The project

Arklife Cordelia is a 29-storey build-to-rent development in South Brisbane — Brisbane's first dedicated rental community built to industry-leading sustainability standards. Developed by Arklife and funded by Qualitas Group with support from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the project set a new benchmark for sustainable residential living in Queensland.

Designed by Rothelowman, the building was conceived as a vertical neighbourhood — amenities curated throughout, heritage buildings anchoring the street frontage, and a subtropical garden providing entry into the lobby. A six-storey void in the tower creates a dramatic glass lantern at the heart of the building, with a resort-style rooftop pool and function rooms above.

What was delivered

The completed development comprises 265 residential apartments across 29 storeys, with a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom furnished and unfurnished units. Resident amenity includes a 25-metre rooftop lap pool, fully equipped gym and training area, co-working space and business centre, private dining and wine room, games and media rooms, private cinema, sky gardens overlooking the Brisbane River and CBD, and a pet washing bay.

A heritage-listed building on the site was refurbished and incorporated into the development for commercial, retail, and bar use — anchoring the project to its South Brisbane context rather than erasing it. The basement delivers 314 car spaces and 347 bicycle spaces.

The project targeted and achieved a 5-star Green Star design and as-built rating, an average NatHERS rating of 7.5 stars, and a 5-star NABERS Energy for Apartments rating — contributing to a 35 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to a typical apartment building.

The outcome

Arklife Cordelia established a new standard for build-to-rent development in Brisbane — demonstrating that sustainability, design quality, and commercial viability are not competing priorities. The project was completed in 2025 and is now an occupied, operational community in one of Brisbane's most vibrant inner-city precincts.

Our role

Brad Eathorne served as State Manager for the delivery contractor during the project, with responsibility for the Queensland construction operations that delivered this landmark development.