North Quarter

When you have a brother and sister who are twins it is surprising how many people ask if they are identical! We look at these new buildings as twins of sorts – born at the same time, close to each other, similar in height, in behaviour.

Of course, in their differences they are clearly individuals. Here, at street level, 400 George boasts a lower level food court to serve the lunch crowds, while 32 Turbot (now Santos Place) is more about the stylish coffee bar. Both clad in glass, their facades and features are strikingly different and pleasingly so.

A fine feature of 32 Turbot Street from a city-making point of view is an intimately scaled covered walkway along the south perimeter of the building, creating a new pedestrian route between Turbot Street and the Kuripla Bridge. The human scale is in contrast with the tower above. The walkway is lined with mineralised stone blocks providing informal seating, and passes the low lobby of the building, rich with wood detailing. This is an understated corner for corporate coffee meetings, and a seamless link to Kuripla Bridge that we hope will set a standard for future mid-block links that are envisaged for other developments.

32 Turbot Street also boasts distinctive yellow shade structures to its slender sides, and feature colour panels on the façade in orange and yellow hues that evoke desert landscapes.

We don’t see these buildings in competition at all. Rather, their contribution to city-building is shared and it’s a solid one. The 'North Quarter' buildings are a smart addition to the skyline, and to the pedestrian city experience. Like all twins, you have to love them both equally.