Red Stair Amphitheater by Marcus O’Reilly Architects

Situated along Southbank Promenade beside the Yarra River, Queensbridge Square is a major public meeting space connecting Southgate, Southbank Boulevard, Queensbridge Street, the casino, the Freshwater Place apartment tower & the Sandridge Bridge, which leads to the Flinders Street Station & its underpass.

This red stair works as a beacon, an easy to find meeting place. It is an outdoor amphitheatre for buskers & small meetings or demonstrations, and for sitting in the sun. On any given day hundreds of people descend upon the stair for a casual chat, a quick bite to eat with co-workers, access to their recommended daily vitamin ‘D’ intake, or put on a show of impressive bmx & skateboarding tricks off the canted sides of the structure.

Red plywood is backlit with LED lights, providing a glow in the dark effect. The high back wall cuts the wind & hides the roadway leading to the tunnel underneath. The back wall further functions as a book end to Queensbridge Square. This creates a sense of enclosure to the urban space effectively resulting in a modern Piazza. The iconic form & bold use of colour helps signalize a truly successful urban space