The Brisbane city skyline from South Brisbane in 2023

Brisbane, Australia's third largest city, is home to at least 360 completed high-rise buildings,^[1] at least 70 high-rise buildings over 100 metres in height,^[2] and has 15 completed skyscrapers (and 4 under construction) which exceed the height of 150 metres (490 ft).^[3] With the third greatest number of skyscrapers in any city within Australia (behind Melbourne and Sydney), Brisbane boasts some of the tallest buildings in the country, including the city's current tallest, the 270.5 metres (887 ft) Brisbane Skytower, completed in 2019.

All of Brisbane's skyscrapers (defined as buildings with a height greater than 150 metres) are located within the CBD, with large numbers of high-rise buildings also proliferating in the inner suburbs of South Brisbane, Kangaroo Point, Fortitude Valley, Newstead, Teneriffe, New Farm, Bowen Hills, Spring Hill, Milton, Auchenflower, Toowong, Taringa, St Lucia, West End and Woolloongabba.

There is a 274.3 metres (900 ft) height limit for buildings in the CBD. As of 2013, a review of height limits for city skyscrapers has been requested by Brisbane Lord Mayor to allow construction of buildings over 300 metres (980 ft) above sea level.^[4]

Brisbane's 91 metre City Hall was the city's tallest building for decades after its completion in 1930 and was finally surpassed in 1970 by the Westpac Building, which marked the beginning of the widespread construction of high-rise buildings over 100 metres in height. The city's first skyscraper with a height of over 150 metres was Central Plaza One, completed in 1988. Central Plaza One and Waterfront Place, completed in 1989, remained the city's only skyscrapers until the completion of the 200 metre Riparian Plaza in 2005, which has since been surpassed on numerous occasions in the widespread construction of skyscrapers which has been ongoing since the mid-2000s.

Brisbane plays host to other structures over 150 metres in height such as the five television transmission towers atop Mount Coot-tha and the Bald Hills Radiator transmission tower however these are not considered to be buildings as they are uninhabitable.

Tallest buildings

This is a list of Brisbane's tallest completed and topped out buildings.^[5] Structures are not included. Official heights are ranked by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, and include spires but exclude communications masts and spires.^[6] All of the buildings that are listed are over 150m in height.

Rank	Name	Image	Height	Storeys	Usage	Year	Notes
1	Brisbane Skytower		270.5 m (887 ft)	90	residential	2019	Brisbane Skytower (nicknamed Bon Bon) is a 270-metre (890 ft) skyscraper at 222 Margaret Street in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The 90-storey residential tower is Brisbane's tallest building. It also has the highest infinity pool in the southern hemisphere on the top level at 270 m (level 90) with 180 degree views to the north and south.
2	The One		264 m (866 ft)	82	residential	2021	The tallest tower of the three buildings of the Brisbane Quarter complex. Topped out in December 2020.[7]
3	1 William Street		259.8 m (853 ft)	46	office	2016	Brisbane's tallest building from 2016 to 2019; inhabited by the executive branch of the Queensland Government; nicknamed One Big Willy or the Tower of Power and seen as symbolising the legacy of Premier Campbell Newman.
4	Infinity		249 m (816.9 ft)	81	residential	2014	Tallest building in Brisbane from 2014 until 2016; also known as Meriton Herschel Street Serviced Apartments
5	Soleil		243 m (797.2 ft)	74	residential	2012	Tallest building in Brisbane 2012 until 2014; also known as Meriton Adelaide Street Serviced Apartments
6	Aurora		207 m (679.1 ft)	69	residential	2006	Tallest building in Brisbane from 2006 until 2012
7	Riparian Plaza		200 m (656.1 ft)	53	mixed use	2005	Tallest building in Brisbane 2005 until 2006; notable for its 50-metre communications mast (not counted in the building's height) and being one of the last projects of renowned architect Harry Seidler. The adjacent Riverside Centre was also designed by Seidler and shares many design elements with Riparian Plaza
8	One One One Eagle Street		194.7 m (639.7 ft)	54	office	2012	Notable for the illuminated curved columns resembling the roots of the Moreton Bay Fig visible through its facade
9	300 George Street		182.2 m (597.8 ft)	41	office	2021	Part of the Brisbane Quarter development which also comprises a hotel and a residential building
10	Central Plaza One		174 m (570.8 ft)	44	office	1988	Tallest building in Brisbane 1988 until 2005; Brisbane's first skyscraper over 150m
11	275 George Street		171 m (561 ft)	32	office	2009
12	Waterfront Place		162 m (531.4 ft)	40	office	1989	Notable for its curved blue glass facade and hosting federal cabinet meetings when these are held in Brisbane at the Commonwealth Parliament Offices on the top floor
13	480 Queen Street		153 m (501.9 ft)	34	office	2016
14	180 Brisbane		152 m (498.6 ft)	34	office	2015	Notable for the large image of the course of the Brisbane River on its facade
15	Brisbane Square		151 m (495.4 ft)	38	office	2006	Headquarters of the Brisbane City Council and the Brisbane Square Library
16	Skyline Apartments		150 m (492.1 ft)	48	residential	2007	Located within the Petrie Bight cluster of apartment buildings

