During Cr Quirk's time as lord mayor, the CBD's skyline has changed dramatically, with the aviation-enforced ceiling of 274 metres expected to be reached in 2018 when the Skytower on Mary Street is completed.

Cr Quirk now wants that ceiling to be raised to at least 300 metres.

It was an upward journey that began when City Hall was completed in 1930, with a clock tower that dominated the skyline for 40 years until Brisbane entered the age of the skyscraper.

Fairfax Media has charted the buildings that have held the title of Brisbane's tallest, with 10 taking the title (11, if spires were included) since City Hall's reign ended.

The calculations used Brisbane City Council data, which was based on airborne laser scan data and verified against the council's Virtual Brisbane building models.

Brisbane's first skyscraper, what is now the 114.7-metre Westpac building near Post Office Square on Queen Street, was completed in 1970.

At 131.6 metres, Suncorp Plaza (formerly known as the SGIO building) became Brisbane's tallest tower in 1971, a title it held until AMP Place (139.7 metres) was completed in 1978.

Eight years later, the Riverside Centre (147.9 metres) was built and towered over the city for two years.

Central Plaza One's 22-year reign (at 180.6 metres), between 1988 and 2005, was second only to City Hall's, but since Riparian Plaza's completion (203.3 metres to the roof, 253.3 including its spire), building heights have risen at a staggering rate.

Aurora (217.3 metres), Soleil (251 metres) and the Infinity Tower (262 metres) have all been completed in the past five years.

Taking into account its spire, something not always considered by the record book when measuring building heights, 1 William Street took the title last year.

The so-called "Tower of Power" came in at 266.8 metres to the tip of its spire, but just 224 metres to its roof.

While it was clear Brisbane's vertical growth had been significant, Cr Quirk lamented the fact the quality of the architecture had not always reached the same heights.

"We don't have a single standout building, I think that's fair to say," he said.

"...One One One Eagle Street is great architecture, but we don't have what you would call a single defining structure that is a standout."

Cr Quirk said he hoped that would change as more developers eyed Brisbane for major projects.

"One of the things I've always encouraged developers to do is to have design competitions in relation to their buildings," he said.

"But you've got to have somebody who's prepared to come along and say 'I want to do something that's absolutely unique and distinctive' and are prepared to back it with their dollars.

"That's always the thing. It's great to have that desire to have something great in the city, but at the end of the day someone's got to be prepared to come along and back it.

"That's what we hope always will happen."

Still, Cr Quirk said he was optimistic that developers would increasingly seek to add to the city's aesthetic as the CBD continued to grow.

"Building goes in periods when there's boom time and then it slows down, but we're going through a period of transformation in the city, with defining projects like the Queens Wharf development," he said.

"So the standard, I think, of the architecture we're getting is continuing to improve. We are seeing more developers step up to the plate and so buildings that will stand the test of time from an architectural point of view.

"Every decade in this city, we can point to examples where it hasn't been the flashest of architecture, but I think the city is improving all the time in terms of that architecture and may that trend continue."

Along with One One One Eagle Street, Cr Quirk said Sunland Group's Abian Botanic Gardens, which was nearing completion on Alice Street, was another of his favourites.

"We'll wait and see how it looks when it's finished, but I think that one is brilliantly placed across the road from the Botanic Gardens," he said.

"It, I think, will be one of the leaders in the city once it's completed."

One One One Eagle Street, with its plant-inspired illuminated external skeleton a new city landmark, particularly at night, was also a favourite of the council opposition's planning spokeswoman Shayne Sutton.

But number one on her list was far less modern.

"City Hall is my favourite - not just for the design but for the overall sense of what it stands for and all the possibilities that could be," Cr Sutton said.

"It's also amazing inside. Those marble staircases are just beautiful. After all these years on council, I still love walking in the front door."

Cr Sutton said she also admired 180 Ann Street, with the motif of the Brisbane River on its side, and the new court buildings at the corner of Turbot and George streets.

Brisbane's tallest buildings through the years, starting with City Hall

City Hall (1930-1970)

Brisbane City Hall. Photo: Michelle Smith

City Hall, designed by Brisbane firm Hall and Prentice, was the city's tallest building from its opening in 1930 until 1970 - a reign of 40 years.

It took almost a decade to build, at a cost of ??1 million, but that figure paled in comparison with the $215 million ratepayers spent on its restoration between 2010 and 2013, a period in which the building was closed to the public.

The City Hall clock tower, which dominated the skyline for much of the 20th century, is an icon of Brisbane, even forming part of the city council's corporate logo.

City Hall contains the Lord Mayor's administration offices, a 2500-seat auditorium, the Museum of Brisbane, the council chambers, function rooms and a Daphne Mayo tympanum.

Westpac Building (1970-1971)

The Westpac Building on Queen Street. Photo: Bradley Kanaris

The 23-storey Westpac Building ended City Hall's long reign as Brisbane's tallest building, but it did not take long before Suncorp Plaza overtook Brisbane's first skyscraper.

The building is perhaps best known for the 17-metre Leonard Shillam mural sculpture, The Banker, that faces Post Office Square.

The artwork represents the role of banking in supporting industry.

Suncorp Plaza (1971-1978)

Suncorp Plaza, on the corner of Albert and Turbot streets. Photo: Glenn Hunt

Best known for its 10-metre digital clock, perhaps to appease those whose view of the City Hall clock tower was impeded, Suncorp Plaza was built on the corner of Turbot and Albert streets in 1971.

Originally known as the SGIO Building and Theatre, the 26-storey office tower was designed by Brisbane firm Conrad & Gargett.

