Adelaide Festival Centre designs released ahead of $900 million plaza precinct redevelopment

Designs have been revealed for the Adelaide Festival Centre’s new frontage on the South Australian capital’s King William Road.

The South Australian Government has released new artist impressions of the upgrade, designed by HASSELL, featuring a vertical-louvred facade that will display massive media screens wrapping around the lower level of the centre. The designs, part of the next stage of the $900 million Adelaide Festival Plaza upgrade, also feature a newly designed vehicle drop-off point and the removal of hidden cooling towers, and have been released for public consultation.

South Australian Urban Development Minister Stephen Mullighan said the Festival Plaza redevelopment - which includes the Festival Centre upgrade - is one of Adelaide’s most important infrastructure projects.

Minister Mullighan stated “these works will revitalise the northeastern facade of the Adelaide Festival Centre and are designed to integrate with the centre’s new Northern Promenade and all of the other elements of the Festival Plaza development.

“The plaza’s transformation will reshape a long-neglected part of the Adelaide riverbank into a focal point for festivals, events, sport and the arts, for people to meet and enjoy the renewed vibrancy of the city of Adelaide.”

The release follows the passage of a Bill in the South Australian Parliament last week which was needed to commence the development.

The upgraded Festival Plaza will also feature a two-storey retail and entertainment complex, a 24-storey office tower and an underground carpark.

HASSELL’s works resides within a broader redevelopment of the Adelaide Festival Centre and surrounding areas. Work by others includes a new underground carpark, redevelopment of the plaza, Casino expansion, commercial office tower and retail spaces.

HASSELL scope includes initial enabling works to accommodate the adjacent developments, Northern promenade works, entry upgrades, interior upgrades and technical upgrade works

The Adelaide Festival Centre redevelopment aims to reinvigorate the precinct, provide exceptional public spaces, improve amenity and create new opportunities for the Adelaide Festival Centre and maintain its status as Adelaide premiere performing arts venue.  The design solution will be conscious of budget and target a solution which achieves enduring quality to ensure long term sustainability of the Adelaide Festival Centre and positively contribute to the broader riverbank precinct.

Article amended 2nd November 2016.

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