Under construction and proposed

This is a list of buildings currently under construction or proposed that are planned to reach 150 m in height.^[8]

Timeline of tallest buildings

This lists buildings that once held the title of "tallest building in Brisbane".^[5]

Name	Image	Years as tallest	Height	floors	Notes
Brisbane City Hall		1930-1970	92 m (302 ft)	4	Brisbane's tallest building for four decades, City Hall now plays host to the Museum of Brisbane and auditoria for events
Westpac Building		1970-1971	105 m (344 ft)	23	Brisbane's first high-rise building with a height greater than 100 meters
Suncorp Plaza		1971-1976	118 m (387 ft)	26	A 10-metre digital clock sits atop the building. Before placement of the clock, a rotating restaurant sat atop the building
Hitachi Building (formerly MLC Centre) 239 George Street		1976-1977	141 m (463 ft)	33	A 31 meter weather beacon sits atop the building with lights indicating temperature rise and fall, potential rain and windy conditions, controlled directly from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. In late November 2007, the weather beacon was turned off. High electricity costs, energy usage, and more modern methods of providing weather forecasting were cited as the reasons for the beacon being turned off. For over 30 years the beacon warned Brisbane residents of the impending weather - the upper white lights for temperature, the lower lights showed continuous white for fine, 1/2 sec flashing white for windy, 2 sec flashing white for clearing, continuous red for rain, 1/2 sec flashing red for strong winds and rain, and 2 sec flashing red for showers.
AMP Place		1978-1986	135 m (443 ft)	35	Nicknamed The Gold Tower and located adjacent to the 134 meter Comalco Place, which was completed in 1983 and is nicknamed The Blue Tower
Riverside Centre		1986-1988	142 m (466 ft)	40	Located adjacent to Riparian Plaza, which was also designed by renowned architect Harry Seidler and with which it shares numerous design elements
Central Plaza One		1988-2005	174 m (571 ft)	44	Brisbane's first skyscraper over 150m in height
Riparian Plaza		2005-2006	200 m (660 ft)	53	Tallest building in Brisbane 2005 until 2006; notable for its 50-metre communications mast (not counted in the building's height) and being one of the last projects of renowned architect Harry Seidler. The adjacent Riverside Centre was also designed by Seidler and shares many design elements with Riparian Plaza
Aurora		2006-2012	207 m (679 ft)	69	Brisbane's tallest building from 2006-2012
Soleil		2012-2014	243 m (797 ft)	74	Brisbane's tallest building from 2012-2014; also known as Meriton Adelaide Street Serviced Apartments
Infinity		2014-2016	249 m (817 ft)	81	Brisbane's tallest building from 2014-2016; also known as Meriton Herschel Street Serviced Apartments
1 William Street		2016-2018	259.8 m (852 ft)	46	Brisbane's tallest building from 2016 until 2018; inhabited by the executive branch of the Queensland Government; nicknamed One Big Willy or the Tower of Power and seen as symbolising the legacy of Premier Campbell Newman
Brisbane Skytower		2018–present	269.4 m (884 ft)	90	Tallest building in Brisbane. Fifth-tallest building in Australia. Topped out in December 2018.

See also

• List of tallest buildings on the Gold Coast
• List of tallest buildings in Oceania

References