Champagne flute building branded ‘disgusting’

A proposed development in Australia’s third city promises a Champagne lifestyle, but not everyone’s impressed.

The hype surrounding Kate Moss and the Champagne coup modelled on her left breast has not influenced developers Down Under. In Brisbane, the Sunland Group has opted for the classic Champagne flute in its plans to build three glass towers with 486 luxury river-front apartments on the Toowong ABC site abandoned eight years ago.

The design is by the Iraqi-British architect Dame Zaha Hadid whose projects have included the Guangzhou Opera House and the London Olympics Aquatics Centre.

“Brisbane is really moving forward as a New World city,” Sunland’s Sahba Abedian told Australia’s Nine News channel. “And for us this really personifies the coming of age of the city.”

The reaction from Brisbane residents was mixed. “Looks like three waste-paper baskets,” said one passer-by. “It’s disgusting.”

Another, commenting in the Brisbane Times, called it: “Ugly as sin, gaudy and tasteless, like putting diamonds on a two dollar hooker.”