There’s no doubt Brisbane is coming of age – but what many don’t know is the guiding light to get here was through a transformative vision to open the city with well-loved precincts and key city projects at its heart, outlined in its 2014 Brisbane City Centre Master Plan.
Master Plans require energy, rigour, discipline, passion, and patience – their ideas are built and brought to life over years. As we prepare for the next wave of transformation in Brisbane with the 2032 Olympic Games on the horizon, let’s reflect on what has been achieved.
Envisioning the ‘Open City’
Brisbane City Council and Urbis collaborated on the design of a master plan to set a vision for an ‘Open City’ – open for business, an open outdoor lifestyle, and a vibrant heart that’s open for all to enjoy.
Now, over a decade later, more than 80 per cent of the master plan has been delivered or is under construction, including recent stages of the Queen’s Wharf Brisbane Integrated Resort and the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge.
The key role that Urbis played in the design and planning of the city centre back in 2014 has seen an incredible rollout of key projects and precincts, along with the New World City Buildings that Breathe Design Guide, an internationally recognised design guide on the creation of a subtropical cityscape for Brisbane.
Urbis Director of Design Madonna Locke, a born and bred Brisbanite, and James Tuma, Managing Partner for Urbis, synthesised and contributed to multiple ideas that made up the 2014 Master Plan, as they co-led the workshops with industry professionals and Brisbane City Council’s Urban Renewal team.
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“Harnessing multiple ideas and perspectives, across many streams of work, is the foundation of what has driven the Master Plan’s success. It was through this collaboration that the group landed on the ‘Open City’ theme.”
After the vision, five strategies were decided on that focused on Economic Development (boundless opportunity), Public Realm (leafy outdoor lifestyle), Built Form (buildings that breathe), Social and Cultural (a stage for urban life), and Transport (where people connect).
From there, 10 City Making Moves and 31 Transformative Projects were created.
The 10 City-Making Moves that Define Modern Brisbane
1. A River Lifestyle | Howard Smith Wharves, Queen’s Wharf Brisbane & City Beach
Designing world-class river’s edge precincts and destinations where the best of our city is showcased with food, events and contemporary architecture befitting the New World City status. Residents, visitors and tourists have rediscovered slices of waterfront history at HSW and Queens Wharf Brisbane which include the refurbishment of heritage buildings, new recreation spaces and ever-changing temporary event experiences that bring new life to this part of the city.
Howard Smith Wharves exemplifies the transformative impact of urban renewal, with Urbis playing a crucial role in realising this vision. Our team delivered extensive planning, design, heritage, and advisory services to ensure the project honoured its historical significance while addressing modern needs. The precinct opened to the public in 2018. Photo: Urbis
2. City Bridges | Victoria Bridge Improvements & Kangaroo Point Green Bridge
Brisbane has embraced new river crossings and improvements to bridges with networks of pedestrian and cycle bridges integrated into the broader transport networks. The improvement to commuter access allows Brisbane to hop from peninsula to peninsula to explore inner-city neighbourhoods. The Kangaroo Point Green Bridge opened in December 2024 and is another spectacular gateway to the city centre with a stunning display of Brisbane architecture.
3. City Boulevards | Queen Street, Adelaide Street, Edward Street & Elizabeth Street
Anchoring the ends of Queen Street Mall with a river-to-river connection and enhancing the public realm in the mall. This involves broadening footpaths, adding tree-lined streets and showcasing beautiful buildings along Edward Street. Adelaide Street has been slowly transforming into a more efficient and attractive transit-oriented street.
4. A Green Spine | Albert Street, City Botanic Gardens, Wickham & Roma Street Parklands
Bringing together our city streets and gardens through the transformative Green Spine corridors. Subtropical, rejuvenated and world-class, these projects will leave an important green legacy in Brisbane’s city heart. Albert Street’s green spine is a key part of the Cross River Rail development. Once completed, it will provide a leafy connection allowing people to leisurely stroll and enjoy the bustling retail and dining activities between the City Botanic Gardens and Roma Street Parklands.
5. Grand Arrivals | Central Station & Roma Street Station
Our transit stations will celebrate the arrival into our city centre and ensure they are destinations of their own. The City Centre Master Plan delivered the vision to revitalise Central Station to provide a single grand interior space and improved connections to surrounding streets. Roma Street Station is to be enhanced into a subtropical city boulevard that celebrates the arrival experience for 25,000 city commuters and interstate and international visitors.
