11 Logan Road Redevelopment

The building allowed the opportunity to reveal the old whilst featuring the new. New works such as doors and windows are detailed with the latest technology but importantly, they are made distinctly new. The site is comprised of a number of significant existing Heritage buildings, built in the 1880s, part of a larger group of buildings situated at the Stanley Street end of Logan Rd, that form a coherent precinct within Woolloongabba, Brisbane.

Great care was taken with the street façade. The design of the street awnings and shop front windows further enhance the dialogue with the precinct. The rear of the site had collected a lot of insensitive additions which were removed to reveal the essential heritage buildings.

This initial phase of site development represented a significant investment in restoring the existing character buildings back to their best version, with a broader view to reinvigorating the commercial / retail offer of this unique precinct.

After stripping out the sealed off, walled up interior, we uncovered the timeless brickwork arches showcasing structural prowess. The brickwork arches define what used to be a series of bays or shop houses on Logan Road. We wouldn’t alter their original design - Crafted through meticulous arrangement of bricks, they epitomize the marriage of form and function. Their key strength lies in their ability to distribute weight evenly, allowing architects to span openings and create expansive interiors without compromising stability.

The interior is now predominantly timber, largely locally sourced and manufactured. The design employs innovative acoustic solutions in the installation of the upper-level floor and walls to allow the expression of the original fabric to remain in its original state. New internal walls are lightweight panel systems, constructed from natural finished black butt timber and locally sourced hoop pine plywood is used as a ceiling lining.

New work is expressed as a deliberate intervention – complementary, but modern in material and expression, continuing KIRK’s interest in the execution of craft and detail. The approach is deliberately reductive – stripping back and exposing what is there and expressing new work as minimal interventions.

The architects working with the Uhlmann Bros. on 11 Logan Road built with passive design as the primary means of controlling climate and light. Before air conditioning was available, buildings had to unlock the cross-ventilation that exists in thin floor plates. This is a traditional shophouse model that you see throughout the region.

Windows on both sides provide natural cooling when a breeze blows through the building. It also creates an optimal width for light penetration throughout the space. You are never more than 6 metres from a natural light source.