Q1 (building)
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| Q1 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Completed | |
| Begun | 2002 |
| Completed | November 2005 |
| Structure | Reinforced concrete |
| Location | |
| Locale | Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast |
| Address | Clifford Street |
| Height | |
| Roof | 275 m (902 ft) |
| Spire | 323 m (1,058 ft) |
| Floors | 80 |
| Companies | |
| Sunland Group (Arch.) | |
| Observation Deck | |
| 2 stories, levels 77 and 78. | |
| Opened | 2005 |
Q1 (meaning Queensland Number One) is a skyscraper located in Surfers Paradise, the tourism hub in Gold Coast, Australia.
Contents |
[edit] World's tallest residential building
At 323 metres (1,059 feet), it is the world's tallest all-residential building, when measured to the top of its spire. However, the John Hancock Center, a 344 metre (1,127 ft) skyscraper in Chicago, contains the highest residences in the world. Additionally, the all-residential Eureka Tower in Melbourne contains higher residences than Q1 and is significantly taller, at 297m (975 ft) when measured to its highest floor (235m/771ft in Q1's case).
In comparison, the Eiffel Tower is 300 metres (984 feet) when its 24 m (79 ft) antenna is excluded. Q1 overtook the 21st Century Tower in Dubai, United Arab Emirates as the world's tallest residential tower. It is the 20th tallest building in the world, dwarfing the Gold Coast skyline until the 240 m (787 ft) Soul and 220 m (722 ft) Circle on Cavill are built. It will be the world's tallest residential building until sometime in 2008, when the 395 metre (1,296 ft) 23 Marina is completed.
[edit] Controversy
There is a rivalry between Q1, and the Eureka Tower apartment building in Melbourne, over claims to be the tallest building in Australia, and consequently the tallest residential building in the world. According to the ranking system developed by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Q1 qualifies as the taller building in two of the four categories in which heights are ranked, namely Pinnacle Height and Architectural Top, while the 297m (975 ft) Eureka Tower is taller in the other two categories, Roof Height and Highest Occupied Floor. For comparison, the Q1 building has its top floor at a height of 235m (771 ft), some 62 metres (204 ft) lower than Eureka's roof.
[edit] Design and construction
Q1 was designed by Atelier SDG, and its form was inspired by the Sydney 2000 Olympic torch and the Sydney Opera House. The name was given in honour of members of Australia’s Olympic sculling team of the 1920s – Q1.
It was developed by The Sunland Group and built by Sunland Constructions. The building was the Silver Award winner of the 2005 Emporis Skyscraper Award, coming in second to Turning Torso in Sweden.
[edit] Observation deck
The observation deck at levels 77 and 78 is one of the world's only beachside observation decks, and has room for 400 people.
[edit] Trivia
- Including its spire, Q1 is only 1m shorter than the Eiffel Tower (which stands at 324 m, including its antenna).
- The penthouse was the most expensive apartment ever sold in Queensland.
- Sixty floors up is a 10 storey high mini-rainforest sky garden, which is illuminated at night.
- The building is supported by 26 piles, two metres in diameter, that extend 40 metres into the ground then up to four metres into solid rock.
- The name of the song featured in Q1 advertising material, and the foyer of the observation deck, is called Seven Mile, by Grooveyard, as featured on Ministry of Sound: Chillout Sessions 8
- On the 28th of March 2007 two men were charged by the Queensland police for BASE jumping from the tower.
[edit] References
- Q1.com.au. Official Q1 Website. Retrieved on January 10, 2005.
- Gold Coast Portal. The record-setting view from Q1. Retrieved on January 10, 2005.
- Emporis - Q1 Tower
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Official (Construction) website
- Q1 at Emporis
- Q1 Observation Deck
- Q1 Penthouse
- Q1 Tower Community Intranet
| Preceded by Torre Agbar (Barcelona, Spain) |
Emporis Skyscraper Award (Silver) 2005 |
Succeeded by The Wave (Gold Coast, Australia) |
