Aurora Tower
Encyclopedia
Aurora Tower is a skyscraper
in Brisbane
, Queensland
, Australia
. At 207 metres height, it is Brisbane's second tallest building, and tallest building if measured to roof height, soon to be overtaken by currently under construction Soleil and Infinity
. Aurora has 69 storeys comprising four floors of 18 penthouse
s, 54 skyhomes (two-storey luxury apartments) and 408 apartments. It features a heated pool, entertainment area and cinema for residents. Aurora Tower opened to the public on 5 May 2006.
Aurora was designed to use iris recognition technology
for security purposes, however this technology has not yet been put into use. Along with the intercom system and lifts, it has had problems functioning correctly. Another criticism has been the lack of car parks.
The Tower is near central transport
links such as the Central railway station
. The Tower is also close to shopping areas such as QueensPlaza, Queen Street Mall
, Wintergarden
and Elizabeth Street
all of which feature shopping
, restaurant
s, bar
s, and nightclub
s.
Other Brisbane landmark
s such as the Story Bridge
, Central Plaza 1
and Brisbane City Hall
are visible from inside the tower.
To ensure occupant comfort at the top of the building wind tunnel testing was conducted by the structural designers. Other innovative design and construction measures were needed due to the slender form of the building.
In January 2008, the body corporate informed owners that the building's management rights were acquired by the Oaks Group. At the same time an application with the Brisbane City Council to change the class of the building to short-term accommodation by the Oaks Group, raised concerns by residents that the building's facilities may be overwhelmed by hotel guests.
The site of Aurora Tower was originally proposed in 1992 to be the site for the Brisbane 2000 tower. The proposed tower was to be 250 m (820 ft) tall, which at the time would have made it the tallest tower in Australia.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. At 207 metres height, it is Brisbane's second tallest building, and tallest building if measured to roof height, soon to be overtaken by currently under construction Soleil and Infinity
Infinity Tower (Brisbane)
The Infinity Tower is a skyscraper under construction at 43 Herschel Street Brisbane, Australia. Excavation began in November 2009 after Meriton purchased the site, which was formerly a ground level carpark, for AU$25 million...
. Aurora has 69 storeys comprising four floors of 18 penthouse
Penthouse apartment
A penthouse apartment or penthouse is an apartment that is on one of the highest floors of an apartment building. Penthouses are typically differentiated from other apartments by luxury features.-History:...
s, 54 skyhomes (two-storey luxury apartments) and 408 apartments. It features a heated pool, entertainment area and cinema for residents. Aurora Tower opened to the public on 5 May 2006.
Aurora was designed to use iris recognition technology
Iris recognition
Iris recognition is an automated method of biometric identification that uses mathematical pattern-recognition techniques on video images of the irides of an individual's eyes, whose complex random patterns are unique and can be seen from some distance....
for security purposes, however this technology has not yet been put into use. Along with the intercom system and lifts, it has had problems functioning correctly. Another criticism has been the lack of car parks.
The Tower is near central transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
links such as the Central railway station
Central railway station, Brisbane
Central railway station is, as the name suggests, the central railway station for the Queensland Rail City network in the Brisbane central business district, the state capital of Queensland, Australia...
. The Tower is also close to shopping areas such as QueensPlaza, Queen Street Mall
Queen Street Mall, Brisbane
The Queen Street Mall is a pedestrian mall on Queen Street in the centre of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.It is Brisbane's predominant retail district, featuring shopping centres, hotels, restaurant and coffee shops, cinemas, clothing, music, jewellery and book stores, newsagencies, and banks...
, Wintergarden
Wintergarden, Brisbane
Wintergarden is the name of a popular shopping centre located in the city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was opened by the Premier of Queensland the Honourable Joh Bjelke-Petersen in 1982. The shopping centre can be accessed directly from the Queen Street Mall, Edward Street and Elizabeth...
and Elizabeth Street
Elizabeth Street, Brisbane
Elizabeth Street in Brisbane, Australia is a major street in the centre of the city. The street was established at the beginning of settlement in Brisbane as a penal colony...
all of which feature shopping
Shopping
Shopping is the examining of goods or services from retailers with the intent to purchase at that time. Shopping is an activity of selection and/or purchase. In some contexts it is considered a leisure activity as well as an economic one....
, restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s, bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
s, and nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s.
Other Brisbane landmark
Landmark
This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth...
s such as the Story Bridge
Story Bridge, Brisbane
The Story Bridge is a cantilever bridge spanning the Brisbane River. Part of Bradfield Highway , it connects Fortitude Valley to Kangaroo Point. Before the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932 the Government of Queensland asked John Bradfield to design a new bridge in Brisbane...
, Central Plaza 1
Central Plaza 1, Brisbane
Central Plaza One is the third-tallest skyscraper in the city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and was designed by renowned Japanese architect Kurokawa Kisho.The height of the tower is 174 m and it contains 44 floors....
and Brisbane City Hall
Brisbane City Hall
Brisbane City Hall, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is the seat of the Brisbane City Council. It is located adjacent to King George Square, where the rectangular City Hall has its main entrance. The City Hall also has frontages and entrances in both Ann Street and Adelaide Street...
are visible from inside the tower.
To ensure occupant comfort at the top of the building wind tunnel testing was conducted by the structural designers. Other innovative design and construction measures were needed due to the slender form of the building.
In January 2008, the body corporate informed owners that the building's management rights were acquired by the Oaks Group. At the same time an application with the Brisbane City Council to change the class of the building to short-term accommodation by the Oaks Group, raised concerns by residents that the building's facilities may be overwhelmed by hotel guests.
The site of Aurora Tower was originally proposed in 1992 to be the site for the Brisbane 2000 tower. The proposed tower was to be 250 m (820 ft) tall, which at the time would have made it the tallest tower in Australia.
See also
- List of tallest buildings in Australia
- List of tallest buildings in Brisbane