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

[Mpol02]

I wouldn’t go that far, but it would be great.

[VinyTapestry849]

Second tower proposed for Festival Plaza

NEWS
EXCLUSIVE: Multinational developer Walker Corporation has handed a formal proposal to the state government for a second Festival Plaza tower, next to its current 29-storey building and directly behind Parliament House.

Walker Corp has submitted a proposal to build a second tower behind Parliament House, next to its 29-storey "One Festival Tower" under construction. Photo: Walker Corp
Planning Minister Nick Champion confirmed to InDaily this morning that Walker Corporation submitted the proposal in early February in accordance with the terms of their commercial agreement with the state government for the $1 billion Festival Plaza redevelopment.

He said Renewal SA would undertake a “formal evaluation process” of the proposal before making a recommendation to the state government.

If the tower is approved by the government, it would replace a planned three-storey retail building directly behind Parliament House, which was due to start construction this year next to the 29-storey “One Festival Tower” office building.

We’re not going to have Walker Corp or any other previous policy arrangement denying the opportunity that should exist here in the precinct

Champion told InDaily in September that the three-storey retail building had a “number of deficiencies”, including that it would separate Parliament House from Festival Plaza and obscure its views.

Heritage SA has also previously raised concern that the three-storey building could “diminish” Parliament House’s state heritage listing.

The Malinauskas Government had no power to veto the retail building as its construction was set in stone under a contract signed by the former Marshall Government and Walker Corporation in 2021.

But a clause in the contract allows Walker Corporation to request to gain access to air space above the retail building to build a second tower.

Former Treasurer Rob Lucas ruled out consideration of a second tower, but Champion told InDaily that the Malinauskas Government was open to the idea as a replacement for the three-storey building.

“Our government will consider the advice received while maintaining the right to accept or reject any proposal with absolute discretion,” Champion told InDaily this morning.

“We also recognise Walker Corporation is currently committed legally to building the three-storey development, in what would be a poor public policy outcome which fails to make the most of the iconic space.

“This is an important opportunity to get the right outcome for the Festival Plaza in the long-term while considering the surrounding Riverbank Precinct and wider community needs.”

Walker Corp’s current plans for the retail complex and office tower at the Festival Plaza. Image: Johnson Pilton Walker

Champion said to receive government support, Walker Corporation’s proposal would need to “meet these requirements, along with all relevant planning approvals, to get off the ground and maximise cultural and business opportunities for the state”.

InDaily asked Champion’s office if Walker Corporation had specified how high they wanted the proposed second tower to be, but is yet to receive a response.

Walker Corporation was also contacted for comment.

Premier Peter Malinauskas told reporters on Friday that the current plans for a three-storey retail building were a “terrible public policy outcome”.

He said the government would “drive a hard bargain” with Walker Corporation to improve the plans.

“As things currently stand, we know that Walker Corporation are committed legally to build a three-storey building that is going to block out the vista of Parliament House to Festival Plaza,” he said.

“My responsibility, Nick (Champion’s) responsibility is to make sure we get the right outcome for the Festival Plaza in the long-term.

“It is a key precinct for our state culturally and in a commerce sense too, so we’ve got to get it right.

“We’re not going to have Walker Corp or any other previous policy arrangement denying the opportunity that should exist here in the precinct.”

A Renewal SA spokesperson previously told InDaily that any additional construction works at Festival Plaza might impact access to some areas of the precinct and delay the competition of the overall redevelopment, which also includes a car park and redesigned public space and was initially slated to be complete by 2025.

They said changing the current design would require planning approval.

Walker Corporation last week announced that construction of “One Festival Tower” had reached its peak at 115 metres.

It said 90 per cent of the 29-storey office tower had been tenanted, with the first occupants to move in later this year.

Tenants include Flinders University, Mott MacDonald, VALO, Vircura and Ikara Estates.

The former Labor government gave Walker Corp exclusive rights to redevelop Festival Plaza in 2012.

[Nort]

And just like clockwork. What a shitty contract.

[Mpol02]

Well… at there’s there’s potential for the Stanford to be covered when taking images looking into the CBD…

[HiTouch]

And just like clockwork. What a shitty contract.

So sketchy. Adelaide's version of Barangaroo.

[Will]

Terrible outcome. The current tower already overwhelms the plaza and surrounding heritage buildings. A second tower would turn any remaining public space into an afterthought. A small, perpetually shadowed space only good for eating your lunch.

The only entity benefiting from this is Walker himself.

[SBD]

The current proposal of a three-storey building will obscure Parliament House, so they want to build a tower instead...?

Do they intend to put it on 4-storey-hig stilts so we can see Parliament House underneath???

If something has to be built thee, I guess it might as well be "iconic", but the original sculpture was iconic when it was new and looked after, too.

[Algernon]

The current proposal of a three-storey building will obscure Parliament House, so they want to build a tower instead...?

Do they intend to put it on 4-storey-hig stilts so we can see Parliament House underneath???

If something has to be built thee, I guess it might as well be "iconic", but the original sculpture was iconic when it was new and looked after, too.

A tower option is actually the only one that could deliver any visual connection between the parliament to the square if built on stilts as you say. The approved 3 storey footprint sealed that at the inception. I don't think either outcome is a good one though. It's bizarre that the state consents in any form to having what should be its most important institutional building covered on 2 of its sides, especially to a public plaza. Disappointing outcome, original tower included.

