By Kate Lockyer
Artemus Group’s recent announcement of plans for a nine-storey luxury hotel and overwater pool deck at Howard Smith Wharves (HSW) comes with the promise it will deliver enhanced public space for all.
The vision behind this riverfront precinct has always been expansive, and Artemus Group CEO Luke Fraser said they are dreaming big and bold.
“What everyone knows now is that if we’re going to be an Olympic and Paralympic host city, we have got to start dreaming big, being bold,” Mr Fraser said.
“The government has to do their part, but also what they are looking for is the private sector to show leadership in investing in the city.”
He said Brisbane will need 1,000 more hotel rooms before the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and as well as a 77-room hotel with ground floor retail and a music hall, the plans include more than 8,500m2 of additional outdoor space.
They will also add two new cliff lifts and enhance their pathways, parklands and boardwalks.
“The shared pathway will continue to be an important corridor with parts of the pathway becoming 50 per cent wider, and the addition of shade and shelter in some parts to protect against the sun and rain,” Mr Fraser said.
“We are committed to continuing to provide beautiful, welcoming spaces for people to gather and celebrate by the river.”
The design of the hotel will pay homage to the nearby Teneriffe Woolstores.
“We love the city, we love the architecture, and this is about taking some of those cues from the historic buildings and reinterpreting them in a modern way,” Mr Fraser said.
It is not just local architecture that HSW embraces but Brisbane’s natural beauty as well, with Founder and Director of Artemus Adam Flaskas saying of the project: “Our goal is to deliver something truly world-class for Brisbane; a destination that celebrates our city’s heritage, landscape and natural beauty.”
The overwater riverside pool will be a Brisbane first, which Mr Fraser said has been fully designed with comprehensive plans to meet the requirements of the state assessment for construction over the river.
“The pool is really inspired by some of those great European summers. Imagine sitting on the water, having amazing drinks, amazing food, and what we know is how much people love our river,” he said.
HSW is striving to become “the most sustainable precinct on the planet” and currently diverts 97 per cent of their waste.
They will install 12 new beverage silos to reduce packaging and transport impacts, and Felons continue to brew onsite.
“It’s good for the beer… it gets pumped straight from the brewery to the tank, so it’s the freshest beer you’ll have, and it’s good for the environment as well,” Mr Fraser said. The code-assessable development application will follow the standard approval process and Artemus hope to finish the development before 2032, keeping the Western end of the wharf and the public pathways open throughout construction.
