The Urban Ground Guideline

It is important that every development positively contributes to shaping our city, protecting and celebrating our enviable lifestyle through a renewed focus at the ground level. The ground level (i.e. the lower 16 metres of a building) is where the community and tourists that visit our city truly experience what we have to offer. To ensure that our city is known for its excellent and innovative spaces, new buildings must create highly desirable pedestrian experiences that capitalise on our sub-tropical climate.

As it is critical that new buildings enhance the amenity that drives investment of these places in the first instance, the Urban Ground Guideline encourages best practice in the design of medium-rise and high-rise development. It guides how this type of development can better integrate with street level and frame the public realm to deliver responsive and well considered street frontages rather than continuous monotonous facades that are cluttered with vehicle entries and services. Outlined in this guideline are important design and planning principles that support a range of podium or street interface development, depending on the location and context of the site. The illustrations aim to assist mutually beneficial discussions between the City of Gold Coast and development applicants on the appropriate form of development for their sites.

The Urban Ground Guideline is endorsed and supported by the Queensland State Government and the Australian Institute of Architects.

"The Urban Ground Guideline is an essential policy document that will guide the City of Gold Coast in delivering urban amenity excellence for all users of the city – residents, tourists, business owners and local government. This is particularly important for the Gold Coast as the city seeks to enhance the character of its unique high-rise to beach urban setting.

It is important that the Gold Coast continues to advance the high-rise tower form that has become synonymous with the city over many decades. Creating ‘life on the street’ will be critical in catalysing future urban renewal precincts and in positioning the Gold Coast as one of the premier tourism destinations within SEQ, nationally and internationally. The City of Gold Coast is commended for this new Urban Ground Guideline.”

- Malcolm Middleton, Queensland Government Architect