Buildings that breathe design guide

The New World City Design Guide: Buildings that Breathe is a multidimensional framework designed to shape a subtropical cityscape for Brisbane. Prepared by our team in collaboration with Brisbane City Council and Arkhefield, the guide was a key initiative of the Brisbane City Centre Master Plan 2014 and has since gained international recognition. 

The guide sets out clear, practical design principles to create buildings that are comfortable, sustainable and unmistakably Brisbane. The focus is on maximising natural ventilation, shade, greenery and outdoor spaces, ensuring that developments respond to the city’s climate and lifestyle.

Its success lies in how widely it has been adopted. The guide has influenced both public and private developments across the city, from major precincts like Queen’s Wharf Brisbane and Howard Smith Wharves to smaller infill projects. It has become a recognised benchmark for climate-responsive design, attracting attention nationally and internationally as a model for integrating environmental performance with urban character.

By embedding these principles into planning and development processes, Buildings that Breathe has helped shape a city centre that is more liveable, energy-efficient and visually distinctive — reinforcing Brisbane’s identity as a new world city with a strong subtropical character.

To learn more, view the New World City Design Guide: Buildings that Breathe.