World Renowned Architect to Redefine Brisbane Skyline
ASX Announcement/Media Release, 22/05/2008
Devine Limited has appointed Tom Wright – the internationally-renowned architect and designer of the sail-shaped Burj al Arab (Tower of the Arabs) luxury hotel in Dubai – as the architect for the $1 billion French Quarter six-star hotel and residential development.
UK-based Mr Wright, who is Director of Architecture at multinational consultancy group Atkins, was selected from a field of five finalists in a hotly-contested international competition to design the buildings that will form the centrepiece of the French Quarter project, located on the corner of Albert, Alice and Margaret Streets overlooking the Botanic Gardens.
Mr Wright is most widely known as the architect and designer of the famous Burj al Arab in Dubai, UAE, which was completed in 1999 and remains the world’s only seven-star hotel. The hotel is built in the shape of a modern yacht sail to reflect Dubai’s seafaring heritage combined with a modern aspect and has easily achieved the design brief of creating an iconic building which is synonymous with the area.
Since completion of the Burj al Arab Mr Wright has worked from Atkins’ London headquarters and assisted design projects for host of prestigious international clients in locations around the world. Projects include the Al-Rajhi Tower in Riyadh, The Lakeside Hotel, Tunisia and the Bahrain World Trade Centre.
Mr Wright said the French Quarter was a rare opportunity to work on a project which would define a city’s emergence as a truly international destination.
“We hope to bring a new level of luxury and sophistication to Brisbane’s skyline with a design that combines the French flavour of the precinct with Queensland’s own unique lifestyle,” he said.
Atkins was established as family business in 1938 and has grown to be one of the world’s leading providers of professional, technology-based consultancy and support services. It has offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas. The company has an annual turnover of more than $1.5 billion and employs over 14,000 staff. Major projects include Burj al Arab, Dubai, and Trump International Hotel & Tower, Dubai.
Mr Wright and his team will now be commissioned to work with Devine’s local design firm ML Design to develop the final plans for the French Quarter before submission to Brisbane City Council. Construction is due to commence in 2009 with completion by 2012.
The French Quarter precinct will be built on five separate sites which Devine acquired and amalgamated throughout 2007 into a single site. On completion the project will comprise a luxury six-star hotel, residential apartments, retail and commercial space, linked by Parisian-style cafes and walkways.
Devine founder and Managing Director David Devine said all five finalists submitted exceptional entries but the Atkins submission most accurately reflected the company’s Parisian-inspired vision for the precinct.
“This project will be a true coming of age for Brisbane and to secure one of the world’s top architects to work with our local team will ensure the design of the building will become a Queensland icon,” Mr Devine said.
“In Tom Wright and Atkins we have an architect and a firm of international renown which coupled with the local knowledge of ML Design ensures the project will be both an incredible visual landmark and sympathetic to the cityscape around it.
“As the first six-star hotel to be built in Brisbane for 10 years and with apartments priced from $1.5 million to $15 million the French Quarter will confirm Brisbane’s reputation as an international city.”
The Alice Street site overlooking the Botanic Gardens will be the site of the luxury hotel which will comprise up to 160 luxury rooms on the lower levels and the luxury residential apartments on the upper levels.
Devine has engaged Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels to manage an international Expressions of Interest campaign to select an operator for the hotel component of the project. A final short list of operators has been selected with an announcement of the preferred party to be made shortly.
"The French Quarter will be home to Brisbane's most exclusive hotel and as such we received strong interest from many of the world's luxury hotel brands," said Mr David Gibson, CEO Asia Pacific, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels.
The apartments will be priced from approximately $1.5 million to $15 million, making them the most expensive apartments ever marketed in Brisbane. Another international competition will be held to design the interiors of the apartments.
UK-based Mr Wright, who is Director of Architecture at multinational consultancy group Atkins, was selected from a field of five finalists in a hotly-contested international competition to design the buildings that will form the centrepiece of the French Quarter project, located on the corner of Albert, Alice and Margaret Streets overlooking the Botanic Gardens.
Mr Wright is most widely known as the architect and designer of the famous Burj al Arab in Dubai, UAE, which was completed in 1999 and remains the world’s only seven-star hotel. The hotel is built in the shape of a modern yacht sail to reflect Dubai’s seafaring heritage combined with a modern aspect and has easily achieved the design brief of creating an iconic building which is synonymous with the area.
Since completion of the Burj al Arab Mr Wright has worked from Atkins’ London headquarters and assisted design projects for host of prestigious international clients in locations around the world. Projects include the Al-Rajhi Tower in Riyadh, The Lakeside Hotel, Tunisia and the Bahrain World Trade Centre.
Mr Wright said the French Quarter was a rare opportunity to work on a project which would define a city’s emergence as a truly international destination.
“We hope to bring a new level of luxury and sophistication to Brisbane’s skyline with a design that combines the French flavour of the precinct with Queensland’s own unique lifestyle,” he said.
Atkins was established as family business in 1938 and has grown to be one of the world’s leading providers of professional, technology-based consultancy and support services. It has offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas. The company has an annual turnover of more than $1.5 billion and employs over 14,000 staff. Major projects include Burj al Arab, Dubai, and Trump International Hotel & Tower, Dubai.
Mr Wright and his team will now be commissioned to work with Devine’s local design firm ML Design to develop the final plans for the French Quarter before submission to Brisbane City Council. Construction is due to commence in 2009 with completion by 2012.
The French Quarter precinct will be built on five separate sites which Devine acquired and amalgamated throughout 2007 into a single site. On completion the project will comprise a luxury six-star hotel, residential apartments, retail and commercial space, linked by Parisian-style cafes and walkways.
Devine founder and Managing Director David Devine said all five finalists submitted exceptional entries but the Atkins submission most accurately reflected the company’s Parisian-inspired vision for the precinct.
“This project will be a true coming of age for Brisbane and to secure one of the world’s top architects to work with our local team will ensure the design of the building will become a Queensland icon,” Mr Devine said.
“In Tom Wright and Atkins we have an architect and a firm of international renown which coupled with the local knowledge of ML Design ensures the project will be both an incredible visual landmark and sympathetic to the cityscape around it.
“As the first six-star hotel to be built in Brisbane for 10 years and with apartments priced from $1.5 million to $15 million the French Quarter will confirm Brisbane’s reputation as an international city.”
The Alice Street site overlooking the Botanic Gardens will be the site of the luxury hotel which will comprise up to 160 luxury rooms on the lower levels and the luxury residential apartments on the upper levels.
Devine has engaged Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels to manage an international Expressions of Interest campaign to select an operator for the hotel component of the project. A final short list of operators has been selected with an announcement of the preferred party to be made shortly.
"The French Quarter will be home to Brisbane's most exclusive hotel and as such we received strong interest from many of the world's luxury hotel brands," said Mr David Gibson, CEO Asia Pacific, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels.
The apartments will be priced from approximately $1.5 million to $15 million, making them the most expensive apartments ever marketed in Brisbane. Another international competition will be held to design the interiors of the apartments.
