#Article: City Tower 'Would Draw' Tourists

[Cam]

WIth Mt Lofty people think just Adelaide ,, but it is the Picadilly Valley and Beyond which must be brought together with Adelaide in one brilliant Panorama, and only a proper elevated observation facility will allow this for everyone.

[monotonehell]

As for an observation deck on a tower with "architectural merit" (the main point being) I'm all for it. But where in the city would you position such a tower?

Well I'd start with the blunt bit in the ground and the pointy bit up in the air... not sure after that. We probably need to consider what the future cityscape will look like, and how such a large erection (tee hee I said erection) will look from various points of view. It's a big question indeed.

Now I get what you meant by the stadium. *nods nods*

[Shuz]

If I were to choose a site in the city for a building, observational or not - I think the campus block bordered by Pirie, Frome, Grenfell streets fronting onto Hindmarsh Square would be just the pick.

[monotonehell]

If I were to choose a site in the city for a building, observational or not - I think the campus block bordered by Pirie, Frome, Grenfell streets fronting onto Hindmarsh Square would be just the pick.

Any reasoning behind that location (other than it's occupied by 9 squishy buildings) ?

[Shuz]

Reasons:

1. The fact that 9 stumpy fugly campus buildings occupy the site.
2. Its near Rundle Convergence and adjacent a vibrant public space (Hindmarsh Square)
3. Convienience.
4. Further enhance HS image.
5. Issues with airspace/height limits would be less impacting (because its in the east)

[monotonehell]

Reasons:

1. The fact that 9 stumpy fugly campus buildings occupy the site.
2. Its near Rundle Convergence and adjacent a vibrant public space (Hindmarsh Square)
3. Convienience.
4. Further enhance HS image.
5. Issues with airspace/height limits would be less impacting (because its in the east)

Very good. Except I said apart from the first item

Just out of interest; the ACC heights for that block as far as I can see are two thirds 40m (west side) and one third 28m (east side). While the OLS data would allow up to between 92 to 94m (it's on a slope), and PANS-OPS is illegible from the chart we have, but seems to be either the same as the OLS or 40m shorter? - although we've been led to believe that around Adelaide the PANS-OPS surface is always higher.

How's that add up for our big erection?

[Shuz]

Mono.

OLS surface limitation has been penetrated (hehe I said penetrated) many times by other buildings around the CBD. I'm sure the case would still apply for a new tower regardless where it be, unless it violates PAN-OPS.

[Cruise]

hehe, erection....

[Norman]

hehe, erection....

Silly. *shakes head* *e-Slap*

[Queen Anne]

Lol, a lot of you say building a stand alone observation tower should not be done "because everyone else has"

yet you all cry out for an inner city stadium, No one else has ever done that!!!

Flawed is your logic, listen to Yoda you must....

People want something iconic, something that gives Adelaide an identity (apparently) but every other city has an ob.tower, and most were built last century. You're not going to make Adelaide's skyline look uniquely Adelaidean and iconic if you build something that looks just like Toronto, Seatle, Las Vegas, Sydney ... etc.

A stadium on the other hand is a practical (hopefully) piece of infrastructure with an economic purpose. Just as a railway line is, and most cities have those.

What we're looking for is something of architectural merit, that is unique and that has economic as well as cultural and touristic value. A tower whose only function is an ob.tower is a white elephant, there's no way it would be able to pay for itself, and these days you would never find a backer for such an undertaking, considering the history of these things.


Wouldn't a nice skyscraper, with a unique design, that contains an observation deck level be preferable? After all it not only gives Adelaide something unique that has much more chance of being economically feasible, but it also gives tourists something to mount.

(j'desire mont vortre tour! is that how it went?)

Yes, we're definitely looking for something that has "economic as well as cultural and touristic value" for Adelaide. I don't know much about architecture but I still don't understand why a tower cannot be built, today, that has "architectural merit". I would imagine architceture is a constantly evolving and advancing discipline.

Is the London Eye more than a one function structure? (not trying to be difficult it's a genuine question ).

