Arc Residences

Overview

Arc Residences by Spyre Group is a 24-apartment riverfront development in Toowong, Brisbane, that draws its architectural language from the Brisbane River.

Occupying a triangular site between the riverbank and Coronation Drive, the building features a colonnade of carved forms beneath the apartments. Swept surfaces suggest the shaping action of tidal currents, an idea carried through the architecture, interiors and bespoke details.

Kitchen islands in Corian® River Pearl translate this expression into each apartment. Extending up to nine metres, they form sculptural centrepieces that connect the kitchen and living spaces with the building’s broader design.

The Brief

Each kitchen island needed to express the architecture as a solid, sculpted form while accommodating the practical functions of an everyday kitchen. Flowing surfaces and seemingly eroded contours were central to the concept, creating a distinctive gathering point within otherwise visually restrained interiors.

Realising this idea required precise fabrication of complex geometry and three-dimensional curves. The design also needed to be repeatable across multiple apartments without losing the clarity of the original form.

The islands’ length and geometry introduced handling, access and manoeuvrability challenges. Fabrication and installation therefore had to be considered together, allowing substantial preparation off site and manageable assembly within the apartments.

Material Specification

Kitchen Islands: Corian® River Pearl

Bureau^Proberts proposed Corian® for the sculptural kitchen islands, with the material selection approved by Spyre Group. Corian® River Pearl supported the complex three-dimensional curves and precise fabrication required to realise the design.

Working with Fabricator SDC Australia, the team developed a prefabrication approach that combined the Corian® surface with a bespoke internal framework before delivery. This reduced the need for extensive shaping within the apartments.

Each island was installed in two pieces, which were seamlessly joined on site to achieve the continuous finished form. Installation was completed in one day, with fit-off the following day.

Design Outcome

A sweeping arch beneath the elongated benchtop lifts the centre of the island away from the floor. Curved ends and an inward-sculpted base shape its profile, while natural light across the Corian® River Pearl surface reveals the changing geometry.

The islands carry the river-inspired architectural language into the interiors without competing with the outlook. Within the muted palette, their sculptural forms provide a clear focal point and a place to gather, prepare meals and connect.

The result brings the project’s design idea into everyday use: a functional kitchen island that retains the character and precision of a bespoke architectural element.

Why It Works for Similar Projects

Multi-residential projects need distinctive design elements that can be fabricated consistently and installed within practical site constraints. This approach offers a reference for:

• Sculptural kitchen islands in apartments and private residences
• Long benchtops incorporating complex curves and shaped bases
• Projects requiring prefabrication to limit on-site work
• Installations where access and handling require fabrication in sections
• Interiors that extend the building’s architectural language into custom joinery

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