Old Taubmans Paint Factory in Yeronga to be Reborn as ‘The Paint Factory Arts Village’

An iconic part of Brisbane’s industrial history could soon be revived as ‘The Paint Factory Arts Village’ if plans lodged by a local development team gain approval.

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The old Taubmans Paint Factory at 115 Hyde Road in Yeronga, which closed its doors in 2015 after over 60 years of paint production, could soon become the city’s leading creative hub. 

The proposed mixed-use precinct would cater to creatives and art-lovers by combining architecturally designed residences with galleries, studios, and communal creative spaces.

The 3.4 hectare site was purchased in 2015 for $10 million by development company Hyde Road Pty. The company’s director Paul Hey who has long dreamt of transforming the site, has now lodged a development application with Brisbane City Council to rezone the former factory from industrial to mixed use.

“The vision for the proposed development is for a vibrant mixed use community, comprising artist studios, art gallery, artistic training, catering, food and drink outlets, event space, office space, performance space and storage space, as well as residential uses that support the creative arts,” the planning documents read.

If approved, The Paint Factory Arts Village would be Australia’s first precinct tailored specifically for those working in the creative industries, as well as those wanting an arts-immersed lifestyle. Features will include outdoor performance spaces, green spaces, and expansive street art murals.

“The proposal seeks to increase the minimum acceptable outcome for building height from 15 metres to 8 storeys (with a height transition along Hyde Road as shown on the Building Height Variation Plan). The proposed building height will enable mixed use development to occur whilst maintaining a transition to the lower density development across the site,” planners at Wolter Consulting Group added.

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Currently, The Paint Factory is home to a community of local and international visual artists with studios on site. Artworks created at The Paint Factory have been exhibited at home and abroad and can be found in internationally renowned galleries such as Tate Modern (UK), the Art Institute of Chicago (US), The National Gallery of Canada and The National Gallery of Australia.

The old factory, which opened its doors in 1952 as a Taubmans paint production facility, has also been used as a filming location for productions like Netflix’s adaptation of Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe. 

Published 17-August-2023