In 2012, people who worked in the building during the 1980s and early 1990s were warned to get health checks after a terminally ill man was awarded $600,000 for asbestos exposure.

AMP Centre (1978-1986)

The AMP Centre at 10 Eagle Street. Photo: Glenn Hunt

Better known simply as "the Gold Tower", the AMP Centre dominated Brisbane's skyline for the better part of a decade.

The 35-storey office tower, designed by architects Peddle, Thorp and Walker, is appropriately enough at the centre of Brisbane's "golden triangle" precinct and won a 1981 Building Owners and Managers Association of Australia award in four major categories.

Riverside Centre (1986-1988)

The Riverside Centre on Eagle Street. Photo: William Long

The Brisbane home of the Australian Stock Exchange, the Riverside Centre on Eagle Street is at the centre of the city's riverside dining and entertainment precinct.

The 148-metre tower was designed by the late Sydney architect Harry Seidler and is distinctive to his style.

It did not hold Brisbane's height crown for long, being replaced by Central Plaza One as the city celebrated hosting World Expo '88.

Central Plaza One (1988-2005)

Central Plaza One, on the corner of Queen and Creek streets. Photo: Bradley Kanaris

Central Plaza One dominated the Brisbane skyline for almost two decades.

Designed by Japanese architect Kurokawa Kisho, who also designed the strikingly similar Melbourne Central Tower office building in Victoria, Central Plaza One resembles a shard of crystal rising into the Brisbane sky.

One of the most notable features of Central Plaza One is its window-cleaning system, in which a section at the top of the building rotates and suspends window cleaners down the side of the building.

The 44-storey building has, in recent years, had AAMI signage rights at its pinnacle.

Riparian Plaza (2005-2006)*

Riparian Plaza at 71 Eagle Street.

The second Harry Seidler-designed building in this list, Riparian Plaza is divided into three distinct sections - the car park, offices and residential penthouses.

Indeed, the office levels and the glass canopy over the entrance bear a striking resemblance to Seidler's Riverside Centre.

The car park rises 11 levels from the ground, followed by 25 storeys of office space and 12 storeys containing 47 high-end residential apartments.

Riparian Plaza won a Property Council of Australia Mixed Use Development Award in 2008.

* At the top of the building is a 50-metre communications spire. When Riparian Plaza lost its height crown to Aurora in 2006, this spire was not taken into account. If it had been, Riparian Plaza would have held the crown until Infinity Tower was built in 2014.

Aurora (2006-2012)

Aurora, on the corner of Queen and Wharf streets. Photo: Bradley Kanaris

The first residential building to take Brisbane's height crown, Aurora dominates the intersection of Queen and Wharf streets.

Aurora was designed by Cottee Parker Architects and contains 18 penthouses, 54 two-level "skyhomes" and 408 apartments.

Some Aurora residents led an unsuccessful campaign against a new skyscraper proposed for the land next to historic Customs House, just across the road, which would block views of the Story Bridge.

Soleil (2012-2014)

Soleil, at 495 Adelaide Street. Photo: Robert Shakespeare

One of two Meriton-branded skyscrapers that bookend Brisbane's CBD, the 251-metre Soleil is built on a small 1500-square-metre block at the northern end of Adelaide Street.

The 74-storey building, designed by DBI Design, contains 464 units and serviced apartments under Harry Triguboff's Meriton brand.

It was Meriton's second design for the site, after a 2008 proposal was knocked back by the Brisbane City Council for its "appalling design".

Soleil was Brisbane's tallest tower until Infinity Tower - also built by Triguboff - was built on the other side of the CBD.

Infinity Tower (2014-2018) **

Infinity Tower, at 43 Herschel Street. Photo: Robert Shakespeare

Harry Triguboff's second foray into Brisbane, Meriton's Infinity Tower dominates the south-western fringe of the CBD, rising 262 metres above the legal district.

The 81-story monolith with 549 apartments was named Australia's best residential high-rise development at the Asia Pacific Property Awards in 2014.

The Infinity Tower joins Soleil, also a Meriton building and also designed by DBI, as a bookend to the CBD.

At the time of writing, Infinity was the tallest building to roof in Queensland, with only the spires at 1 William Street and the Gold Coast's Q1 surpassing its height.

1 William Street (2016-2018) **

1 William Street. Photo: Tammy Law

Designed by Woods Bagot, 1 William Street was commissioned by the Newman government to replace the ageing Executive Building and other CBD offices housing public servants.

Completed in late 2016, 1 William Street took more than three years to build and cost the owners, Cbus Property, about $650 million.

1 William Street has 119,977 square metres of office space. Although it reaches 267 metres to the spire, its upper levels are a mere 180 metres above street level.

** We thought long and hard about whether to include 1 William Street, which only made the list due to its spire. The decision to include the so-called "Tower of Power" was made easier due to its dominance of the Parliamentary precinct.

Brisbane Skytower (2018-?)

The yet-to-be completed Brisbane Skytower at 222 Margaret Street. Photo: Artist's impression

The Brisbane Skytower will reach the CBD's current AirServices Australia-mandated height limit of 274 metres when it is completed next year.

Construction has started on the Margaret Street building, which is on the site of what was the city's most famous - and deepest - hole in the ground for seven years.

That was due to the global financial crisis putting the squeeze on Austcorp's Vision Brisbane skyscraper not long after work on the site started.

Billbergia has had better luck with its 111+222 development, which includes a 42-storey Westin Hotel at 111 Mary Street and the 90-storey residential Skytower at 222 Margaret Street.