[COM] Rundle Mall Redevelopment | $30m

[[Shuz]]

Actually the snake-like drain follows the 'natural' watercourse that runs down Rundle Mall. I actually quite like it, simple and effective.

[arki]

Unfortunately in Australia, there is still a disconnect between pedestrians, trams, and vehicular traffic. People still perceive them as being three separate entities, and treat them as such, rather than as an integrated whole. Even with the separated tram lines through the city, and with visual treatments applied - raised tracks, signs, the overhead poles, bright coloured trams, still, somehow, everyday, I see cars driving in tram lanes, people walking across the tracks carte blanche, buses, trucks turning out wide right into their path, etc. We have had the extension in place for 8 years now, and people still just don't seem to get it.

This makes absoloutely no sense at all and completely contradictory.

[Briggzy_03]

The Charlesworth Nuts store opposite Haigh's has its grand opening tomorrow.

From my understanding, part of the design of the store includes a side-bar that opens onto the mall where they will be selling freshly roasted nuts and other items in cups. An awesome idea in my opinion considering the amount of foot traffic they'll get along there.

[pushbutton]

As with anything, I'll wait until the whole mall is complete before making my final assessment of it, but so far it's not looking at all promising.

Bits of darker paving just sort of run into the lighter paving in pretty random ways. In fact, if it was totally random it might have looked better than it does. I guess that's what happens what you let some trendy art student design something. They think it's different so it must be good. Everyone else thinks "what a mess"!

I agree with others who have said the paving, especially the lighter paving, looks dirty.

So far, I am not at all impressed with the new bench seating they're slowly putting in either. Obstructive and impractical (a bit like the new benches at Westfield West Lakes).

There are reasons why some things are done the way they are, and when an excellent design has been created, then unless someone comes up with something genuinely better, it should be left alone. I'm not saying the previous paving in Rundle Mall was an excellent design. However at least it was ok.

I have seen numerous examples of how open air pedestrian areas can be made to look modern, light, upmarket, and clean. I don't understand why we're not getting that in Rundle Mall.

Trams in the middle of the mall? May as well change the name back to Rundle Street then and tarmac the whole thing. Actually that would at least look better than these pavers, but it certainly wouldn't be practical at all, or safe.

As for the idea of having pop-up kiosks in the middle, well it sounds like another example of letting inexperienced or ill-connected people come up with ideas. They may sound "cool", but any sane person knows instantly they are just bad ideas! Common sense is not very common these days it would appear!!!

Here's a few examples of what I think would have been far superior visually.

Denver mall. Nothing special but at least it has a nice enough, visually appealing pattern.

DenverMall.jpg (235.13 KiB) Viewed 3193 times

Charlottesville Mall. Again, not fantastic, but the pattern has symetry which makes it at least reasonably pleasing to the eye.

charlottesville.jpg (551.25 KiB) Viewed 3193 times

Domes Malls (not sure about the name, or where it is). By chance the artwork in the middle would have been a fantastic contemporary twist on the famous malls balls (and the actual malls balls could have been in its original location but these could have been close by, or at one end (or both ends) of the mall. My point though is not so much about the sculptures, but the overall style of the mall, and the use of flat, square tiles with a slightly glossy finish, and highlights in a different colour around central features.

domes-malls.jpg (355.08 KiB) Viewed 3193 times

The very best looking outdoor public space I have seen anywhere doesn't make use of any kind of pavers at all. It's the pedestrian plaza at Adelaide Airport, and uses differently coloured concrete. However I don't know whether that would work in a high traffic situation like Rundle Mall. Maybe it would though, not sure.

None of the above photos are what I would consider really inspiring, they're merely much better than what's actually being done in Rundle Mall (which isn't saying much at all). It's just a shame, because in the hands of someone with a bit more sense, something really amazing could have been done with Rundle Mall. It could have become impressive, modern, creative, and welcoming, yet it could still have been practical too.

As for the fact they're keeping the horrible old fountain, and the pigs eating rubbish, well it is beyond belief. I guess we're stuck with this design for another 20 years or so though.

[pushbutton]

A design somewhat like this (including the lovely modern fountain) could have been adapted to suit Rundle Mall, and in my opinion looks great!

nice mall.jpg (60.3 KiB) Viewed 3186 times

[Nathan]

As with anything, I'll wait until the whole mall is complete before making my final assessment of it, but so far it's not looking at all promising.

Bits of darker paving just sort of run into the lighter paving in pretty random ways. In fact, if it was totally random it might have looked better than it does. I guess that's what happens what you let some trendy art student design something. They think it's different so it must be good. Everyone else thinks "what a mess"!

I agree with others who have said the paving, especially the lighter paving, looks dirty.

So far, I am not at all impressed with the new bench seating they're slowly putting in either. Obstructive and impractical (a bit like the new benches at Westfield West Lakes).

