Avalon

Fish Lane Town Square

Harris Crossing

Gainsborough Greens

Cornwall Street

Affordable housing,

bright futures

Nestled within the inner-city suburb of Woolloongabba, is the Cornwall Street development – a nine-story apartment complex providing affordable housing to those in need.

Built on the site once occupied by a derelict motel, today, the Cornwall Street building’s 32 units are home to essential workers, people from the Queensland Housing Register, and young people at risk of homelessness.

Prior to moving into Cornwall Street, many residents were living in unstable accommodation, experiencing financial hardship, or feeling the stress of being a lower income worker in a time of soaring rental prices. For these people, Cornwall Street is so much more than a roof over their heads.

Change your environment,
change your life

Cornwall Street’s inner-city location means that local services, transport, and amenities are just a stone’s throw away. This has opened up a world of opportunities for many Cornwall Street residents – who, since moving in, have gained employment, pursued further education, and embraced new avenues for social connection. Moving into the building has meant less stress and more confidence; less worrying and more living.

Crafted for the long-term

Sustainability was a fundamental part of the building’s design. Crafted with the long-term in mind, the development uses quality fittings and finishes with longer lifespans, which ultimately
keeps costs down for tenants.

Bricks were intentionally chosen for their passive temperature-controlling properties, keeping the homes and corridors cool in summer and warm in winter and reducing the need for air conditioning and heating.

And to keep the air moving, a bespoke air circulation system draws in fresh air and helps reduce ambient noise.


Cross-flow ventilation:
The project’s orientation maximises opportunities for cross-flow ventilation, reducing the need for air conditioning.

Solar power:
Solar power is used for the services in all corridors and common spaces.

Rainwater harvesting:
Water tanks (2x 5000L) supply water to landscaping and planters through an irrigation system.

Communal spaces:
Rooftop Common Room and small open area gathering spaces on each level.

Public artwork:
21m public artwork, Woolloon, adorns the building’s exterior.

Bringing personality

to the place

On the side of the apartment building is a 21-metre public artwork. Inspired by the local indigenous name for the suburb, Woolloon, the artwork creates an informal place marker and acknowledges the legacy of the Country it exists on.

With clever use of graphic patterns, the artwork shows different meanings based on the angle it’s viewed from. View it from the ground-level, and it appears as swirling waves, but see it from the elevated Pacific Motorway, and the waves reveal its name, ‘Woolloon’.

At a glance

19

Residences for those in need

5

Residences for young people

8

Residences for essential workers

Renters are finding it increasingly difficult to find a home in their price range, and preferred location. And in many cases it’s tipped people into housing stress, where the cost of paying rent/mortgage is taking up too big a proportion of their income, leaving them in challenging situations.

Developers like BHC provide affordable housing for low to moderate income households who have been priced out of private markets. For tenants, these projects can mean access to long-term secure housing at either a set price, or as a percentage of their income.

“I’ll never forget the day BHC called to tell me that I had a place here. I was elated. I remember feeling like my world was about to change.” – Steven, Cornwall Street resident

Completion

January 2021

Architecture

KO&Co

Council

Brisbane City Council

Landscape

Jeremy Ferrier Landscape Architects

Developer

BHC Creating Liveable Communities

Construction

Stokes Wheeler

Photography

Cieran Murphy

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