Q1 (building)

Q1 (building)

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Q1 (building)

Q1 (meaning Queensland Number One) is a skyscraper located in Surfers Paradise, on the Gold Coast. It is the world's tallest residential tower and the tallest building in Australia and in the Southern Hemisphere.

Height
Design and construction
Observation deck
Gallery
See also
References
External links

Height

At and with a roof height of , Q1 qualifies as the world's tallest all-residential building when measured to the top of its structural point (spire), but is the world's second tallest behind Melbourne's Eureka Tower (roof height of 297.3 metres, 975 ft) when measured to its roof height and highest inhabitable floor. However, according to the ranking system developed by the US-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, the main criteria in which heights are ranked is to the top of the spire, therefore Q1 qualifies as the taller.

When completed, Q1 overtook the 21st Century Tower in Dubai, United Arab Emirates to become the world's tallest residential tower. It is currently the 25th tallest building in the world when measured to its structural point, dwarfing the Gold Coast skyline with the closest buildings to Q1's height being the 220 m (722 ft) North Tower of Circle on Cavill and the under construction 240 m (787 ft) Soul building.

Q1 will lose its status as the world's tallest residential building sometime in 2009, when the 23 Marina in Dubai is completed, making it the second, and not soon after the third tallest residential building when the Princess Tower, also in Dubai, is completed.

D1 Tower is one of the numerous skyscrapers currently undergoing construction in Dubai. A sister tower of Q1, D1 (Dubai Number One) will be taller than its Australian counterpart, despite having the same amount of floors. Construction is expected to be completed in 2009.

Design and construction

Q1 was designed by Atelier SDG, and its form was inspired by the Sydney 2000 Olympic torch and the Sydney Opera House. The name was given in honour of members of Australia?s Olympic sculling team of the 1920s ? Q1.

It was developed by The Sunland Group and built by Sunland Constructions. The building was the Silver Award winner of the 2005 Emporis Skyscraper Award, coming in second to Turning Torso in Sweden.

The building is supported by 26 piles, each two metres in diameter, that extend 40 metres into the ground then up to four metres into solid rock.

Observation deck

The observation deck at levels 77 and 78 is one of the world's few beachside observation decks, and has room enough for 400 people. It towers 230 metres above the Surfers Paradise beach, giving viewers a 360 degree view of Brisbane to the North, The Gold Coast Hinterland to the west, Byron Bay to the South and the Pacific Ocean to the east.

Gallery

<gallery> Image:Q1 top.jpg|The top of Q1 viewed from the rear Image:Q1 Tower.jpg|A side view of the tower Image:Q1 oberservation deck.jpg|Q1 observation deck view Image:Q1 Q Deck day.JPG|North view from the QDeck Image:Q Deck Day z.JPG|Looking south down the coast Image:q deck day 4.JPG|Inland toward the west Image:Q1 qdeck night.JPG|A nighttime view north

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