LatStudios was commissioned to produce the urban and landscape designs for Lendlease’s successful bid for the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade. We worked collaboratively with Lendlease, the Jacobs KBR Design Joint Venture, DotDash, Asset Horticultural Consultants, CREATIVEMOVE and Real Serious Games, to deliver an innovative and context-responsive design that was selected as the preferred tender by Brisbane City Council. We are currently  developing the landscape and urban designs for the construction phase of the project.

The upgrade is considered to be an important city-shaping project, creating an entry statement to Brisbane and transforming one of the city’s most significant routes into a vibrant urban corridor with the Brisbane River as the centrepiece. The project will provide increased road capacity to accommodate future traffic volumes through road widening between Theodore Street at Eagle Farm and Cooksley Street, Hamilton. It also includes improvement works between Cooksley Street and Breakfast Creek Road at Albion.

The upgrade provides a significant opportunity to increase and enhance interaction with the Brisbane River and create a lasting piece of infrastructure that contributes to Brisbane’s identity as a New World City. Key landscape and urban design initiatives include:

• Off-road segregated path for pedestrians and cyclists along the waterfront between Cameron Rocks Reserve and Bretts Wharf;
• RiverWalk rest stop nodes built out over the river to provide viewing platforms, seating and shade for recreation;
• The creation of a lush subtropical tree-lined boulevard throughout the corridor. In order to provide space in the median for the tree planting, a cantilever structure will be built out over the river;
• The rejuvenation of Cameron Rocks Reserve including the ceremonial memorial court and refurbished war memorial to provide improved amenity for park users, including direct access to the river;
• The creation of Bretts Wharf Plaza, a new multi-function public event space that connects the Racecourse Road entertainment precinct, the RiverWalk, Portside and Northshore Hamilton.
• Artwork and interpretive signage throughout the corridor to reinforce the cultural and historical significance of the precinct; and
• Architectural lighting strategies to enhance landscape and urban design legibility and promote night time safety and activation.

Perspective image stills taken from 3D flythrough by Real Serious Games. Other images by LatStudios.

Read more about the upgrade on the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade website.