[SWP] Lot 14 (Old RAH Site)

[Patrick_27]

I would provide the base for the Garden of Unearthly delights and pretty much any even that requires a large portion of open space near the city (think festivals, concerts et al)

Why does it need to provide a base for the Garden of Unearthly Delights? It's fine where it is at the present, moving it would potentially ruin it's charm.

However, I do like the idea of open space for more festivals and concerts. A more frequent open air cinema, and perhaps weekly outdoor concerts for the ASO. And more boutique festivals in the Spring months when Adelaide seems to become fairly quiet on the festival scene.

[Waewick]

I would provide the base for the Garden of Unearthly delights and pretty much any even that requires a large portion of open space near the city (think festivals, concerts et al)

Why does it need to provide a base for the Garden of Unearthly Delights? It's fine where it is at the present, moving it would potentially ruin it's charm.

However, I do like the idea of open space for more festivals and concerts. A more frequent open air cinema, and perhaps weekly outdoor concerts for the ASO. And more boutique festivals in the Spring months when Adelaide seems to become fairly quiet on the festival scene.

there is a lot of complaints about the current location. that was the only real reason.

[Shahkar]

FAQs now available.

http://odasa.sa.gov.au/rahsite/rah_faq.pdf

[pushbutton]

FAQs now available.

http://odasa.sa.gov.au/rahsite/rah_faq.pdf

I have read through that faq, but whilst it goes into a fair bit of detail about how the ideas competition will be run, it doesn't seem to provide even the most vague of detail about what sort of ideas they're looking for.

Do they want architects to design apartment complexes, bus station, art galleries, a park, a theme park, a sports complex, an educational institution, a shopping complex, waterpark, zoo, graveyard, church, new medical facilities, new museum, new casino, or what???

If I were an architect thinking of entering that contest, I just wouldn't know where to begin!

[Nathan]

FAQs now available.

http://odasa.sa.gov.au/rahsite/rah_faq.pdf

I have read through that faq, but whilst it goes into a fair bit of detail about how the ideas competition will be run, it doesn't seem to provide even the most vague of detail about what sort of ideas they're looking for.

Do they want architects to design apartment complexes, bus station, art galleries, a park, a theme park, a sports complex, an educational institution, a shopping complex, waterpark, zoo, graveyard, church, new medical facilities, new museum, new casino, or what???

If I were an architect thinking of entering that contest, I just wouldn't know where to begin!

You obviously missed the bit where it said the design brief (along with the competition conditions and site information) will be available on 18th July. The FAQ just relates to the competition process.

[pushbutton]

FAQs now available.

http://odasa.sa.gov.au/rahsite/rah_faq.pdf

I have read through that faq, but whilst it goes into a fair bit of detail about how the ideas competition will be run, it doesn't seem to provide even the most vague of detail about what sort of ideas they're looking for.

Do they want architects to design apartment complexes, bus station, art galleries, a park, a theme park, a sports complex, an educational institution, a shopping complex, waterpark, zoo, graveyard, church, new medical facilities, new museum, new casino, or what???

If I were an architect thinking of entering that contest, I just wouldn't know where to begin!

You obviously missed the bit where it said the design brief (along with the competition conditions and site information) will be available on 18th July. The FAQ just relates to the competition process.

Ah! I obviously did. Thanks.

[omada]

Was having a think about this on the weekend, some suggestions:

- Modern Art Gallery
- Aborignal Art Gallery
-Multi -purpose arts venue, ie for music converts, fringe and festival events.
-For relatively small cost, some of the "uglier" buildings could be used for artist spaces, ie consider what Berlin has done with mothballed buildings in the past, like the Tempelhof airport, perhaps this could be an interim measure.
-Similar to the point above, the Govt could also rent out small spaces as low-cost offices for start up companies.

In short, this is a great opportunity for liven up Adelaide's CBD and encourage young and creative people to stay in Adelaide. It will also act as as "creative hub"for Adelaide.

