Adelaide Festival Plaza

The large festival has over 1300 events that span over hundreds of venues. The festival plaza is being upgraded to accommodate the large audience, and to regenerate the centre, ensuring that it can be a premium hub for arts, culture, tourism and entertainment. This revamp will generate economic growth for the Adelaide Riverbank, and will attract guests, both locally and internationally.

A key feature of the redevelopment will be the Northern Promenade. This walkway runs along the northern side of the Adelaide Festival Centre and it will be thoughtfully revised to create wider pathways for a more open setting and better access to the theatres and performances. It will also offer a ‘Walk of Fame’, inspired by the iconic Hollywood Landmark, that will celebrate the performers, past and present. 

As well as improving pathways and accessibility, this project has been designed with socialising in mind. The ‘New Square’ is aimed at being the best meeting space in Adelaide. It will double as a convenient and ergonomic walkway, and as a space for alfresco dining, relaxing, working or attending one of the multiple events hosted in the city.

Alongside the updated Northern Promenade and the New Square, the Art Space Plaza has been imaged as a space for events and activities; a hub to engage and attract visitors. With the intent to separate vehicular and pedestrian traffic, whilst maintaining the heritage and culture of the existing location, this new Plaza will be the heart of the entertainment space for tourists and locals alike. 

The materials used in this project are sustainably-sourced premium Australian stone, located domestically, refined and meticulously crafted to ensure a thoughtful series of tones and textures. The Austral Granite in Juparana and Adelaide Black make for a timeless classic style that pays homage to our natural landscape, complementing the surrounding historic buildings of Adelaide Town. The other chosen material is the Engineered Stone in New Amber to  complement the warmth of the Granite. The Engineered Stone is slightly less porous than a natural stone, and so is incredibly durable and wear-resistant, perfect for a location that will see momentous crowds.

ARM Architecture who are undertaking this huge project are the same team behind the renewal of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Flinder Street Station Subway and St Jude’s Anglican Church. With an impressive scope of work behind them, the team are well-equipped in designing spaces that encounter large amounts of foot-traffic. The Landscape architecture consultants selected for this project are Taylor Cullity Lethlean, Australia’s Most Awarded Landscape - Architecture company. Their works include the prestigious National Arboretum and the Auckland Waterfront.

This important project will better accommodate large groups of people, both during the Fringe Festival, and during the busier months more generally. With such impressive names working on the upgrade, it is sure to be a stunning re-development. 

“With the intent to separate vehicular and pedestrian traffic whilst maintaining the heritage and culture of the existing location, this new Plaza will be the heart of the entertainment space for tourists and locals alike. ”

“With the intent to separate vehicular and pedestrian traffic whilst maintaining the heritage and culture of the existing location, this new Plaza will be the heart of the entertainment space for tourists and locals alike. ”