Over the last century, Australia has experienced both economic growth and a population boom. This has led to the emergence of several mega towers to meet the economic and population needs of the country. In addition to population and economic growth, the country’s construction industry has undergone enormous expansion and transformation. Australia has the highest number of skyscrapers per person in the entire world. It is also among the first five countries to experience a skyscraper boom. Below are the 10 tallest buildings in Australia;
1. Q1
The title of the tallest building in Australia is currently held by Q1 located in Surfers Paradise, on the Gold Coast. The building, which is also called Queensland’s Number One, was designed by Sunland group and has a height of 322.5 meters. At its completion in 2005, it was the tallest residential building in the world, a title that was taken by The Marina Torch in Dubai. Q1’s design is inspired by the Sydney Opera House and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Torch.
2. Australia 108
Australia 108 is a supertall residential structure located in Melbourne. The building was completed in 2020. Like all other tall buildings, height always presents an engineering nightmare. When measured by roof height, Australia 108 is actually the tallest buildings in Australia.
The building was designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects and was initially meant to be 226 meters. The initial design was later revised to make the building taller.
3. Eureka Tower
Located in Melbourne, Eureka Tower, with a height of 297.3 meters is the second tallest building in Australia. At its completion, the building was the tallest residential building in the world. The building was named after the 1854 Eureka Stockade rebellion and its design features a red stripe, gold crown, and blue glass paneling. They symbolize the bloodshed, the gold rush, and the Stockade flag.
The building is divided into 556 apartments in 84 floors. The Eureka Skydeck 88 which opened in May 2007 is located on the 88th floor. The Skydeck are three suspended meter glass cubes that are able to hold people at 300 meters above the ground.
4. Aurora Melbourne Central
This is another one of the tallest residential buildings in Australia. The building, which is still under construction, was designed by Elenberg Fraser. It has elements of axial symmetry to produce an appearance resembling that of a budding flower.
5. Brisbane Skytower
Brisbane Skytower is the tallest in Brisbane and the fifth tallest building in Australia. The structure was designed by Noel Robinson Architects and was developed by Billbergia and AMP Capital. Brisbane Skytower has an equilateral triangle design with several materials (including double-glazed windows) to fit Brisbane Skytower neatly into the skyline.
6. 120 Collins Street
This is an office building and the sixth tallest in Australia. The building is located in Melbourne’s central business district and is the tallest commercial building in Australia. The building was constructed in 1991 and its design was inspired by the Art Deco structures which are found in many American skylines. The building’s tenants include Citigroup, Mitsubishi, BlackRock, and BofA Securities.
7. 101 Collins Street
101 Collins Street is the sister to 120 Collins Street and was also completed in 1991. The building is home to Australia’s highest commercial solar panel system. Like 120 Collins Street, 101 Collins Street was also designed by the Art Deco style.
8. 1 William Street
This is the second tallest building in Brisbane and has a modernist design, crafted by Woods Bagot. The building was commissioned by the Queensland Government as part of the Government Administrative Precinct renewal. The building has housed government workers since its completion in October 2016.
9. Prima Pearl
Prima Pearl was initially designed to be 225 meters high but concerns were raised of oversupply of apartments in Melbourne’s inner-city apartment market. The initial plan was nevertheless approved by later dropped in 2009. In 2010, a company called Schiavello relaunched the project and even increased its height. Construction of Prima Pearl was completed in 2014 and it was the fourth-tallest building in Australia at the time.
10. Rialto Towers
Rialto Towers is located in Melbourne’s central business district and sits in a place that was once occupied by the tallest office building in the Southern Hemisphere. With their sleek appearance, the Rialto Towers are billed as “the icon of Melbourne’s skyline.” The building was designed by Gerard de Preu and Partners and Perrott Lyon Mathieson.
