Adelaide Convention Centre Redevelopment Proposal / Hassell

Architects: Hassell
Location: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Project team: Hassell, W&G, WSP Lincolne Scott, Synergy, ARUP, Village Well
Project year: 2010
Photographs: Hassell

In the lead up to the 2010 south Australian state government elections, the premier of south Australia and the minister for tourism announced and intention to redevelop the Adelaide convention centre (ACC).

Size, flexibility and technical requirements of the conference facilities continue to increase and adapt which means the ACC needs to expand and develop.

The Government of South Australia subsequently announced an open design competition for the redevelopment of the Adelaide Convention Centre.

Public engagement and pedestrian access from the city to the river front at the convention centre is not ideal and a lack of active public spaces promotes a dormant edge to the river front. This is an unfortunate circumstance given that the city of Adelaide has been sited to take advantage of its River. Linkages to the river at the moment are near nonexistent.

This condition appears at ‘odds’ to typical waterfront cities where the waterfront become the centre piece and attraction. The idea of re-connecting the city to the waterfront was one of the main considerations for HASSELL’s proposal. Culturally, this reinforces the local indigenous communities, the Kaurna people, belief that the “bright stars of the Milky Way are a reflection of the many camp fires stretched along the River Torrens”.