Redesign and refresh of Brisbane’s Chinatown Mall. Mostly streetscape and infrastructure works, and public art. Incorporates outdoor dining space for the many Chinese restaurants lining the street, covered events space (festivals are regular here) and access to an existing multi-storey car park. Water sensitive urban design measures, including roofwater and stormwater collection, are employed to supply water features and irrigation.
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Chinatown Mall
Written by cityadmin2
March 13, 2010
Hits: 435
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2.8 (2) |
about the listing
| address | Duncan Street, Fortitude Valley, Qld, 4006 |
| year | 2010 |
| cost | $8m |
| citymaker(s) | Brisbane City Council, Urbis, unknown Chinese architects |
User reviews
Average user rating from: 2 user(s)
Great to see Chinatown having a facelift. The lights and flooring look great, however the lack of trees, plants and general greenery is very disappointing. There is very little shade offered as well which is essential in spring and summer in Brisbane,
Driving past the traditional pagoda structure at the Wickham Street end of Chinatown Mall gives a misleading perspective of the design employed on this project. Only by venturing into the mall do we realise that the pedestrian focused street has been rebuilt using a myriad of fine details that blend Chinese cultural and historical motifs together with modern styling and materials.
The buildings along Chinatown Mall are mostly forgettable and so we like the crisp new structures such as the Grand Awning and the contemporary Ann Street gateway, and the bold reds and oranges used throughout. The bespoke street furniture includes seating with feature patterns derived from ancient Chinese dynasties.
Redeveloping a street like Chinatown Mall means upgrading its setting without competing with the busy restaurants, shops and services that line its edges and underpin its reason for being. For a culturally important place, it’s also important that the physical design elements don’t overwhelm the cultural fabric. As most of the design features are details, only realised by close inspection, we think this balance works. It’s good to see the car park roadways downgraded into a shared space too, without even littering the mall with safety signage and traffic obstacles. All the elements in harmony, perhaps.
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