Fortitude Valley is one of Brisbane’s most dynamic commercial precincts, yet the public realm between 100 and 108 Wickham Street had become a fragmented and underutilised thoroughfare. The asset owners required a repositioning strategy to transform this void into a high-value “third space” for tenants and the public.
The challenge was to move beyond standard cosmetic upgrades and deliver a robust, narrative-led environment. The site needed to balance high-traffic pedestrian movement with moments of pause, requiring infrastructure that could withstand the rigours of an urban environment while delivering a unique sense of place.
This project was executed through a high-level commercial partnership. POMO was engaged by principal contractor Buildcorp to deliver the detailed design and fabrication of specialist placemaking elements. We worked in close alignment with AECOM (Landscape Architects) and Winim (Project Managers) to ensure our interpretive interventions integrated seamlessly with the broader civil scope.
POMO’s mandate was to translate the gritty, colourful history of Fortitude Valley into permanent, certified urban infrastructure. We moved from historical analysis to technical documentation, managing the fabrication of bespoke elements that required precise engineering and material resilience.
We designed and managed the delivery of custom precast concrete lunch tables, working with specialist casters to achieve a durable finish suitable for a commercial courtyard. These elements feature acid-etched chess inlays, requiring high-tolerance mould making to ensure the gaming surfaces were flush, durable, and weather-resistant.
To embed the narrative of the site into the built fabric, we utilised laser-etching technology on the decking timbers. This process burned key historical dates from the “Save the Music” movement to the Whisky Au-Go-Go tragedy, directly into the substrate, creating a permanent timeline that resists fading. Similarly, narrative text was recessed into the concrete seating during the casting process, ensuring the story became a structural part of the furniture rather than a surface application.
We delivered a technical lighting solution involving the specification and installation of Gobo projectors. These units were calibrated to project poetry and imagery onto the pavement at night, requiring precise photometric planning to ensure visibility amidst the ambient light of the Valley. Creative poetry was featured on the projections that spoke to the colourful history of the Valley.
The pavement design included the integration of horseshoe impressions, technically executed to reference Captain Wickham’s historical commute. This required coordination with the paving contractors to press the moulds at the correct stage of the concrete cure, ensuring a lasting impression without compromising the structural integrity of the paver.
The revitalisation of 108 Wickham Street has successfully repositioned the asset, delivering a measurable uplift in tenant amenity and public engagement. By replacing generic street furniture with bespoke, story-driven infrastructure, the precinct now functions as a “sticky” destination that encourages dwell time.
This project demonstrates how Creative Urban Infrastructure can be retrofitted into existing commercial assets to drive social and economic value, turning a transit corridor into a celebrated part of Fortitude Valley’s urban identity.
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