[Nathan]

Saw them setting up what I assume is some kind of "competition headquarters" in what used to be the Lucky 7 convenience store right at the eastern end of Rundle St (next to Kishi Sushi). My guess is they'll have the launch there, and then leave it open for information. There was a stage being set up at the back, and they had quite a large 3D model of the whole site waiting to be put together.

[Nathan]

New website and brief now online.

Website: http://www.odasa.sa.gov.au/rahsite
Brief: http://www.odasa.sa.gov.au/rahsite/pdf/ ... -BRIEF.pdf

[Shahkar]

Design brief and competition conditions are available now.

You can also share your ideas here.

Old RAH design competition launched

The State Government has announced the team of judges who will decide on the winning concept for the current Royal Adelaide Hospital site, with the chief judge saying it should become a “landmark precinct”.

The competition was launched today, with entries now open from registered architects and landscape architects.

The judging panel for the competition will be led by Shelley Penn, the former National President of the Australian Institute of Architects.

Only one South Australian is on the panel – former Integrated Design Commissioner Tim Horton.

“ the enormous potential in the relationship of the site to the city and the fantastic spaces and uses along North Terrace while the adjacency to the Botanic Gardens and the river provides wonderful opportunities,” Penn said.

Penn said the site should be a “fantastic” landmark site with the competition able to attract local, national and international designs, but it would unlikely to focus on one new iconic building.

“Sometimes you get one building that is iconic but not necessarily great. I’d probably prefer to think of a memorable series of spaces and buildings – something that is resonant and enduring that people will love for a very long time.”

The competition will have a “pop-up” office at 292 Rundle Street, which will be open this Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm for people to come and have their say.

Planning minister John Rau said the Office for Design and Architecture SA had received “a huge amount of interest from members of the public, and design teams from around the world”.

“Over the next five months we will be listening to the community and stakeholders, who we know have a wide range of ideas for potential uses for the site,” Rau said.

“It’s important to ask people directly what they would like to see the site become, why the site is special to them and to genuinely welcome the sharing of ideas.”

However there was no guarantee that the winner would be awarded a contract to develop the site.

“There is no way the government would, sight unseen, say we will give a contract to whoever wins this. We don’t know what that is going to look like – we’d have to be crazy,” Rau said.

He said the Government would consider the top designs from the competition for the site.

“It might be that the Government looks at designs one and three and says we love bits of this and that and we would like someone to go away and re-craft it into something else.

“Then we might go to the market and seek a commercial partner who would work with the government to deliver that and at that point we start to get into commercial agreements and contracts.”

As part of the rules of the competition the Government would be able to use the design, while the competitor retained ownership of the intellectual property.

Penn said the ideas would be respected and remunerated if used.

“There will be no stealing of ideas.

“There wouldn’t be a willy nilly cobbling of ideas together by someone else; there would be respect to make sure the best ideas can be developed in an appropriate way to get the right outcome.”

The judging panel comprises:

• Shelley Penn (Chair), Architect and former National President of the Australian Institute of Architects

• Tim Horton, Architect and former Integrated Design Commissioner

• Catherin Bull, National Landscape Architect

• Marcus Spiller, National Urban Economist and Planner

• Timothy Hill, Architect

• Bob Nation, Architect

• Catherine Slessor, Architecture Review (UK), Editor

[Shahkar]

Got this email today.

Yesterday's 'pop-up' launch was held at 292 Rundle Street and this space will remain open today and Saturday for you to visit and learn more about the design-led engagement process and how to share your ideas over the coming months. Come and explore the Multiple Choice Sculpture and Share Your Ideas Wall and talk to ODASA staff about the website and future events where you can get involved. The space will be open from 10am-4pm.

[Vee]

Creative precinct for old RAH site. Both the University of Adelaide and the Art Gallery of SA are eyeing off the old RAH site.

The Art Gallery of South Australia says the old RAH site offers "exciting opportunities".

