Project Name: Eden Lane
Practice Name: RPS Group
Project Address: Eden Lane, Woolloongabba
Within walking distance of the iconic Gabba sports ground, next to Brisbane’s premier antique precinct, and in one of the city’s most vibrant restaurant and café scenes, Eden Lane is a place that has something for everyone. On the street level, a vibrant cross block link connecting Hubert and Gibbon Streets developed from sub tropical landscape design principles improves pedestrian convenience for residents and is anchored at each end with cafes and outdoor dining areas and a central break out space in the heart of the laneway.
Eden Lane responds to the city’s desire for Brisbane to be a ‘city of lights’ which aims to activate the city, bring people together to celebrate our enviable lifestyle, support small businesses and create a strong local economy. RPS worked with several consultants including Rothelowman Architects, BCA lighting, PLE Lighting and several artists and steel manufacturers such as Jay Quirk, Dean Wilson and Duncan Read, to ensure that a truly diverse and 24/7 landscape was achieved.
The vision behind Eden Lane was to embrace the South East Queensland Rainforest, full of surprise, hidden objects and lush planting. The lighting was a vital part of achieving this vision from turning a dappled light rainforest floor during the day time, to a magical, glowing laneway at night.
A journey through the space at night provides a range of experiences starting with a glowing archway located at each end of the laneway, from which one will enter a softly glowing rainforest highlighting the canopies above including the tree fronds of the Cyathea Cooperi. Each up light was carefully located in the laneway to ensure a canopy object was positioned over top of the up lights such as a tree canopy or built structure to eliminate any light spill, reducing light pollution.
Hidden amongst the dense lush rainforest are glowing magical pieces of artwork that one would not pick up during the daytime designed by Neon Signs Australia. The middle of the laneway is home to its centerpiece, a beautifully crafted set of corten steel mushrooms, which at nighttime are up light, turning a rustic brown object into a glowing gold piece of artwork. Lightly floating above these mushrooms is an intricate custom designed catenary lighting system designed by Innovative Rigging and Dean Wilson, dangling a mixture of light bulbs and large jewel stones that help reflect light throughout the laneway, mimicking moon light shining through the forest canopy onto the rainforest floor.
It is important to add that the lighting throughout this laneway was designed to meet the required lux levels of Brisbane City Council. The challenge was to meet these safety requirements but also provide a mood that reflected our vision, we worked closely with BCA on successfully achieving a safe and inviting piece of public realm.
Eden lane sets a new precedence for laneways in South East Queensland, a truly sub – tropical and active laneway, which at night is transformed into an inviting and magical space.
Back to Submission Home