About 900 public servants – the first group to move – are packing their things into boxes to be moved to 1 William St, dubbed the "tower of power" this weekend.

But first, the media was given a tour of the schmick office building, which features almost floor-to-ceiling windows and boasts stunning views of South Bank and the river, indoor plants and comfortable lunch areas.

"Biomimicry", which describes imitating nature, is used throughout the building.

Sets of the three levels are connected by stairs, with each level themed with different Queensland flora and fauna, such as barramundi, Moreton Bay figs and red-eyed tree frog.

Project director Paul Krautz, with Queensland Treasury, said the rent per square metre was $649.50, meaning over 15 years, the cost would be $1.14 billion.

Former LNP Premier Campbell Newman had claimed the building would save $60 million each year in office leasing costs.

But the present Labor government said it was left with no choice but to fill 1 William Street with public servants as the private sector was not willing to pay the high rent prices.

Mr Krautz said about $1 million was saved from the $120 million fit-out cost of the building by substituting stone walls for other finishes and other measures.

"There were some sit-to-stand desks in executive areas that were coming from overseas so we got those manufactured locally ... And reducing some of the rugs and things in the fit-out," he said.

Walking towards the front entrance, the words "ONE WILLIAM" greet the visitor from above the automatic glass sliding doors, to a stone wall and floor-lined lobby, a minimalist silver piece of art hanging suspended from the ceiling.

As you ascend in the lifts of the towering landmark – which tops out at 260 metres – your ears pop, and you step out onto wooden floors.

Level 32 will be home to Employment and Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace, Disability Services Minister Coralee O'Rourke, and the directors-general for Environment and Heritage Protection and Natural Resources and Mines.

Level 28 will be for the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

And level 23, themed red-eyed tree frog with splashes of soothing green, will be a home away from home for the Queensland Treasury.

There are decks on levels 39, 40 and 41.

Level 41 is for conferences and Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk​ will be able to soak up the view from the decks on their levels.

Mr Krautz said the rest of the workers would be moved over the next six or seven weekends, finishing in late November or the first week in December.

"The public servants who are moving into this building are coming from about 20 different locations," Mr Krautz said.

He said each worker had "one individual crate, it's a bit bigger than a normal box, that's for their personal items, and then there's lots of crates for team storage and project storage".

The building has LED lights to save energy, the building was built to meet a five-star Green Star rating and the fit-out is also five-star.

About 30 per cent of desks are electric "sit to stand", adjusting at a push of a button, and there are numerous meeting areas, small nooks tucked into walls where workers may have a quick chat, and quiet rooms.

"Some of the buildings that people are coming from, some of this technology is already there, others it's not," Mr Krautz said.

"It's very open plan, everyone has equitable access to the light and view.

"In the current Executive Building it's quite chopped up, internal corridors where you can't actually see out of the building.

"We're encouraging people to actually move around a little bit and that helps with the health and wellbeing in the workplace."

There are also 680 bike racks – 80 of which are out the front – 60 showers and 650 lockers.

A rooftop bar and convenience store are still under construction outside the front entrance and a sushi and burger cafe will be opened later on the other side of the building.

Some fit-out work will continue after public servants move in, including installing screens.

Demolition of existing government buildings is expected to begin in early 2017 to make way for the Queen's Wharf development.

Cbus Property chief executive officer Adrian Pozzo said the new offices would allow the government to compete with the private sector in the battle for talent.

"This has been an investment in efficiency because, in many cases, the government is leaving old, inefficient and under-occupied buildings which are unattractive workspaces," Mr Pozzo said.

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