Is this Adelaide’s ugliest building? Heritage supporters think it’s a strong contender

A $30m student tower rising above Adelaide’s premier cultural boulevard is being slammed by heritage advocates. Do you agree?

A student tower rising above Adelaide’s premier cultural boulevard has raised the ire of heritage supporters who have attacked the design of the $30m building.

The 35-storey property, being built behind a state heritage listed former warehouse at 203 North Tce, will reach 115m tall when completed.

But the architectural merit of the tower has been slammed on pro-heritage facebook page Help Save South Australia’s History From Demolition.

Mario Dreosti managing director of the building’s architect Brown Falconer declined to comment on the criticism of the building.

The Advertiser has sought comment from the property’s Adelaide developer Accord Property.

The Switch student accommodation tower under construction on North Terrace. Picture: Tom Huntley

Members have described the building as a “travesty”, “hideous”, “revolting” and an “eyesore”.

Back in 2017 another student tower came under fire for its design, this time off Waymouth St.

And in January this year we asked 12 of the city’s leading architects to share their most hated buildings.

So does this one beat them all for title of ‘ugliest’?

“One of the ugliest buildings on North Terrace. And that’s being generous,” wrote member, Damian Hill.

Joanna Wells said the building “looks worse than even the most hyperactive imagination would have thought”.

The facebook page has 7000 followers including several Adelaide identities SA Heritage Council chair Keith Conlon and head of the History Trust and Adelaide City Councillor Greg Mackie.

An initial architects’ render of The Switch student tower at 203 North Tce.

And the building taking shape yesterday. Picture: Tom Huntley

The sandstone-coloured building will have 367 beds and is expected to be topped out in the second half of this year and completed in 2022.

The State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) approved the building in September 2019.

Work includes retaining and restoring the facade of an existing historic 1878 warehouse associated with merchant firm G & R Wills and Co.

According to a planning report put to the SCAP the tower was designed to “to achieve a singular, monolithic and sculptured built form outcome”.

The report, which recommended the project be approved, also said Adelaide City Council raised no objection to the project, which went through a design review process with the Office for Design and Archiceture SA in April 2019.

Mario Dreosti managing director of the building’s architect Brown Falconer declined to comment on the criticism of the building.

The Advertiser sought comment from the property’s Adelaide developer Accord Property.

What do you think is Adelaide’s ugliest building? Take our poll and let us know in the comments below