Australia’s Tallest Tower to Transform Gold Coast Skyline

Southport on the Gold Coast is set to redefine Australia’s skyline with the upcoming One Park Lane,

designed by BKK Architects. The tower will rise to 393 meters, surpassing the country’s current tallest building, Q1 at 322 meters, and Melbourne’s Australia 108 at 316 meters. The project is a milestone in architectural design. It combines innovation in engineering, biophilic integration, and advanced green energy solutions to create a distinctive vertical community.

Australia’s Tallest Skyscraper

Led by project architect Simon Knott with refinements from Cottee Parker, the project demonstrates how supertall buildings can be structurally feasible and economically viable.

The dual-tower configuration is connected via a striking skybridge, while high-performance glass in dark and blue-grey tones integrates with the coastal environment and reduces solar heat gain, improving energy efficiency.

The dual towers of One Park Lane rising above the Gold Coast skyline at sunset, viewed from across the water with a marina in the foreground. — One Park Lane is set to dramatically alter the Gold Coast’s skyline, seen here from the Broadwater, establishing its presence as a new landmark. (Courtesy of BKK Architects)

The 101-story residential tower uses structural trusses expressed externally and integrates communal spaces into its form. This innovative architectural design ensures the tower is more than a vertical residential block; it is a dynamic urban landmark.

Biophilic Design Integration

One Park Lane adopts a strong biophilic strategy, merging natural forms with structural and landscape elements. Inspired by the Moreton Bay fig tree, the design features a three-story podium supported by root-like columns anchoring the towers. This addresses common criticisms that supertall structures can be inhospitable at street level.

The base links ground-floor entry atriums for residential and commercial areas, creating a public realm that encourages interaction. Spanning 1,507 square meters, the design addresses engineering challenges associated with super-slender towers using advanced structural solutions to manage wind and lateral forces. Segmenting the tower into four massing blocks disrupts airflow, enhancing stability and resident comfort.

The biophilic design of the tower's base, with root like columns inspired by the Moreton Bay fig tree, integrating the structure with the landscape — The podium’s design, inspired by the Moreton Bay fig tree, features root-like columns that anchor the towers and create a welcoming public space at street level. (Courtesy of BKK Architects)

Skybridge: A Vertical Public Realm

A key feature is the Level 22 skybridge connecting residential and commercial towers. Covering approximately 889–890 square meters, it hosts dining and bar facilities with 360-degree panoramic views of Southport, the Broadwater, and hinterlands.

The skybridge mitigates isolation often associated with high-rise living. Its transparent glass structure differentiates private residential units from shared communal spaces,

exemplifying contemporary urban planning that prioritizes human interaction in high-density environments.

Sustainability and Environmental Technology

Green energy integration is central to One Park Lane. Photovoltaic panels and solar cells reduce reliance on conventional power. The slender profile and shallow footprint allow dual-aspect views and natural cross-ventilation.

Full view of the supertall One Park Lane dual towers against a clear blue sky, demonstrating its scale as Australia's next iconic tower — Set to become Australia’s tallest building, the dual-tower configuration is connected by a striking skybridge, making it a new national landmark. (Courtesy of BKK Architects)

Climate-responsive building materials and extensive internal greening regulate temperature, improve air quality, and enhance energy efficiency. These systems make the tower visually prominent and environmentally responsible, setting a benchmark for future high-rise towers in Australia.

Global Landmark and Urban Impact

Once completed, One Park Lane is projected to rank 43rd globally, positioning Southport among renowned cities with vertical skylines. The tower reflects the

cumulative effect of economic pressures, regulatory frameworks, and social assumptions about status, showing the built form as the logical outcome of these forces.

A close look at the fluid, root like columns supporting the podium of the dual towers, with landscaped public areas visible underneath. — The innovative structural solutions at the tower’s base address the engineering challenges of a super-slender design while creating an interactive public realm. (Courtesy of BKK Architects)

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

The decision to pursue extreme verticality in Southport arises from layered pressures rather than design ambition. Financial models emphasizing high ROI on limited urban land parcels converge with regulatory frameworks that favor density and

reduce approval friction. Labor structures and prefabrication logistics incentivize segmented construction, while risk management protocols prioritize wind stability and seismic resilience over spatial experimentation. Cultural assumptions around status and visibility reinforce the insistence on height as a symbol of economic and social positioning. Software simulations and visualization tools optimize massing for efficiency and energy performance, embedding predictable forms. The result is a super-slender, multi-block residential tower with connected communal spaces One Park Lane emerges as the logical outcome of CAPEX-driven densification + risk-averse approvals + social signaling imperatives. Its built form reflects aggregated human, institutional, and technological behaviors rather than isolated architectural intent.