Silk One

As the Silk One Apartments sits above a Brisbane City Council stormwater brick arch and main sewer, no load could be applied to the existing infrastructure. Contaminated ground was capped in place and validated through water modelling and air testing, while piling struck soft soil in some areas and Brisbane Tuff in others, requiring lined pylons and extensive drilling to achieve stable founding conditions.

As the lowest site bordering Stanley and Trafalgar Streets, the development also required a bespoke flood detention basin beneath the building to equalise overland flow for storm events up to the one per cent AEP. During the South East Queensland floods of early 2022, the basin performed exactly as designed, with no stormwater impact on neighbouring properties.

At roof level, the cantilevered halo presented the project’s most visible construction challenge. The structural steel feature circles the perimeter of the roof, incorporates operable automated louvres and sits partially outside the building alignment. It could not be prefabricated and was built in situ, with the scaffold encasement progressively adapted so trades could work safely around the structure.

Construction continued through the COVID-19 pandemic, with material shortages of up to 12 weeks, workforce distancing limits and repeated severe weather events managed through local sourcing and close programme control. The project was delivered on time and within the client’s budget.

Quality extends to the building’s artwork. Brisbane artist Rick Hayward created pieces for the gym and Trafalgar Street lobby reflecting Woolloongabba’s history, while a mural by internationally recognised artist Guido van Helten, originally located on the adjacent Trafalgar Lane building, now features within each apartment level lobby.