Richlister Grows Plans with ‘Mirror Image’ Brisbane Tower

Queensland richlister Jane Darveniza has filed upscaled plans for a tower proposal with a “mirror image” design in the inner-city renewal hotspot of South Brisbane. The 1822sq m site at 37-39 Manning Street had previously been approved for schemes rising 12 and 17 storeys. But planning policy changes within the designated Kurilpa sustainable growth precinct—encompassing West End and South Brisbane—have prompted a development rethink. Under revised plans, the green light is being sought for a 30-storey twin tower development comprising 204 apartments. Xiao Hong Darveniza, known as Jane, is the widow of property multimillionaire Bojan Darvenizia. She is listed as the sole director and shareholder of 37 Manning Street Pty Ltd, the entity under which the new scheme has been lodged. It is among a growing pipeline of large and uplifted tower proposals being slated for the precinct, where greater density and building heights are allowed under the Kurilpa temporary local planning instrument (TLPI), introduced in 2023 by the Brisbane City Council. “The planning context and development parameters for the subject site have notably changed,” a town planning assessment prepared by Mewing Planning Consultants said. “The introduction of the TLPI responds to the built form evolution of South Brisbane and provides a mechanism to facilitate housing supply, affordability and diversity and will ensure any new applications for high-density residential buildings … meet relevant design excellence, sustainability measures and community benefit outcomes. According to the report, the project vision is “to harness the essence of South Brisbane and address the Kurilpa TLPI goals”. ▲ A rendering of the upscaled tower proposed for 37-39 Manning Street. Overall, the mixed-use proposal includes a mix of 32 one-bedroom, 112 two-bedroom, 20 three-bedroom, 16 four-bedroom and 24 five-bedroom apartments. They would sit above a five-storey podium and a three-level basement that would accommodate parking for 220 cars. Communal open space totalling 1126sq m would be provided—including a rooftop recreation level with outdoor barbecue areas, gym and wellness rooms, pool as well as outdoor lounging and dining areas. A facade “green wall” is also proposed as part of 1415sq m of landscaping throughout the proposed development and its podium design stepped to maximise pedestrian views towards the heritage Expo ‘88 Skyneedle on the site next door. On the ground level, two retail tenancies of 27sq m and 29sq m are planned to provide activation to Manning Street. Designed by Finegrain Group, the proposed development has been “conceived as two slender twin tower forms that join and meet at a lushly landscaped recessed planter within the central portion of the front facade”. ▲ Renderings of the latest tower proposal for South Brisbane. “The homogenous design reads as one language and each is a mirror image of the other,” an architectural statement said. It cited Jean Nouvel’s 31-storey La Marseillaise office tower—with a facade composed of 27 shades of red, white and blue—in the southern France port city of Marseille as a precedent for “how sibling buildings can be conceived as part of one architectural language while still embracing variation in form, material, and outlook”. Darveniza’s reworked proposal for the Manning Street site follows a rush of recent planning activity for South Brisbane. ▲ The 31-storey La Marseillaise office tower in southern France was cited as a design precedent for the Manning Street proposal. Melbourne-based builder and developer Pellicano has filed plans for a 41-storey tower comprising 570 build-to-rent apartments . To be known as Boundary House, it is earmarked for a 3645sq m site at 55 Boundary Street. Meanwhile, nearby, Brisbane’s first 50-storey tower outside its CBD has been given the green light . Part of a triple-tower development envisioned by Aria Property Group for South Brisbane, it will rise 207m—making it the city’s equal sixth tallest building. The landmark proposal, alongside two smaller towers of 24 and 40 storeys, has been approved for an amalgamated 7295 sq m site fronting Melbourne, Manning, and Edmondstone streets. Mosaic Property Group also has unveiled plans for its debut South Brisbane development—a 37-storey residential highrise comprising 204 apartments on a prime riverfront site at 91-97 Montague Road and 6 Bouquet Street. Spanning a combined 4282sq m, the holding sits across five lots that Mosaic is proposing to reconfigure as two lots of 1801sq m and 2038sq m—the latter of which is earmarked for its proposed tower and the other for future development. In January, further south of the Brisbane CBD, plans were filed by Darveniza Group for a suburban renewal masterplan—including seven apartment buildings rising up to 10 storeys—next to a Brisbane railway station . To be known as Station Quarter, the mixed-use precinct would comprise more than 400 homes to be delivered across three stages. Along with retail tenancies and extensive public open space, it is earmarked for a 17,167sq m site adjoining Alderley train station, about 6km north-west of the Brisbane CBD.

Richlister Grows Plans with ‘Mirror Image’ Brisbane Tower

Want to read more?

Keeping the Lights On: Growing Pains Jeopardise Industrial Boom

What’s Driving Pro-invest Push into ‘Underserved’ Micro-Apartments

Sydney Pub Market Rebounds After Post-Covid Lows

Bhutan’s Mindfulness Masterplan Resetting How Cities Work

Time to Rethink: Fresh Bid to Unlock Prison’s Prime Site for Homes

Fireside Chat | Inside GemLife With Adrian Puljich

Building Australia's Newest Airport: Multiplex

The Makers Of The Mondrian | Design, Vision And Delivery Behind One Of Australia’s Most Anticipated Luxury Hotels

Next Gen Now | How Emerging Developers Are Redefining The Game

Off-Market Newstead Site Deal Breaks Land Rate Record

Keeping the Lights On: Growing Pains Jeopardise Industrial Boom

Coposit Expands to WA with Linic Group Partnership

Historic Midland Workshops Site Listed for Sale

Women’s Leadership Lunch

Commercial Real Estate Summit

Urban Leader Awards

Property Development Masterclass Series