The South Australian government has announced plans for a new arts and media hub set within the upcoming Tapangka precinct being developed by Renewal SA.
Located at the former Adelaide Bus Station site on Franklin Street, the precinct is planned to deliver high-density housing alongside various commercial, public and civic spaces.
In the south-eastern portion of the site, adjacent to Andrew Street, the arts and media hub will accommodate the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) as a key tenant alongside the State Theatre Company, State Opera and Country Arts SA, which will all relocate from the broadcaster’s existing Collinswood site.
Plans for the development include a collection of galleries, studios and rehearsal spaces. According to a media release from the SA government, this offering will “enable collaboration between arts organisations and the ABC” and “provide a pipeline of South Australian talent, production and programming.”
“This exciting project will activate Franklin Street by establishing a cultural precinct that will make our state a better place to create, live, work and play,” the release notes.
Renewal SA acting chief executive Shane Wingard said the arts and media hub was a significant outcome for the site and a strong addition to the Tapangka development.
“We’ve always had a clear vision for Tapangka as an active and vibrant precinct,” he said. “Bringing together some of South Australia’s most respected cultural institutions within this development will deliver lasting benefits for the city and the wider community.”
Renewal SA’s website notes that the site’s Kaurna heritage will be celebrated throughout the development, from its planning and design, right through to its cultural programming.
The website notes that their “vision for Tapangka places the human experience at the core of the built environment, aiming to create one of the most vibrant and inclusive residential and mixed-use developments in the state.”
“This innovative approach to city living is inspired by the experience of following a path: a path to reconciliation, home ownership, towards sustainability and partnership. In the Kaurna language, this experience is known as Tapangka.”
First announced in 2023, plans for the Tapangka precinct comprise a 200-suite hotel, build-to-rent apartments, market housing and retail tenancies, in addition to the commercial arts and media component. In August 2024, Renewal SA invited community feedback on designs by Woods Bagot.
The cultural centre is due for completion by 2031.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