There are reasons why some things are done the way they are, and when an excellent design has been created, then unless someone comes up with something genuinely better, it should be left alone. I'm not saying the previous paving in Rundle Mall was an excellent design. However at least it was ok.

I have seen numerous examples of how open air pedestrian areas can be made to look modern, light, upmarket, and clean. I don't understand why we're not getting that in Rundle Mall.

Trams in the middle of the mall? May as well change the name back to Rundle Street then and tarmac the whole thing. Actually that would at least look better than these pavers, but it certainly wouldn't be practical at all, or safe.

As for the idea of having pop-up kiosks in the middle, well it sounds like another example of letting inexperienced or ill-connected people come up with ideas. They may sound "cool", but any sane person knows instantly they are just bad ideas! Common sense is not very common these days it would appear!!!

The darker paving isn't random at all. It get's darker, and denser (smaller pavers) closer to areas where people will congregate (such as around street furniture and trees). Aesthetically it's obviously an impression on natural forms, not the same but along the same concept has Japanese rock gardens. It also has the advantage that those are the areas people are more likely to drop rubbish, spill things, and generally make more of a mess - so the darker paving will hold up better and the smaller pavers easier to replace. It was not designed by some "trendy art student", but by experienced landscape designers from Hassell - a firm founded in Adelaide in the 30s, and is now one of the largest in the world.

The fountain being kept is because the public feedback demanded it, and the pigs, despite what you think, are extremely popular. They're obviously not to your taste, and they're not to mine either, but they're an engaging piece of public art to a large number of people nonetheless and deserve to be kept.

[ml69]

I would have liked to see another piece of public art commissioned as part of the current Rundle Mall upgrade.

The initial mall design had the malls balls (an Adelaide icon now), and the 90's upgrade had the pigs (great, my daughter loves riding them!) and the girl on the slide.

Something controversial and quirky/weird which gets the public talking would have been good ... Too late now I guess, but maybe something that could be considered later?

[rhino]

is the girl on the slide really only from the 90s? I thought it had been there much longer than that. Agree that a new additional sculpture would have been good with this upgrade. I love the sculpture of Mo Rene in Hindley St, but that one really belongs on Hindley and should stay there. A sculpture of a busker or a barrow boy would suit the mall.

[Phantom]

A design somewhat like this (including the lovely modern fountain) could have been adapted to suit Rundle Mall, and in my opinion looks great!

nice mall.jpg

Pushbutton, it's crazy how much this picture reminds me so much of Moseley Sq, looking south from the Post Office, except just minus the road itself.

[zippySA]

pushbutton - you probably could have stopped after your first sentence - wait till it is finished before bagging it.

It will very likely look completely different once finished - and then we can all judge.

As for sculpture - I'm glad one isn't included in this contract - I reckon we'll be better off seeing it finished, and then the ACC can consider options and commission something soon after - I reckon its better to get a physical sense of the finished product before plonking any art anywhere.

[Patrick_27]

Pushbutton, if you're going to bag something with great depth, please don't showcase some of the uggliest malls as an alternative.

[Vee]

Rundle Mall upgrade (first section unveiled today).
Work will now halt during the busy Christmas shopping/post Christmas sales/holiday shopping period - to resume on the next section on Jan 6.

Various pics via social media.
New seats and uplights in Rundle Mall last night, before the opening today. via @KeithConlon
http://twitter.com/KeithConlon/status/3 ... 61/photo/1

Some Rundle Mall pics from today's opening via @RundleMall
http://instagram.com/p/gb3gNjmvUh/

http://instagram.com/p/gb3VH_GvUK/

http://instagram.com/p/gb7QCCmvai/

More on Rundle Mall ...

Rundle Mall upgrade sparks surge in private investment, ACC says.
THE Rundle Mall upgrade has sparked a surge in private investment from funky laneway eateries to major shopping centre upgrades, Adelaide City Council says.

As the western end of the mall to Gawler Place is officially unveiled Friday, November 8, the council says 279 development applications have been lodged since it announced its masterplan in October 2011.

More:
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/nationa ... 6755156954

[pushbutton]

I say it as I see it on these forums and I never expect everyone to agree with everything I say. I merely state my personal opinions. I was expecting insults to fly at me on this one as sadly tends to happen on public forums, but there have been only well considered and polite responses. I would simply like to say thanks as that's very refreshing and uplifting.

My opinion on the mall upgrade may well change when I see it complete, and I hope I like it when it's finished!

[DaveAdl]

Went for a stroll today and it looks fantastic ... Really notice the difference walking between the old and new once complete end to end will be a great upgrade

[stronic]

A design somewhat like this (including the lovely modern fountain) could have been adapted to suit Rundle Mall, and in my opinion looks great!

nice mall.jpg

Pllleaaassee! Adelaide does not need anymore palm trees. They look bad enough as it is.