IT Structures
One Park Lane
A visionary development reshaping the Gold Coast skyline through sustainable design and vertical neighbourhoods
BKK Architects has designed one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most progressive building developments in the rapidly evolving Southport district of the Gold Coast. Comprising dual towers of 100 and 60 storeys, One Park Lane represents a new paradigm for sustainable vertical living and working. The project emerged from a vision to create not just Australia’s tallest building, but a future-focused urban village that reimagines how communities can thrive in high-density environments.
The development responds to Southport’s transformation into the Gold Coast’s premier business district, addressing critical shortages in premium office space while creating unprecedented opportunities for sustainable living. At 393 meters, Tower 1 will become Australia’s tallest building, while its 60-storey companion provides much-needed commercial space for the region’s growing business community.
But height was not our main ambition. In designing it, we considered its aesthetics: the proportions of its silhouette and how it would shape the skyline. Above all, we wanted it to be a future-focused urban village where people enjoy living and working.
Big Picture Thinking
Our approach began with carefully considering the site’s context within a rapidly changing urban environment. Recently rezoned from low to high density, the relatively small site demanded innovative solutions to achieve its ambitious height while creating meaningful connections to its surroundings – from ocean views to national parks.
The concept of vertical neighbourhoods drove our planning. The residential tower was divided into four distinct segments, each with its own community facilities and social spaces. This strategic organisation breaks down the scale of high-rise living into more intimate communities, fostering social connections between residents.
The development’s dual-tower strategy emerged when the client acquired an adjacent site, enabling us to create a more dynamic urban composition that better serves the community’s needs. The project maximises its contribution to the public realm through thoughtful ground plane design and the creation of new pedestrian connections.
Collaboration and Humility
The project’s complexity demanded close collaboration with world-class consultants, including tower specialist structural engineers from the Middle East. Their expertise was crucial in providing the key technical input required in addressing the unique challenges of such a slender tower, including wind forces and the integration of mass dampers.
Extensive wind assessment studies informed the towers’ design and their impact on the surrounding environment, as well as collaborations with landscape architects tCL to resolve planting depths on the ground plain without impacting the basement. We engaged closely with local government, including dedicated sessions with the mayor and councillors, to ensure the project aligned with Southport’s vision for renewal.
Playfulness and Innovation
The design draws inspiration from the iconic Moreton Bay fig trees native to coastal Queensland. These massive trees, with their dramatic aerial roots and expansive canopies, inspired the towers’ ground plane treatment, where root-like columns create sheltered public spaces that blur the boundary between inside and outside.
The towers’ sleek forms taper slightly and are wrapped in high-performance glazing integrated with photovoltaic panels, generating up to 75% of the development’s power needs. This innovative facade solution demonstrates how sky scrapers can meaningfully address sustainability challenges while maintaining elegant proportions.
A dramatic glass-enclosed sky bridge at Level 22 connects the towers and houses gardens, function spaces, and dining venues. This isn’t merely an amenity—it provides crucial structural support to both towers while creating a stunning architectural feature that contributes to the buildings’ iconic presence.
Leadership and Advocacy
One Park Lane sets new benchmarks for sustainable high rise building design in Australia. By integrating extensive photovoltaic panels, implementing state-of-the-art lift technology, and creating opportunities for natural ventilation where possible, the project demonstrates how towers can minimise their environmental impact while maximising social benefits.
The development’s approach to vertical neighbourhoods offers a new model for high-density living, showing how thoughtful design can create communities rather than just apartments. This strategy could influence future tall building developments globally, particularly in rapidly densifying urban areas.
Transformative Places, Holistic Benefits
The project delivers 193 residences across various configurations, from affordable entry-level apartments to luxurious full-floor residences, alongside 12,700 square meters of premium office space. However, its impact extends far beyond these numbers. One Park Lane’s generous public spaces and ground-level amenities create new gathering places for the wider community. The development’s sustainable initiatives set new standards for environmental performance in super-tall buildings, while its vertical neighbourhood concept demonstrates how high-density living can foster rather than inhibit community connections.
As Southport continues to evolve into the Gold Coast’s premier business district, One Park Lane stands as a catalyst for positive change—a development that combines architectural ambition with genuine community benefit and environmental responsibility.