Queen’s Wharf Brisbane opened in 2024, following nearly a decade of meticulous design and planning. Urbis spearheaded the master planning and design process at every critical phase, collaborating with Destination Brisbane Consortium to provide the expertise needed to shape and deliver the project. Queen’s Wharf Brisbane exemplifies the impact of thoughtful, strategic urban development, showcasing how urban renewal can enhance the city’s landscape, foster community, and drive economic growth. Photo: Urbis
6. Transit City | CityGlider Network, Underground Transportation
Going underground with an investment in an integrated system of dedicated busways and a world-class rail network will create a modern, high-frequency, high-capacity public transport network. A new CityGlider network connects our inner city, allowing workers, residents and tourists to glide along city streets, moving quickly and conveniently between employment hubs and popular destinations.
7. The Inner-City Stitch | Fortitude Valley, Spring Hill, City West, Kurilpa
The development of urban village precincts is unlocked to stitch the inner city back together. These neighbourhood renewal projects, located right on the doorstep of the city centre, include the rejuvenation of the Valley Heart with a revitalised Brunswick Street Mall, laneway systems, and the use of Centenary Place as the green connector to Spring Hill and Howard Smith Wharves. City West is undergoing precinct planning to improve access around Petrie Terrace, the Victoria Barracks and Roma Street. Kurilpa is where the energy of the city centre meets the creativity and culture of South Brisbane. Spring Hill, known as the ‘city’s veranda’, is flourishing with a network of new pedestrian links, small green spaces and ridge-top parks, connecting seamlessly with the heart of the city.
8. Distinctive Architecture | Buildings that Breathe, Heritage Loop
With 50 new buildings projected to be built in the 20 years since this plan launched, there has been clear yet flexible guidance for all who invest, design and build in Brisbane’s city centre. Working collaboratively with landowners and developers, development sites within the city centre are designed under the “Buildings that Breathe” design guide. This vision sets the agenda for buildings to have open, inviting, laden landscape that embodies outdoor lifestyle as best-practice design. For existing buildings of heritage significance, a Subtropical Heritage Loop celebrates and protects these natural assets as inviting cultural destinations.
The success of Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” document is reflected in the city’s evolving skyline and improved urban environment. This design guide has greatly influenced the creation of sustainable, liveable buildings that emphasise natural ventilation, green spaces, and energy efficiency within the City Centre. Urbis, in collaboration with the Council, developed the design guide in 2016. Photo: Urbis
“The success of the Master Plan is proof that the analysis undertaken, the strategies prepared and a coordination in proposals for buildings, infrastructure, spaces, circulation, land use and more, has changed Brisbane tremendously in the past ten years,” Madonna Locke said.
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“And, if you ask anyone involved, the biggest success factor from the 2014 Brisbane City Centre Master Plan is the Buildings That Breathe Guide. Now recognised internationally, the award-winning guide set the platform for sustainable architecture and climate responsive urban design to establish a unique identity for Brisbane.”
“It has sparked a wealth of creative solutions, enabling architects to showcase leadership in delivering buildings that embrace the river city and embody its sub-tropical lifestyle. The architects’ response to the guide has been particularly impactful, resulting in buildings that do more than comply with the guide – they stand out as exemplary projects, embodying its principles.”
To 2032 and beyond
Urbis Managing Partner James Tuma said Brisbane City Council has an impressive track record of transforming Brisbane into a ‘New World City’ since Expo ’88 first put the city on the international stage.
“With the eyes already on Brisbane, extensive planning was identified as an ongoing commitment to invest and celebrate the city, lifestyle and culture. The subsequent past two decades of strong population and economic growth contributed to Brisbane becoming a thriving city centre, which is vital to continued prosperity and quality of life. We eagerly anticipate the next wave of growth for Brisbane,” Tuma said.
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As we look ahead to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the momentum generated by the 2014 Master Plan continues to propel the city’s evolution.”
New planning for the City Centre will build on these successes, introducing projects that will further enhance Brisbane’s liveability and international appeal. Brisbane is set to shine on the world stage, leaving a legacy that extends well beyond the 2032 Games.
The journey from 2014 to 2032 showcases the power of thoughtful urban planning and collaboration. As Brisbane continues to grow and innovate, it remains dedicated to creating a city that is not only competitive and resilient but also welcoming and inspiring for all who live, work, and visit.
The future of Brisbane is bright, and the best is yet to come.
