South Australians have mixed emotions about the new Myer Centre building as upgrades nearly complete
South Australians have shown distaste for the new facade of one of South Australia’s most iconic Rundle Mall shopping centres. What do you think of it? Take our poll.
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South Australians are expressing mixed feelings about the upgrade to the facade of Rundle Mall’s Myer Centre, with some shoppers saying it doesn’t impress them at all.
Since it opened in 1991 at a cost of $570m, the centre had sported a distinctive yellow and green exterior and had become an icon of the Adelaide CBD.
But after the heady early days of the Dazzeland amusement park in the top floor and full occupancy, it had struggled in recent times for tenants and escalators to upper floors had been removed.
Myer itself last year launched a legal claim against Singaporean landlord, YTL Starhill Global Real Estate Investment Trust. Myer argued it had the right to terminate its lease, alleging YTL had let the 32-year-old shopping centre deteriorate to the point its upper levels are littered with empty stores.
Also last year, Stallard Meek Flight Path Architects (SMFA) were engaged to design and upgrade the facade.
Those works, producing a far less colourful result, appear to be nearing completion.
Connie Grida, 68, from Trinity Gardens said she doesn’t think the change was necessary and she had only just noticed the change.
“I don’t think they needed to spend the money,” she said.
Theresa, 37, from Goolwa, said the building “doesn’t impress me” and it didn’t appear to be much of an upgrade.
Another local shopper, who asked not to be named, said the change had “taken away the nostalgia” from what was once an iconic building.
People have expressed even stronger feelings on an online Adelaide development forum.
“It’s so ugly! If I was making a movie about a soulless dystopian future, this is the type of building I’d put in it,” one user posted on Sensational Adelaide.
“The only positive I can find about the facade change is that it lets in more natural light for tenancies facing the mall,” another commenter said.
Yet another questioned whether the building’s colour would create issues. “Does it get a five-star energy rating for its use of black cladding on the western wall (laughing emoji)?” they posted. However, some locals and tourists said they liked the look of the new facade.
Donna and Chris Groth, both 60 and from Brisbane, said they were just relieved to see a Myer as the one in their local shopping mall recently shut down.
“It looks great,” Ms Groth said. “It looks really nice … I love it,” Mr Groth said.
“It’s nice to see a Myer in the CBD, the one in our shopping mall shut down.”
Gary Moldenhauer, 67, from Adelaide, said he liked the look of the new facade and he considered it a worthy update.
“It looks aesthetic,” he said. “It’s an attractive pattern.”
SMFA and Myer declined to comment.
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