[COM] Festival Plaza Tower 1 | 115m | 27 Levels | Office

[Pikey]

I count 27 levels, should be over the 100m mark! Nice design too!



Precinct plan.



http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6680816701

[Waewick]

I'm hopeful as it is Walker and he has vision

however the article specially says the application by Walker doesn't match the artist impression in the picture.

[Matt]

Is this an actual proposal or just a concept image?

[claybro]

Maybe Channel 9 can consummate their new found love for Adelaide by moving from their dilapidated property at Tynte Street and move in here as the anchor tenant.

[Splashmo]

Sorry to be the dissenting voice but an office tower? Really? Here in the heart of the cultural precinct?

It would dwarf Parliament House and the Festival Centre. It'd be at the whims of the commercial sector and I bet we'd end up with something tacky like MyBudget or AussieATM (bad examples) plastering their logos all over it. What happens if there's no tenants and we get big for lease signs hanging in the area?

[Matt]

Office tower = people mass.

[[Shuz]]

It's a beautiful looking tower but its just far too big and inappropriate for the location.

[Dog]

Is this an actual proposal or just a concept image?

From radio today it's a Woods Bagot concept to indicate what is possible on the site, ie not block views of theatre from North terrace etc.

[pushbutton]

So is it a commercial and entertainment tower, or an office tower?

If it's a commercial and entertainment tower then maybe (just maybe) it could be a very good thing.

If it's an office tower, keep it away from the riverbank area. There's plenty of other locations to build office towers. We need entertainment and public amenity.

[ml69]

I'd support a landmark tower on the site. I think however the tower should be a 4-5 star hotel with a smaller separate commercial office component.

A sexy landmark tower of 100m (or taller) would look fantastic on the picture postcard views of Adelaide, and be further tangible evidence of our CBD revitalization.

In keeping with the nature of the Riverbank precinct, a tourist office at ground level and rooftop observation deck for the public (with restaurant and bar) would be a great addition to the area and Adelaide. There is no better location for an observation deck.

[Mants]

I would be in support of this...changing the postcard image of Adelaide is essential IMO.

[Splashmo]

The other issue I have is the use of the site. Hajek Plasa should be enhanced as a public space - look at the success of Barrio for instance. If you built an office building, for ordinary people that space would be lost and couldn't fulfil its potential. If you had to do an office building in the Riverbank precint I would have thought the convention centre would be more appropriate.

[Matt]

Agree with the rooftop bar/restaurant with a view/viewing deck suggestion.

London has plenty - Gherkin, Tower 42, Shard, Heron Tower, etc, all offering different views of the city from their respective spots.

Would love to see something like this in Adelaide, particularly there. The views from the Intercontinental are great, but this spot would be even better.

[SRW]

The thread title is a little misleading, isn't it? A proposal hasn't yet been made, and tbh, that's a saving grace as far as this design is concerned -- it's far too domineering of the space.

I have to say that I'm losing confidence in the government's handling of the riverbank - despite the rhetorical deference to precinct masterplanning, I can't help but feel that they're making it up as they go along. This rezoning to suit Walker Corp is a case in point, especially given Minister Koutsantonis basically ruled out government tenancy. An office tower in this space driven entirely by commercial interests could very well be a repeat of the follies of ASER.

[shaun]

The design is nice, but in such a landmark location it needs to be simply amazing. Lots of high quality glass is the key, hello SAHMRI.

TBH I'm not exactly sold on the idea of transforming this area into a Federation Square style precinct. Considering next year we will have two pedestrian plazas on opposite ends of the city, Victoria Square and the A.O Southern Plaza. What I would rather see is this development expanded to include more tourism features. Such as, an IMAX or regular cinema would be the perfect drawcard to lure people to the Riverbank. 3D movies have improved dramatically since the closure of IMAX Rundle St and there is still no mainstream cinema in the CBD. The lower levels could also feature ten pin bowling, a state information centre, cafes, restaurants and bars. While the middle levels should be office and the upper levels a 5-star hotel.

Also I'm not sure these developments are going to be enough to draw lots of people day and night to the Riverbank. So instead of going ahead with the new plenary hall, it should be replaced with another mixed use building. This could even include a cinema complex instead of Festival Plaza. I would also suggest demolishing the Riverside building but that's unlikely to happen within this next decade sadly.

A new plenary hall could be built on the otherside of Morphett St, and possibly feature more cafes, mid rise apartments and landscaped parkland. Connection between both the exisiting Convention Centre and new building could be via a ground level walkway or an pedestrian overpass. Which could act an entrance into the CBD with a brilliant design and fancy lighting.

In the end these are all just ideas. But regardless of what happens, the 'entertainment' section of the Riverbank needs to be focused just on that. Art galleries, museums or cultural attractions are better suited to the east of King William St, eg RAH site. If we want the Riverbank Precinct to be an exciting, interesting and a happening place then we need to think up big. Plonking a cafe here and there isn't going to cut it.

Maybe Channel 9 can consummate their new found love for Adelaide by moving from their dilapidated property at Tynte Street and move in here as the anchor tenant.

Great idea.