The Premier of South Australia has unveiled updated designs for a new tower within Adelaide’s Festival Plaza, which will soon be lodged for development approval. The office of the South Australian Premier claims that, if approved, the tower will be the largest commercial building in the city.
Developed by Walker Corporation in partnership with architecture practice Johnson Pilton Walker, the updated proposal iterates the team’s previous tower proposal for the site, which is itself a revision of an earlier scheme for a three-storey retail building. The newly updated tower scheme comes after South Australian Minister for Planning Nick Champion approved a planning code amendment at Festival Plaza in January this year, enabling a maximum building height of 40 storeys.
According to a media communique from the premier’s office, the code amendment also specified a minimum setback of nine metres from the new building to Parliament House’s heritage facade. As such, the new proposal creates a new laneway between the two buildings, which Walker Corporation envision as an activated hospitality and retail place.
Champion noted that regular design reviews between the state government and Walker Corporation have ensured that public space is maintained in Festival Plaza and that heritage protections are in place to complement Parliament House and surrounding areas.
“The code amendment stipulated strict development guidelines, with the independent State Commission Assessment Panel to have the final say over the development application,” he said.
Immediately to the west of the proposal, Festival Tower, also by Walker in partnership with Johnson Pilton Walker, opened in August 2024 and reaches 29 storeys in height. At 160 metres high, the 38-storey second Festival Plaza tower proposal includes nearly 50,000 square metres of floor space, with thirty levels dedicated to commercial offices.
In their release, the premier’s office notes that “a major drawcard of the new building will be a rooftop bar and restaurant to take in panoramic views of the riverbank, Adelaide Oval and the Adelaide Hills.” At its base, the tower design features a podium with a raised outdoor space, lower-floor restaurants, cafes and bars, and access to end-of-trip facilities and parking within the multi-storey basement.
CEO of Walker Corporation David Gallant commented, “The building will set a new benchmark for sustainable commercial development in South Australia. Its world-class diamond-shaped facade will create a striking visual identity, while a signature rooftop bar and restaurant will offer unparalleled views of the Riverbank, Adelaide Oval, and the Adelaide Hills.”
The premier’s office claims that, once complete, the tower “will be one of the most sustainable office buildings in Australia and will be Adelaide’s largest all-electric commercial building, with the largest solar array on a commercial building in the city.”
A development application for the early works stage of the project was approved in 2024. The preparatory works have already commenced at the site, with the new development to be constructed by Built, who was also the major construction partner for Festival Tower.
Walker Corporation noted that the development application consent process will soon be finalised with their submission of the updated design to the independent State Commission Assessment Panel. The Premier’s office anticipates that a decision will be made in the coming months.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
