[COM] Victoria Square Upgrade - $24m

[Ho Really]

Would it be structurally possible to build a 200m Tower in the middle of the Square with a tunnel/underpass directly underneath?

Anything is possible. The dual carriageway tunnel of Wakefield and Grote Streets could be separated by a core and supported by angled pillars on the outside of the carriageways that curve up the tower. This is just one solution.

As for height I think anything around 300 metres is too much. The tower, if built, should be no more than 250 metres at observation level and 270 metres at the top of communications mast, that way Adelaide can comfortably have office and apartment buildings up to 225 metres in height.

Cheers

[duke]

They should dig out all of under vic square. Put carparks and shops in underground.
Turn Wakefield Street into a tunnel that goes under vic square. Have roads coming off of this going into the underground park. Have an underground moving sidewalk going to the Central Market.
Have stairways going down to the underground mall near the new tram stop so people can park there and tram for free to the mall.
In the middle of the square there should be a artistic building, i say sort of like the one in Federation Square.
The building should incorporate some form of stage for entertainment.
It should also have that :wank: stuff like federation square has with all the screens (SMS stuff).
There should also be some screens showing something like Sky News, Aurora and maybe even that Nagjapaji ( Spelling??) channel. All should be silent unless there is an event on. There should be a transmitter like in the old driveins, where if you are within say 50 meters you can tune in your radio to listen.
These screens could then change for things like sporting events.

Situated over this building should be a massive tower with tripod type legs with an observation deck and restaurant at the top. Imagine the view..

The building on the ground should only have a small footprint above ground, the rest should be underground. It should contain a few cafes, a tourist information office and a history of Adelaide.

Victoria Square also needs more seating areas and more shade. Its good sitting outside on sunny days, but tree shade is not good enough to stop from being burned. And then if its been raining, but still a nice day outside you aren't going to want to sit on the grass.
Maybe instead of actual seats they could get some artistic type things which can double as seats. Think those bones near the Museum.

Oh and, I forgot the other thing about the car park with the sidewalk to the market.

With this car park in place, it would finally allow the market to be free to have its upgrade. They could revamp the mall, make it modern. Turn the level car park level into more shopping space, amusements (cinema's, bowling, arcades), and/or apartments. Something like Paddy's Market in Sydney where they have a full market on the ground floor and a shopping center on the other floors.
Another alternative is that they could leave down stairs as fresh produce, and make upstairs a market like the port dock market with things other than produce. The possibilities are limitless. It would open up some amazing opportunities for the area, and Adelaide.

[Matt]

Have added my comments to the AdelaideNow report.

God I hope something happens with this. (unlikely as it seems)
A landmark, iconic building in the square would be great.

Anything is better than what we have now.

I'd like to see a huge tower with a viewing dec... massive open plaza with superscreen (Fed Sq style)
Water features... etc etc
We can dream

[Pants]

Just to clarify my support for this - I don't think it should be a commercial or residential tower, but purely a landmark building with community facilities such as an ob. deck, restaurants/bars/cafes, other retail and public screens for sporting events etc.

Effectively, the square should remain a place for the general community rather than office workers or apartment owners and a landmark building and a plaza that people want to use would be a good way to go.

[Matt]

Agree 100%, Pants.

[stelaras]

i too agree with pants 100%

[Pants]

Making sense is cool.

[Adelarch]

I don't agree with Pants as a matter of principle, but otherwise I agree

[Rob5089]

If something were to be build in the square then it would have to almost be Eiffel Tower like in design. That way there is minimal footprint in the middle of the square. That way the square can still be used for all sorts of functions and trees and stuff can still grow under it. Plonking a big tower in the middle of it probably isn't a good idea. Though I'd probably prefer that nothing too significant is built on the square. I'm neither for or against building yet. It really depends on the design and function. Function being a key word.

[bmw boy]

Are there any examples of structures which have a minimal impact on the size at ground level and are only used as observation decks, restaurants etc, other than the space needle type of towers which feature in Auckland, Toronto, Seattle and Sydney .. from the top of my head.

Or are we talking about a similar proposal?, I dunno but they can look abit bland, unoriginal and oldskool IMO. Some are better than others.

[Mants]

perhaps something similar to the gateway arch in saint louis?

different design of course.

[Rob5089]

Something like that arch is almost what i was thinking, but perhaps change it a bit so it forms some sort of spire from the arch?. I was almost thinking if it were possible to make it shimmer in smooth blue reflective glass (a colour like Melbourne's Rialto towers) and inside the glass have mounted solar panels. That way it serves some sort of good environmental function, a symbol of how we went this city to be environmentally smart. So technically the tower could power any event that it hosts in the centre of the square, without relying on the grid.

[ozisnowman]

Good point ozisnowman, the plans there just implement it. Yes it will cost money which should be spent on orphans with cancer but the economic return from the additional visitors generated by having a vibrant city centre will more than pay for the project.

Thanks im my previous post i was talking about why waste more money on new designs more talk fests etc,
when they already have a good plan just build it.... dont waste more money on more designs more talk fests etc
spend the money and build it. But it seems the government and ACC want to spruce up Victoria Square and
only pay $100,000 for it.

[Matt]

One day, when we get a leader with some balls, we might actually see something like this happen.

The Victoria Park debacle is proof enough that something of such a grand scale is never going to eventuate in this graveyard of a city.

Let's face it - look at the massive outcry about the tram extension and new grandstand in Vic Park - it's only realistic to assume Victoria Square will continue to lay as dormant and pointless as it has for decades.
Someone surprise me and take this by the scruff of the neck.

[rogue]

Someone surprise me and take this by the scruff of the neck.

Over to you keepadelaidealive and harbo.