The Eiffel Tower?

Statue of Liberty?

Why can't Adelaide be the city to bring in the new 21st century obs tower? We've been good at innovation in the past. It doesn't have to be a box on a stick, does it?

I am also not sure about the "white elephant" aspect of obs towers. We have been to the Space Needle, in Seattle, heaps of times and it's always packed. Two things I would admit, though, is the view must be bordering on unique, and the structure is a well loved institution, having been around since 1962.

Personally, I'm not married to the idea of a tower, only. A nice skyscraper with a unique design and obs deck sounds great too. Also, IMO, it's not about claiming Adelaide has no identity - I think most of us know she has a great personality. It's about her showcasing herself in a market that is heavy on go-ahead cities, and light on the population to fill them, I think.

All in all, for the love of God, please, let's do *something*
lol, I feel better now.

[Wayno]

An observation tower/deck in the CBD would be ok, but what exactly is the view? the city itself can't be seen (just fugly roof tops), the beaches can't be seen, so you are really just looking at the hills and Suburbia. There's also the issue of flight paths restricting the height of the ob tower/platform.

Soooo, how about an Ob Tower at Port Adelaide? It's away from the flightpath, would provide great views across suburbia with the city and hills behind. It would also provide a superb view down the south coast along the beaches, and exceptional views across to the Yorke Peninsula.

Given the maritime history of the Port, it could be called the "Crows Nest" (although the obvious footy team name conflict exists)

[crawf]

WIth Mt Lofty people think just Adelaide ,, but it is the Picadilly Valley and Beyond which must be brought together with Adelaide in one brilliant Panorama, and only a proper elevated observation facility will allow this for everyone.

Exactly, you can actually see the Piccadilly Valley while driving along Mt Lofty Summit Road - truly spectacular.

And an observation tower in the heart of the CBD could provide everyone with next generation Wi-fi technologies (e.g. acting as a WiMax and 802.11n base station). Rather than building hotspots all over the CBD we could have one single WiMax tower that covers the whole CBD.. imagine that free city wide broadband.

What about one single WiMax tower on Mt Lofty, imagine that free broadband in the metropolitan/hills area

Anyway whats happen to the idea of a outside ob deck on the top of Westpac?, that seems still like a good idea though I would prefer a 200m building with a ob deck.

[Howie]

What about one single WiMax tower on Mt Lofty, imagine that free broadband in the metropolitan/hills area

Because everyone already has it in the suburbs via ADSL... if there was a wi-fi blanket over the CBD you'd have students, workers, visitors all using it.

[Cam]

An observation tower/deck in the CBD would be ok, but what exactly is the view? the city itself can't be seen (just fugly roof tops), the beaches can't be seen, so you are really just looking at the hills and Suburbia. There's also the issue of flight paths restricting the height of the ob tower/platform.

Soooo, how about an Ob Tower at Port Adelaide? It's away from the flightpath, would provide great views across suburbia with the city and hills behind. It would also provide a superb view down the south coast along the beaches, and exceptional views across to the Yorke Peninsula.

Given the maritime history of the Port, it could be called the "Crows Nest" (although the obvious footy team name conflict exists)

Yes! Great Idea for the Port. Though for Yorke Peninsular views - Cement Hill would be higher.

[mattblack]

An observation tower/deck in the CBD would be ok, but what exactly is the view? the city itself can't be seen (just fugly roof tops), the beaches can't be seen, so you are really just looking at the hills and Suburbia. There's also the issue of flight paths restricting the height of the ob tower/platform.

Soooo, how about an Ob Tower at Port Adelaide? It's away from the flightpath, would provide great views across suburbia with the city and hills behind. It would also provide a superb view down the south coast along the beaches, and exceptional views across to the Yorke Peninsula.

Given the maritime history of the Port, it could be called the "Crows Nest" (although the obvious footy team name conflict exists)

Yes! Great Idea for the Port. Though for Yorke Peninsular views - Cement Hill would be higher.

What about a POOP DECK for the port!