Civic Quarter (CQ) is a mixed-use commercial tower in Canberra’s city centre and the first stage completed in the redevelopment of its prominent namesake site.
No longer suitable as a modern workplace, the previous office building’s scale and public domain interface did not reflect high-quality urban design or the zoning objectives of the Territory Plan.
With a desire to create ‘Canberra’s Premier Office Building,’ the final design connects the tower with its surrounding environment and supports flexible working and collaboration. It was the first office building in many years not developed for a large government lease, but rather specifically designed to accommodate several boutique private-sector businesses.
COX Architecture Director Chris Millman said, “Veterans Park is an important green space for the city – enhancing and incorporating it into our master planning and the building fabric was critical.”
The park functions as an important public landscaped space and pedestrian thoroughfare to the nearby light rail terminus. It also becomes the building’s front door drawing passers-by into the ground floor retail spaces of CQ tower and provides a relaxing green space for office workers.
CQ tower’s southern edge provides a sense of transparency and permeability through its slender design, fully glazed facade and shallow floor plan, allowing light and views of the park and city streets to pass through.
The tower’s commercial floors offer tenants a high level of flexibility and amenity. The workplace floors provide large open spaces, minimal internal columns and the opportunity for interconnected stairs. Natural light and views are available on all the floor plates, including lift cores and bathroom areas.
“CQ delivers a standard of amenity that is commensurate with premium-grade office buildings in Melbourne and Sydney. With timeless architecture and finishes, Amalgamated Property Group is proud to call Civic Quarter our new home,” said Phil O’Brien, Amalgamated Property Group.
The CQ tower design was a collaborative process led by Amalgamated Property Group (APG). The APG team engaged COX for precinct master planning, concept design and Development Application (DA). May + Russell Architects continued work post-DA, providing detailed design, interior design, documentation and construction services.
This project received a Commendation in the Commercial Architecture category at the 2020 ACT Architecture Awards.
Project Details
Completion date – 2020
Project Team
Architecture
Cox Architecture
COX is a design-focused contemporary architectural practice with studios located in every major Australian city and a history spanning 60 years.
Key to their ethos is supporting the public life of our cities. Cox does this by ensuring each project makes positive contributions to its public realm – giving more than it takes.
Photography
Kiernan May
Kiernan May is an Interiors and Architectural Photographer based in Canberra.
Photo Gallery
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Design © 2020 Cox Architecture. All Rights Reserved. | Images © 2020 Kiernan May. All Rights Reserved.
Other Commercial Office Projects
Cubitt Street, 388 William Street, Botanicca.
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