Walker Corporation has kicked off site preparations and early works for what aims to be Adelaide’s tallest building, and it’s designing in all the sustainability bells and whistles, including solar, EVs and all-electric everything.
The 38-storey tower at Festival Plaza has received development approval for the enabling works on the site, with the final design of the skyscraper expected to be approved within the coming months.
The original scheme had proposed a three-story retail building, however, a planning amendment by the South Australian government enabled the developer to think big and go up to 40 storeys maximum.
The Festival Plaza code amendment also included design guidelines, specifications around preserving view lines to Parliament House, and a minimum nine metres setback from the northern façade of the heritage Parliament House building to preserve visual integrity.
The new design developed in collaboration with architects Johnson Pilton Walker is for a mixed-use skyscraper offering 50,000 square metres of floorspace including 30 storeys of commercial office space plus food and beverage tenancies, potential public civic spaces, an activated podium and rooftop dining.
The ground plane plan will incorporate a public realm, which will connect to the recently completed One Festival Tower, another Walker Corp development, which officially opened in late 2024 and has attracted tenants including Deloitte, Origin Energy, NBN Co, Mott McDonald, Flinders University and Sparke Helmore Lawyers.
Adelaide gets its big city on
“Our state’s economy is growing, and our city is growing up,” South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas said in a media statement.
“This (new) development will be a lynchpin of a reinvigorated Festival Plaza and bring in more than a billion dollars in annual economic activity to the area.”
Carefully managed design process
South Australian minister for housing and urban development Nick Champion said regular design reviews between the state government and the developer ensured there will be public space in Festival Plaza and appropriate heritage protections.
“The code amendment stipulated strict development guidelines, with the independent State Commission Assessment Panel to have the final say over the development application,” Champion said.
Walker Corporation chief executive David Gallant said the project will involve an extensive 18 month pre-lodgement process with the state planning department. Guidance has also been received from the SA Government Architect and SA Heritage.
‘We have ensured that the tower aligns with Adelaide’s planning objectives and architectural aspirations,” Gallant said.
“The building will set a new benchmark for sustainable commercial development in South Australia. Its world-class diamond-shaped façade will create a striking visual identity, while a signature rooftop bar and restaurant will offer unparalleled views of the Riverbank, Adelaide Oval, and the Adelaide Hills.”
Going big with modern methods of construction
Built has been contracted to deliver the project, which will target a 5 Star Green Star Buildings rating from the Green Building Council of Australia and a 6 Star NABERS Energy rating. Built is also the contractor for the 29 storey tower next door, also all-electric and has incorporated solar PV.
“The partnership between Walker and Built is a proven formula for success with our teams collaborating to deliver award winning projects including Festival Tower, Collins Square, Parramatta Square and Walker’s vertical campus for Western Sydney University in Bankstown,” Built’s national director Ross Walker said in a post at the company website.
“This final stage of the Festival Plaza project will create over 1,000 construction jobs and include graduate and apprentice programs, mentorship and partnerships between graduates and business leaders, to drive ongoing economic growth in Adelaide.”
The delivery team will leverage 3D modelling and prefabrication to improve the efficiency of the construction program.
“We are revolutionising the construction process together by leveraging the use of 3D modelling and prefabrication of major construction elements,” Walker said.
“This early engagement with (the developer) and its design team will allow us to resolve issues in the 3D model before getting on site to make building safer, quicker and more cost efficient.”
The ESD fundamentals
Sustainability features include plans for a PV array that may be the largest to date on an Adelaide commercial building. The building services will also be all-electric.
A spokesperson for Walker Corporation told The Fifth Estate that many of the sustainability inclusions used at One Festival Plaza will be incorporated and extended on in this next tower project.
These include specifications around inclusion of EV chargers to encourage low carbon transport, rainwater capture for use in washdowns and amenities flushing, and healthy construction materials with reduced volatile organic compounds to protect occupant health and indoor air quality. A high-performance facade will also be specified to reduce heat gain and lower energy demand for cooling.
The development team aims to have the building complete and ready for tenants to move in by 2027.