Sensational-Adelaide.com

Great set of photos, robboaustralia.
This footbridge is looking more and more amazing, especially the curve and that cladding. The footbridge lighting will add a stunning element at night.

One thought on the marriage between old and new - Festival Centre surrounds and the new footbridge.
The old Festival Centre stairs (in this picture by robboaustralia) have a wide concrete bannister, rather than a hand rail, which does not provide a grip. Anyone else noticed this? I always tread warily when using these stairs. (Gradient is not overly steep but the lack of a proper hand rail grip can be disconcerting to some).


Photo by robboaustralia

New stairs, eg at Adelaide Oval, have a metal/tubular hand rail which not only looks good but provides a grip you can hold on to. This is an essential safety feature, particularly when descending stairs, as it helps prevent falls in the event of a trip.

Is there any way to retro-fit a tubular hand rail to the Festival Centre stairs? Is this feasible? Cost?

With the increase in foot traffic (all age demographics, day/night) in this redeveloped Riverbank (Blue Hive, Festival Centre, footbridge) precinct, I think this would be a useful safety upgrade - if possible/feasible.

Vee wrote:Great set of photos, robboaustralia.
This footbridge is looking more and more amazing, especially the curve and that cladding. The footbridge lighting will add a stunning element at night.

One thought on the marriage between old and new - Festival Centre surrounds and the new footbridge.
The old Festival Centre stairs (in this picture by robboaustralia) have a wide concrete bannister, rather than a hand rail, which does not provide a grip. Anyone else noticed this? I always tread warily when using these stairs. (Gradient is not overly steep but the lack of a proper hand rail grip can be disconcerting to some).


Photo by robboaustralia

New stairs, eg at Adelaide Oval, have a metal/tubular hand rail which not only looks good but provides a grip you can hold on to. This is an essential safety feature, particularly when descending stairs, as it helps prevent falls in the event of a trip.

Is there any way to retro-fit a tubular hand rail to the Festival Centre stairs? Is this feasible? Cost?

With the increase in foot traffic (all age demographics, day/night) in this redeveloped Riverbank (Blue Hive, Festival Centre, footbridge) precinct, I think this would be a useful safety upgrade - if possible/feasible.

It's easy enough to do, take a look at the steps of Parliament House on North Terrace for an example.

Vee wrote:Great set of photos, robboaustralia.
This footbridge is looking more and more amazing, especially the curve and that cladding. The footbridge lighting will add a stunning element at night.

One thought on the marriage between old and new - Festival Centre surrounds and the new footbridge.
The old Festival Centre stairs (in this picture by robboaustralia) have a wide concrete bannister, rather than a hand rail, which does not provide a grip. Anyone else noticed this? I always tread warily when using these stairs. (Gradient is not overly steep but the lack of a proper hand rail grip can be disconcerting to some).


Photo by robboaustralia

New stairs, eg at Adelaide Oval, have a metal/tubular hand rail which not only looks good but provides a grip you can hold on to. This is an essential safety feature, particularly when descending stairs, as it helps prevent falls in the event of a trip.

Is there any way to retro-fit a tubular hand rail to the Festival Centre stairs? Is this feasible? Cost?

With the increase in foot traffic (all age demographics, day/night) in this redeveloped Riverbank (Blue Hive, Festival Centre, footbridge) precinct, I think this would be a useful safety upgrade - if possible/feasible.

Great idea. What would it look like if all the handrails around the Festival Centre replicated the ones on the footbridge? That way the bridge is even more integrated into the Festival Centre and plaza. The current clunky handrails may have been of their time, but are now one of the major elements dating the plaza and contributing significantly to it's shabbiness and neglected appearance. Safety is another big bonus as you point out.

Bridge looks great, now we have an idea of what the $40 million paid for.

I'd love to clean up the whole Festival Centre precinct though, it's an uncoordinated, abysmal mess. Stairs everywhere!

ChillyPhilly wrote:Bridge looks great, now we have an idea of what the $40 million paid for.

I'd love to clean up the whole Festival Centre precinct though, it's an uncoordinated, abysmal mess. Stairs everywhere!

^ This. Take the bridge as a design cue and redo the entire festival theatre surroundings.

The pavers around Festival Theatre are seriously horrendous. So ugly.
Really hope whoever wins the election (ie, the Libs) either fund, or encourage mechanism to allow the AFC to self-fund at least a revamp of the exterior of the centre.

