After plans were unveiled in March for a second Festival Tower, set to become Adelaide’s first-ever skyscraper, the design has now been officially approved.
The State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) has sanctioned the construction of the 160-metre, 38-storey Walker Corporation tower. Festival Plaza Tower 2 will become Adelaide’s tallest commercial building upon completion.
Once completed, Festival Plaza Tower 2 will stand adjacent to the existing 29-level Festival Tower and enhance the Riverbank Precinct as a nucleus for business, culture, and community engagement.
It is worth noting that a group of influential South Australians have opposed the design in an open letter coordinated by the Save Festival Plaza Alliance. The letter cites that the design would dominate the city skyline and diminish the significance of Adelaide’s Parliament House, a nationally heritage-listed site recognised as the birthplace of full political rights for women and universal suffrage.
The group argues that the tower is out of scale with its historic surroundings, failed to undergo proper community consultation, and disregards alternative proposals, such as a Democracy Hub, that would better reflect the site’s civic and cultural importance. Prominent South Australians from across politics, law, heritage, and academia have joined the pushback, raising concerns over the project’s process, priorities, and impact on Adelaide’s identity.
Among the list of signatories are former Premier Hon. Lynn Arnold AO, King’s Counsel Jane Abbey, former CEO Anglicare SA Archdeacon Peter Sandeman AM, and Heritage Architect Elizabeth Vines OAM.
Despite this, the building has now been approved, with construction expected to commence soon.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said, “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.”
The project is expected to create around 1,300 employment opportunities in construction, engineering, and project management during its development phase. Upon completion, the building will house up to 5,000 office personnel and support an additional 100 retail jobs in its lower-level restaurants, cafes, and bars.
Tower 2 is also set to become Adelaide’s most sustainable office building and the first in the city to achieve a six-star NABERS Energy rating. It will also be the largest all-electric commercial building in Adelaide, featuring the city’s biggest solar array and aiming to be carbon neutral by 2028.
Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Nick Champion MP, said, “Tower 2 will transform our skyline and will set a new benchmark for sustainable, world-class development in Adelaide.”
The South Australian Government has said design considerations for Festival Plaza Tower 2 reflect extensive consultations with the community, expert design panels, and heritage advisors. The SCAP’s approval followed recommendations from the Design Review Panel and the Office for Design and Architecture SA. The refined plans aim to preserve views of significant landmarks like Parliament House while enhancing the plaza’s accessibility and community appeal. This includes landscaped plazas, pedestrian laneways, outdoor dining areas, and improved links to Adelaide Railway Station, Adelaide Oval, and Parliament House.
The design also incorporates elements from the local Indigenous culture, integrating narratives of the Kaurna nation through references to historical landmarks like Tarnda Kanya (Red Kangaroo Rock) and the Karrawirra Pari (River Torrens).
“This development will transform our capital for the better, and is demonstrative of Adelaide’s rise as a truly global city,” Peter Malinauskas said.
“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,” he continued.
“I look forward to seeing this building rise above the plaza.”
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