how good is he wrote: ↑Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:30 am
Maybe Bob if you can detail your alternative suggestion [ie a contemporary art gallery or whatever you think] so the forum can assess the merits of your proposal? So your thoughts on build cost, to buy "content", expected visitation numbers, your projected profit/return on investment etc. My point is whatever gets proposed/built here will attract skepticism that ANY business model will stack up... and as the forum correctly highlights there is massive competition from established places [as well as future and proposed] both nationally and Internationally and from individuals/states/countries with deeper pockets/bigger budgets/populations etc.
Seeming as you ask, my view on what should be at Lot 14 is only part of the bigger equation.
All four of the competing offerings at different times for Lot 14 need a home but there is also a fifth not talked about yet. All four of them previously identified should have the right fit or synergy to match their environment.
The iconic food preparation centre should be at a redeveloped Central Market as rightly pointed out previously by Patrick and others which would find its true fit location.
The Contemporary Art Gallery should be earmarked for SA Government House on the basis Australia will likely vote in favour of a Republic once the current monarch QEII expires, probably this decade, freeing up this site as no longer required for Crown purposes. Any building extensions done would need to be in keeping with the heritage in mind, but this is an iconic biding in an iconic location along the cultural boulevard in close proximity to the existing art gallery, would also allow for showing of the majority of pieces, this seems the right fit for such a place.
The Concert Hall once touted as underground proposal at Lot 14 really belongs next to Festival Centre adjacent the River Torrens, once again right fit for purpose location leveraging off existing theatre, dance and music already in place.
The Aboriginal Art Gallery has a natural choice in principle of two relevant spiritual homes in today’s world – either at Port Augusta as the gateway to the outback which could be tied in with an expanded Arid Botanic Garden making it a right fit for what is the most aboriginal centre in SA today. Port Augusta is also at the crossroads of Sydney-Perth and Melbourne-Adelaide-Darwin for both rail and road which strengthens its location. Visitor numbers would be less than Adelaide, but some of that could be solved at minimal relative cost (I will have to address that in a separate transport post). Alternatively, if we are intent on keeping this proposal in Adelaide due to the real reason, i,e, commercial enterprise, then the other spiritual home to aboriginals in the past was what is now the River Torrens, originally a creek/waterway. As land is limited along the river, one place could be made suitable and maintaining a prime position, it is the land between Plane Tree Drive, Hackney Road and the River Torrens to the Gilberton Bridge. The land area earmarked at Lot 14 for this exercise also fits into this proposed area comfortably, so no offering would be reduced, but rather enhanced because of river frontage completing the spiritual connection.
This allows Lot 14 to be free of any of the four competing elements for the space and would now allow what I think should be there – a National Innovation Experience – a centre like no other that would be based on the principal of where we are today (less than 20% of the exhibition) along with what we are working on today to make todays visions a reality in the next decade or so (80% of the exhibition), such a centre would provide awareness, education, inspiration and aspirations showcasing not only global and national efforts but highlighting where SA innovative contributions are in the areas of ( to highlight some high level categories):
• Space
• Roles of nanotechnology in future society
• Climate change
• Renewable Energy
• Water Management in arid climates
• Green Transport electrification
• Green Heavy Industrial development
• Food crop production in marginal clmates
• Medical technology
• Disease research
• Artificial Intelligence
• Robotics
A National Innovation Experience (Centre) fits in with where SA is heading over the next decade or so and being in this location dovetails with what is going on Lot 14 today – innovation.
I also leave out the title Museum as this would be an experienced that would spend minimal time on the reference points today but instead most of its exhibitive energies focused on what we are doing and need to do to achieve are aspirations, and to keep this relevant the reference point gets moved forward every 2-3 years, so the futurism aspect remains relevant.
And a lot more innovation is going on in SA than is being credited for, this would be another avenue to highlight those efforts on a national and international stage.
