Adelaide\'s first skyscraper approved

Adelaide is set to reach new heights with plans for the City’s first skyscraper given the green light by the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP).

The 160 metre, 38-storey Festival Plaza Tower 2 will be the tallest commercial building in Adelaide once completed.

The approval follows a rigorous assessment process, with the development carefully considered against updated planning policies and community feedback.

The SCAP have approved the plans for Festival Plaza Tower 2 which will allow the project to proceed with minor amendments to certain elements of the design.

The new tower will complement the existing 29-level Festival Tower, further activating the Riverbank Precinct as a hub for business, culture and community.

Tower 2 will be the most sustainable office building in Australia and will become the first 6-star NABERS energy building in Adelaide.

It will become the largest all-electric commercial building in Adelaide, with the largest solar array of any commercial building in the city and will be carbon neutral by 2028.

The approved plans follow feedback from the Design Review Panel and the Office for Design and Architecture SA and will ensure the Plaza becomes more of a community hub, with landscaped plazas, pedestrian laneways, outdoor dining and improved connections to the Adelaide Railway Station, Adelaide Oval and Parliament House.

When finished, the site will be home to up to 5,000 office workers and support a further 100 retail positions across its lower-level restaurants, cafes and bars, driving more than $1 billion in yearly economic activity.

Over 1,300 jobs will be generated during the execution of the project, including roles in construction, engineering and project management.

The design integrates narratives from Traditional Owners, referencing historical Kaurna nation stories through landmarks like Tarnda Kanya (Red Kangaroo Rock) and the Karrawirra Pari (River Torrens).

Quotes

Attributable to Peter Malinauskas

This development will transform our capital for the better, and is demonstrative of Adelaide’s rise as a truly global city.

The tower will generate an estimated billion dollars in annual economic activity and ensure a large number of people are constantly populating Festival Plaza, ensuring it is a truly active and vibrant location.

This Government actively intervened to overturn our predecessor’s vision for a three-storey building which would have completely blocked views of Parliament House and would have delivered little economic uplift.

I look forward to seeing this building rise above the plaza.

Attributable to Nick Champion

Tower 2 will transform our skyline and will set a new benchmark for sustainable, world-class development in Adelaide.

This project is the result of careful collaboration with the community, expert design panels and heritage advisors. I thank the State Commission Assessment Panel for their thoughtful consideration and the important role they play in the planning process.

The refined plans ensure that we preserve the visual integrity and heritage of Parliament House while delivering a vibrant, activated public space that all South Australians can enjoy.

Festival Plaza Tower 2 will not only be our tallest commercial building, but it will also become a defining symbol of a city that is embracing a confident, modern future.