisbane City - Australia

Australian Architecture captures the heart and imagination of awards programs globally

Upper House (South Brisbane, Australia) is a 33-storey multi-residential project by Koichi Takada Architects that has been honoured by many global awards programs in 2024. Both juries and the public have commended Upper House for its conscious choices, introduction of natural materials, biodiverse plantings, respect for people and planet, as its shapely form.

“Highrise lifestyle has become detached and disconnected – from the community, from nature, from one another," says Koichi Takada. "With Upper House, we are looking to challenge that and establish a new model for vertical living that is about connection.”

The building delivers 188 luxury apartments inside expressive architecture that references the Moreton Bay Fig treea 5-storeyartwork on the façade shares a message about Australia’s indigenous people, the world’s oldest known living civilisation.

Upper House is the first completed collaboration between Aria Property Group and Koichi Takada Architects and the architecture is designed to celebrate Brisbane’s natural beauty, relaxed urban lifestyle and mild sub-tropical climate. Punctuating the city skyline with a timber pergola and tropical rooftop oasis, Upper House has 1,000m² of progressive wellbeing amenities that bring residents together.

The Australian Institutes of Architects jury said: “The Upper House project exemplifies large-scale sustainable development. Guided by a robust Climate Adaptation Plan, it achieves meaningful improvements across various sustainability metrics, from construction waste reuse to heat wave preparedness. The incorporation of First Nations artwork, extensive community-building features, and a distinctive built form underscores the project’s ambition and impact. Collaborating architects and developers have created a sustainable legacy for generations to come.”

“Throughout the development, a thoughtfully curated artwork strategy showcases the work of emerging and established artists, with a collection that gifts sublime beauty and enjoyment to residents and a sound investment to the body corporate. The five-storey high façade features the artwork ‘Bloodlines Weaving String and Water’, by renowned Waanyi artist Judy Watson, while the backlit folded metal façade comes to life at night with mesmerising references to memory and cultural practices, orienting the building to Country and contributing authentic stories of place to the surrounding urban context. This project shows what can be achieved when an ambitious architect, art curator, and developer work in alignment.”

Distinctive design

Easily identified by the architectural “roots” of the façade and natural timber pergola, Upper House’s form references the buttress root system of the native Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus macrophylla). The curvaceous lines of the architecture exist in harmony with the façade artwork that draws directly from the site’s history. Bloodlines Weaving String and Water, 2023, is expressed on perforated metal, folded and backlit in order to bring to life indigenous history and traditional narrative. Artist Judy Watson says, “Lines of light criss-cross the river and the land. Local routes follow Aboriginal walking tracks. They are the bloodlines that pull us to Country and culture.” This prominent expression of indigenous history lays the foundation of respect, fosters a sense of inclusion among residents, and opens a dialogue about Australia’s significant past. Aria Property Group’s commitment to art continues inside the Hope Street lobby, which is a public gallery space to showcase emerging artists, aligning with their mission of the nearby Fish Lane Arts Precinct.

Holistic wellness & wellbeing

Upper House caters to the collective and individual wellbeing needs of its residents, offering respite from busy city life. There is a strong emphasis on the importance of nature for wellbeing, and a focus on holistic wellness. The multi-residential tower launched a double-storey Wellness Club and resident hospitality spaces called Upper Club that are located on two premium rooftop floors. The world-class amenities are designed to foster interaction, and notably to build a sense of community and enhance wellbeing. Amenities include infinity pool, spa, saunas, fitness club, yoga studio in and amongst mature tropical landscaping, as well as a boardroom, work from home facilities, a lounge bar, a cinema, bookable private dining, and a collective wine cellar for hosting events on site.

Sustainability, biodiversity, and optimisation

All Upper House apartments enjoy outdoor balcony space and are strategically oriented to provide privacy, or open out towards views of the Brisbane CBD to the east or a mountainous green landscape to the west. The staggered balcony protrusions also balance natural light and shade to accommodate an exceptional quality of life in the sub-tropical climate. Responsible design decisions throughout see Upper House built and operating in accordance with the firm’s ESD principles. Energy-efficient systems and adoption of recycled and renewable materials and resources minimise the impact and contribute to positive environmental outcomes. 3,544 plantings – a combination of native and tropical species – carefully selected for their ability to thrive in the local climate, ensure a resilient landscape and mini ecosystem that adds vitality to the rooftop setting and show a great commitment to sustainability. The layers of trees and foliage serve as a natural insulator, reducing reliance on artificial heating and cooling. Rainwater harvesting in a 40kL rainwater tank provides irrigation to all plantings. High-density living, in this manner, optimises the use of land and promotes the efficient use of resources. Upper House’s residents put resource sharing into practice through an electric vehicle carshare fleet, and the building is equipped with e-vehicle charging stations – with the ability to integrate them throughout 100% of car parking spaces.

Visionary partnership

Upper House brings to life the united vision of Aria Property Group and Koichi Takada Architects – through residential developments they are returning nature to our cities. The next building to begin construction in the collaboration between Aria Property Group and Koichi Takada Architects is Urban Forest. Also located in the South Brisbane precinct, Urban Forest is a 30-storey residential tower with a façade covered in over 25,000 native plants – which are already being grown for the project. The world’s greenest residential building is with Brisbane City Council for approval and will be completed ahead of the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.

About Koichi Takada Architects

Koichi Takada belongs to a new generation of architects that strive to return nature to the urban environment. A refined Japanese sensibility informs the architectural designs of his practice in Sydney, Australia. The 2021 publication, "Koichi Takada: Architecture, Nature, Design", outlines his career to date, details his visionary, nature-inspired architecture, and aids his mission to encourage the next generation of architects to consciously shape the future of humankind. Takada’s architecture reconnects humans to the natural environment, drawing inspiration from organic forms and local contexts. “Questioning the loss of nature in cities opens up new possibilities in architecture and design. In nature we find our ability to regenerate." - Koichi Takada Other significant projects include Arc (Sydney, Australia), National Museum of Qatar Gift Shops (Doha, Qatar), Solar Trees Marketplace (Shanghai, China), Sunflower House (Le Marche, Italy) Norfolk (Burleigh Heads, Australia), and Urban Forest (Brisbane, Australia).

Photo credit: Mark Nilon - Tom Ferguson - Scott Burrows