Designs revealed for Adelaide’s first skyscraper at Festival Plaza

Premier Peter Malinauskas says Adelaide CBD towers should soar as high as possible as he launches the city’s first skyscraper. See the video and vote in our poll.

Adelaide building towers should soar as high as possible to grow the CBD, Premier Peter Malinauskas has declared, as he launches designs for the city’s first skyscraper.

The 160m second tower at Festival Plaza, hailed by the Premier as “an iconic building that will define Adelaide’s skyline”, is proposed to rise 38 storeys to the north of Parliament House.

A development application will be lodged within days for the tower with a design featuring a diamond-shaped facade.

The $600m building would become Adelaide’s first skyscraper – typically defined as a tower at least 150m in height – when expected to be complete in 2027.

Speaking on Friday morning, Mr Malinauskas recounted talks with Walker Corporation chief executive officer David Gallant about potential height limits when transforming the building plan from a three-storey complex to a tower with a smaller footprint.

“I said, well, unlimited (height) as far as I’m concerned. I mean, I for the life of me don’t know why we wouldn’t want to allow tall skyscrapers in a growing city. I don’t know what the resistance would be. I mean, I know there is resistance. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not naive to that. But I don’t know why we would oppose them,” Mr Malinauskas said.

Asked by The Advertiser if his message for Adelaide’s CBD was build up, build up – rather than drill, baby, drill – Mr Malinauskas replied: “Absolutely. I see the government’s role as trying to remove as many barriers as we possibly can to allow our city to come to life, and if that means building taller, then we are on the side of it.”

Mr Malinauskas emphasised that this was subject to due process in terms of probity and approvals.

“But as a general principle, I am very comfortable saying that I am unapologetically in favour of height in the CBD, because if we’re not doing it in the CBD, where are we doing it? And we want activity, we want density in our CBD,” he said.

Walker Corporation, which developed an adjacent tower with Flinders University as an anchor tenant, is in talks about the second tower’s tenants and expects to make announcements soon.

New landmark second tower at the Festival Plaza site. Picture: Supplied

The tower would span almost 50,000 sqm over 38 levels, including 30 levels of office space. It is expected to generate more than 1000 construction jobs, then accommodate about 5000 office workers and another 100 retail workers in lower-floor restaurants, cafes and bars.

A new laneway would run along Parliament House’s northern side and include hospitality and retail outlets.

Ahead of the Friday’s launch, Mr Malinauskas praised the development as “a linchpin of Festival Plaza”, arguing it would attract more than $1bn in annual economic activity to the area.

“Our state’s economy is growing, and our city is growing up. This will be an iconic building that will define Adelaide’s skyline,” he said.

“We want and need more workers in our city and this sends a clear message that SA is open for business and investment.”

Mr Gallant said the “milestone lodgement” of the development application was “the final piece in the transformation of Adelaide’s premier commercial and entertainment precinct”.

“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,” he said.

Mr Gallant said an extensive 18-month pre-lodgement process had “ensured that the tower aligns with Adelaide’s planning objectives and architectural aspirations”.

Walker will lodge a development application with the independent State Commission Assessment Panel, which is expected to make a decision within months.

Originally published as Designs revealed for Adelaide’s first skyscraper at Festival Plaza