[U/C] Adelaide Festival Theatre Redevelopment

[[Shuz]]

What was wrong with how it was before?

[shaun]

The plaza looks more maintained back then aswell.

Had a look at the current Urban Art Festival at the Festival Centre (recommend it btw) and boy this area is looking so tired and depressing. Right now no one even goes down this area, though next year that will completely change with Adelaide Oval and the new footbridge. So it's high time this area gets a complete makeover to bring the Festival Centre into the 21st century and give Adelaide a cultural and leisure precinct to be proud off.

Though I don't have any high hopes of any funding being allocated to the project in the next State Budget. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[Nathan]

Yes, the last development was just...strange. "Let's cut out part of this plaza and restrict access to this tiny footbridge, so people can get a view of the access road and carpark."
The festival centre buildings are still great, although are definitely in need of a touch up (re-do the panelling, redo the tired ground/lower-ground levels).

Does anyone have any images of what the Hajek plaza was supposed to look like originally?

[SRW]

If I recall correctly, the actual thinking behind cutting back the plaza level was to improve the arrival experience at the Festival Centre -- given you enter on the ground, they thought you'd appreciate the sunlight. However, they obviously didn't think it through (or master plan it). The centre now has quite a number of structural and maintenance issues, and is long overdue a fix-up. It's a bit grating to see millions being lavished on the Oval across the river while our principle cultural asset sits forgotten by the pollies beyond the plaza behind.

[Vee]

Thanks for the photos, arki.
They certainly show how disjointed the whole Festival Centre and Plaza has become since the original design in the 60s. It's a desolate, disconnected and unfriendly space with outside stairwells to trap the unwary and horrid, empty garden beds. Once inside, it's quite tired, especially the hospitality areas.

Great in its heyday but our premier arts precinct desperately needs a makeover. Sadly, can't see too many $$$ in the state budget.
Any SA (or expat) philanthropist, arts/culture saviour out there to pitch in some (mega) dollars as per Tassie's millionaire David Walsh with MONA???

[Patrick_27]

Another point worth noting, the building looked a lot fresher when they didn't plaster advertising all-over the main features.

[Dvious]

When are they going to get rid of that horrid aboriginal painting facing the riverbank, sorry, not trying to sound racist, but not only does it look tacky and unprofessional, but it looks as though a 5 year old painted it.

[Patrick_27]

When are they going to get rid of that horrid aboriginal painting facing the riverbank, sorry, not trying to sound racist, but not only does it look tacky and unprofessional, but it looks as though a 5 year old painted it.

Oh God, I completely agree! It's an eyesore. To be frank, with the price-tag requested for a re-furb, they'd be better bulldozing a large majority of the centre and starting from scratch. The exterior brick work, glass and paneling is dated and quite frankly can't be changed for the better. They'd be better off building something that is level with the ground, merges nicely with the riverbank and isn't so hard on the eyes, bold whilst blending well into it's surrounds.

[Goya's Line]

The artist behind the mural is Trevor Nickolls, a pioneer of urban Aboriginal art who passed away last year. His work is in every major Australian gallery, museums in Europe and North America AND he went to school with Malcolm Blight!

Yes, the last development was just...strange. "Let's cut out part of this plaza and restrict access to this tiny footbridge, so people can get a view of the access road and carpark."

I can't believe they allowed traffic from King William Road with that development - Station Road by itself is perfect.

Does anyone have any images of what the Hajek plaza was supposed to look like originally?

There's a 1970s Hajek monograph in the City West library but I can't find it online. Plenty of details.

[pushbutton]

If designed well, there's enough space there for a world class theatre, and about 3 leisure and tourism attractions. I agree the best way forward would be to demolish and start again.

[claybro]

If I recall correctly, the actual thinking behind cutting back the plaza level was to improve the arrival experience at the Festival Centre -- given you enter on the ground, they thought you'd appreciate the sunlight. However, they obviously didn't think it through (or master plan it). The centre now has quite a number of structural and maintenance issues, and is long overdue a fix-up. It's a bit grating to see millions being lavished on the Oval across the river while our principle cultural asset sits forgotten by the pollies beyond the plaza behind.

I am probably one of the few, who thought opening up the plaza was a good idea. The main entrance under the plaza was a dark dingy space, a bit of a wind tunnel and really did not allow a sense of arrival. More like entering an underground carpark. It has always been possible to enter this area via a driveway from KWS all they did was remove some of the plaza above and plant some trees along the driveway there. At least opening up the plaza above allowed some light and air in, without loosing too much space on the plaza above. As for the plaza, from my recollection as a school kid that area has never been used much, except as a marshalling point for us primary kids, so just maybe the planners/designers got that whole area wrong from the outset. Why does it have to cost 10's of millions just to get rid of some of the concrete structures on the plaza, chuck in a big screen, a coffee kiosk, some tables and decent landscaping, and this area will be useful.

[Aidan]

What was wrong with how it was before?

Everything! It may have looked better in aerial photographs, but the reality on the ground was very different. Very hot in summer, with few plants and even less shade. The best that can be said about it was that the abstract sculptures looked OK.

People did use the plaza more than they do now, but that's only because pedestrians had more reason to get to Station Road, as the side entrance to the station was open, and the Adelaide Casino wasn't directly accessible from North Terrace. Plus the way from the station's rear entrance to King William Road was dingy and daunting to those unfamiliar with it.

That plaza's really just a car park roof that people can walk across. It occasionally has its uses (the two that come to mind are projecting and watching the Northern Lights on Parliament House and setting up solar telescopes for people to watch the Transit of Venus) but there's nothing special about it, and bigger wasn't better. Merging it with the Festival Centre roof was an architectural blunder, and we're quite fortunate that it's been rectified. Or maybe I should say partially rectified, for while so much of that car park protrudes above Festival Centre ground level, that space will never be very attractive nor very useful.

[claybro]

Have to agree Aidan, but in reality it should not cost the earth to make the plaza more inviting and more useful. Lets hope they get on with it soon, because once the rest of Riverbank is up and running this area will be a real downer if it is left as is.

[ml69]

The existing barren Festival Plaza area is planned to be reborn as Festival Square in the Riverbank master plan, with activated plaza level provided by restaurants and cafes. A commercial building is planned for the casino side of the plaza.

[Shahkar]

The existing barren Festival Plaza area is planned to be reborn as Festival Square in the Riverbank master plan, with activated plaza level provided by restaurants and cafes. A commercial building is planned for the casino side of the plaza.

The master plan is due mid-year by Walker Corp.