Only way to recover this is to reneg on any consents to building on that parcel. Contracts are already signed however, and there would be a pretty steep payout due to walker in that case.

[AG]

The current proposal of a three-storey building will obscure Parliament House, so they want to build a tower instead...?

Do they intend to put it on 4-storey-hig stilts so we can see Parliament House underneath???

If something has to be built thee, I guess it might as well be "iconic", but the original sculpture was iconic when it was new and looked after, too.

A tower option is actually the only one that could deliver any visual connection between the parliament to the square if built on stilts as you say. The approved 3 storey footprint sealed that at the inception. I don't think either outcome is a good one though. It's bizarre that the state consents in any form to having what should be its most important institutional building covered on 2 of its sides, especially to a public plaza. Disappointing outcome, original tower included.

Only way to recover this is to reneg on any consents to building on that parcel. Contracts are already signed however, and there would be a pretty steep payout due to walker in that case.

Opening up the ground floor plaza area by cantilevering a tower from the core or columns may definitely be a workable option to ensure that views of Parliament are obstructed as little as possible as well as creating a very tall lobby. In fact, the original SAHMRI already does this to some degree with it's flower and pedestal arrangement at ground level.

[Patrick_27]

The river bank is south Australias cultural and identity boulevard, make this right and we'll be the talk of the country

Not really, North Terrace further east is the cultural and identity boulevard, the riverbank area is a man made commercial spectacle with successive governments putting their poorly planned and executed stamp on the area. Having spent time in and around the new plaza, nothing that’s built (or to be built) there will ever make us the talk of the country. But rather a sad attempt at trying to create something out of nothing that mimics Fed Square/Southbank and the Brisbane Riverside.

Ten years ago when this was first touted, we should have opted to focus on enhancing the public squares and left the development of this area to tue Adelaide Festival Centre trust.

[rev]

The river bank is south Australias cultural and identity boulevard, make this right and we'll be the talk of the country

Not really, North Terrace further east is the cultural and identity boulevard, the riverbank area is a man made commercial spectacle with successive governments putting their poorly planned and executed stamp on the area. Having spent time in and around the new plaza, nothing that’s built (or to be built) there will ever make us the talk of the country. But rather a sad attempt at trying to create something out of nothing that mimics Fed Square/Southbank and the Brisbane Riverside.

Ten years ago when this was first touted, we should have opted to focus on enhancing the public squares and left the development of this area to tue Adelaide Festival Centre trust.

It's doubtful those who made those claims had actually visited those areas in Melbourne

[Llessur2002]

I tend to agree - I visited Fed Square on my first ever trip to Melbourne and have never felt the need to return on subsequent visits. I'd be surprised if any visitor this saw it as the premier experience of their trip. If that's what we're aiming for with Festival Plaza then that's a very low bar.

[HiTouch]

I tend to agree - I visited Fed Square on my first ever trip to Melbourne and have never felt the need to return on subsequent visits. I'd be surprised if any visitor this saw it as the premier experience of their trip. If that's what we're aiming for with Festival Plaza then that's a very low bar.

As bad as Fed Square looks, at least there is foot traffic and engagement with the area. Same with Brisbane's riverbank.

This area has never been a people-centred precicnt. The location is too disconnected from pedestrian routes. Nobody has or will utilize cutting through Festival Plaza to catch the train, or go to uni or go to the riverbank when there is North Terrace and the Railway station more streamlined to all mentioned connections. At least Fed Square is better connected with pedestrian access. I understand they are relying on Flinders uni and office workers to create the foot traffic but people will always gravitate toward the ease of access and services offered on North Terrace. A good example of this dilenma is the plaza next to Grenfell Centre. Although it's slightly improved its utilization in recent years with food outlets, it never really leads anywhere and people will always gravitate toward Grenfell streetside pedestrian paths, City Cross and James Place.

[Nathan]

I tend to agree - I visited Fed Square on my first ever trip to Melbourne and have never felt the need to return on subsequent visits. I'd be surprised if any visitor this saw it as the premier experience of their trip. If that's what we're aiming for with Festival Plaza then that's a very low bar.

I actually like Fed Square. The plaza is a good space to relax (particularly as a halfway point heading to/from NGV), and both ACMI and NGV Ian Potter Centre are worthy visits.

[Llessur2002]

ACMI is great, and I'm not saying that Fed Square has nothing going for it but I think it's fairly harsh as a public space - there's very little in the way of shade or soft landscaping and the overall architecture looks a bit dated and out of context with its surroundings. It's functional for what it is, and we can learn some lessons from that perspective, but design-wise I think we can do better.

I prefer the overall landscaping plan for Festival Plaza with trees and arbours, and the paving is growing on me the more I see it. If we can make it a functional and trafficked space then I think we could potentially end up with a better outcome, although the latter will rely quite heavily on further activation of the Riverbank precinct which feels a long way off.

I'm not a fan of building a second tower as aside from hiding the rear of Parliament House it feels like the available plaza space is fairly small already (plus that whole dodgy issue of giving away public land) but if they can come up with a decent plan to open up some of the space that would have been occupied by the three storey building as discussed above then there will certainly be some benefits in the way of activation that will help ensure the Plaza doesn't just become an unused and hidden corner again.