Matt wrote:The pavers around Festival Theatre are seriously horrendous. So ugly.
Really hope whoever wins the election (ie, the Libs) either fund, or encourage mechanism to allow the AFC to self-fund at least a revamp of the exterior of the centre.

I am in a wheelchair and hate pushing over them too.

Nice to see the Festival Centre clad in white glass with clear glass balustrades like the bridge to sharpen it up, granite paving and lawn on the plaza. Save ever having to paint it again. I would also love to see the add on colour bond verandas removed from the front. A big screen at the front would be a great hi tech replacement to the huge banners currently used and better promote upcoming events.


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Matt wrote:The pavers around Festival Theatre are seriously horrendous. So ugly.
Really hope whoever wins the election (ie, the Libs) either fund, or encourage mechanism to allow the AFC to self-fund at least a revamp of the exterior of the centre.

The Libs will adequately fund the arts when they adequately fund public transport.

rev wrote:

Matt wrote:The pavers around Festival Theatre are seriously horrendous. So ugly.
Really hope whoever wins the election (ie, the Libs) either fund, or encourage mechanism to allow the AFC to self-fund at least a revamp of the exterior of the centre.

The Libs will adequately fund the arts when they adequately fund public transport.

Funding the arts and Public Transport is NOT in the Liberals DNA. If elected, they'll leave the festival centre to decay and leave us with a half-electrified rail system for the next 4 years.

Very so slightly going OT, but I hope the carpark/entrance to Station Place next to SkyCity can be levelled and turned into a fully pedestrian (or at least pedestrianised) space. I'd then like to see this linked to the footbridge - but herein is an issue: they're on two levels. Back on topic, ideally the footbridge would have linked the current glass bridge, circled in red, that joins both sides of the plaza. The idea behind this would be that the route would be more direct to North Terrace and therefore businesses and restaurants, better serve a redeveloped Festival Centre precinct, as well as take out that awful 'amphitheatre' thing (I still don't know what it is). However, on the flip side of the coin it would reduce foot traffic to the Riverbank cafes along the existing promenade and instead furrow the said traffic elsewhere.

Here's a map:



At the same time, the final southern end of the footbridge (it really needs an official name) feeds into the back entrance/exit of Adelaide Railway Station. The intention of this, I feel, aside from public transport usage is to exist as a catalyst for an upgrade of the existing Riverbank promenade and all ground level amenities, including the station (gutting walls and parts of carparks for cafes, stores and whatnot). Thinking about this a bit deeper, while I agree with this, I can't help but feel some flawed logic: everyone who uses the bridge to get to North Terrace will either need to navigate a maze of stairs or cut through the station and go up the ramp/stairs there anyway.

On the balance of things I lean towards the red option, purely for ease of movement and the catalyst for development it could have delivered for the Festival Centre area and Station Place.

Couple of happy snaps, credit to my friend Thann in Adelaide.

That's some very spiffy looking cladding for what will be a truly picture-perfect bridge!

metro wrote:

rev wrote:

Matt wrote:The pavers around Festival Theatre are seriously horrendous. So ugly.
Really hope whoever wins the election (ie, the Libs) either fund, or encourage mechanism to allow the AFC to self-fund at least a revamp of the exterior of the centre.

The Libs will adequately fund the arts when they adequately fund public transport.

Funding the arts and Public Transport is NOT in the Liberals DNA. If elected, they'll leave the festival centre to decay and leave us with a half-electrified rail system for the next 4 years.

Have to agree with this. the noise coming from the Libs is that every available extra cent will go into reducing state taxes/ red tape on business in the hope to get some momentum in our economy. In the short term this will not equate to spending on public transport or the arts. I really think the state Labour gov is gone for 2 terms not 1, such is the perilous state of affairs here, therefore, get set for a rapidly shrinking list of exciting things on here to discuss (except maby some nice roads). Going forward, if the economy picks up, there will be more spending on PT required (libs will probably just buy more busses for our conjested roads) and one would hope some of the larger corporates might pump some more money into the arts.....but I dont hold my breath. Best we get darn good use from the new AO and a half completed riverbank precinct....they will be the only shows in town.

Close up the cladding reflects the surface of the water. Picture taken 10 Feb 2014