The University of Adelaide has made a play for the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site, calling for a “creative campus” including teaching facilities, an event space and, in collaboration with the Art Gallery of South Australia, a contemporary art museum.

University Vice Chancellor professor Warren Bebbington told InDaily his university had put forward plans for the old RAH site, which is currently the subject of a design competition to help decide its future.

“We’ve obviously put forward some ideas from the university,” Bebbington said. “We think that now there’s developing a health precinct at the west end of North Terrace, it would be nice to have a creative precinct at the east end, which would be an extension of the North Terrace cultural precinct.

“The gallery would like to put in there a contemporary art collection, and if that happened then we would probably put creative writing, architecture, fine arts, a series of our humanities, we would put with that, so that you end up with a place where there’s exhibition space and event space. It’s not far from where WOMAD is.

“That’s what we would do. But obviously we’re not the only contender in this. There’s existing accommodation there, the old nurses’ quarters, and it wouldn’t take a huge amount of work to refurbish them as student accommodation, and I imagine both universities would be interested in that.”

“The Art Gallery is considering a number of options for its future and the Royal Adelaide Hospital site offers some exciting opportunities,” the statement said.

The State Government has already noted it wants the old RAH site to make an economic contribution to the east end. Bebbington said a cultural campus could be part of that solution.

“Our interest of course is in it as a cultural education precinct. They of course want to see some economic activity there. If you put students there, accommodation and student programs, then that helps.”

The old RAH is scheduled to close in 2016 when its replacement, currently being constructed in the city’s west, opens for business. The State Government has launched an open design competition for the old RAH site, which is being coordinated by the Office for Design and Architecture (ODASA).

The university is a member of the competition’s reference group, allowing them to have input and talk to shortlisted entrants. However, competition rules ban the university from formally entering the competition in its own right.

“The project reference group consists of a broad group of stakeholders whose key purpose is to be available at the mid-competition review stage (as required) to answer technical questions from competitors and provide local context information,” an ODASA spokesperson said in a statement.

“Beyond the role of the PRG as noted above, it has no responsibility for evaluating and selecting the shortlisted teams, nor final selection of winner and placed submissions. This is the role of the independent jury, based on the competition evaluation criteria.”

The competition brief makes the university’s expansion plans clear.
It says: “The University is keen to explore all options that might provide additional accommodation within the locality. Specifically the University would like to engage more fully in the North Terrace’s cultural and artistic character –contributing to a high-energy, 24-hour creative common.”

InDaily:
http://indaily.com.au/news/2013/08/05/a ... -rah-site/

[omada]

I agree about a Modern Art Gallery, but I am not sure about locking up more valuable space on North Terrace to Universities, my opinion is that this space should cater to a wider demographic.

[Nathan]

I agree about a Modern Art Gallery, but I am not sure about locking up more valuable space on North Terrace to Universities, my opinion is that this space should cater to a wider demographic.

That said, is it the right location for a modern art gallery? Nestled amongst heritage buildings and the botanic gardens would seem like an odd fit to me.

Personally I think they should gut the Rundle St U-Park - keeping just the lantern facade (and continue it, wrapping around the entire building), and have that become a modern art gallery. It'd be the about the right size, perfect location (the start of Rundle St, but in super close proximity to Rundle Mall and Hindmarsh Sq - and closer to the Art Gallery of SA than the Old RAH site), and remove an eye-sore in the process. Of course it would never happen, car parks are a protected species.

Either that, or as part of Festival Plaza - relating in with the Festival Centre.

If a cultural institution should be at the Old RAH site, then I think it should be one that relates with the surrounds - that includes the Wine Centre and WOMAD in Botanic Park, as well as the gardens, heritage buildings, and the universities.

[pushbutton]

I agree about a Modern Art Gallery, but I am not sure about locking up more valuable space on North Terrace to Universities, my opinion is that this space should cater to a wider demographic.

I agree that it should be something that will be able to be used by a wider demographic. It's prime space on the citys cultural and entertainment boulevard.

No way should this be wasted by giving it to a university.