A proposal for a student accommodation tower that would see the demolition of a creative precinct in Adelaide's city centre, known as The Block, has been approved by the South Australian State Planning Commission.
The local planning and property firm leading the project, Intro, states that while the site was once a hub for industry, manufacturing and craftsmanship, its historical significance "has faded amidst modern developments, leaving a cultural disconnect."
The 35-storey proposal is set to house 480 student beds above a ground-floor shop and cafe, and mezzanine student library space. The building's design, which will feature landscaped gardens throughout the podium and ground-floor communal areas, takes cues from Hindmarsh Square opposite.
In its materiality and form, Intro has said that the architectural language of the proposal "draws on familiar inherited materials, forms and rhythms - most notably the use of brick, vaulted soffits and archways - evoking the robust, utilitarian character of the site's past."
While the project was under review from the Office for Design and Architecture SA in July, planning officer Joanne Reid offered her support for the proposal, however, expressed some concerns with "the use of unauthentic and simulated materials" across the building's envelope.
"I am of the view that the use of simulated materials does not reflect the intent for a high-quality design outcome," she said. "I recommend consideration of high-quality authentic materials that are compatible with the intended form and function."
Reid also recommended the resolution of the envelope with operable windows and the mitigation of wind impacts on communal outdoor spaces during the next phases of Intro's design development.
The proposal is among several student housing towers recently approved for Adelaide's CBD, including a 33-storey student housing tower on the site of the Duke of York Hotel, designed by Telha Clarke, and a $400 million, 33-storey tower sited on the carpark of the city's oldest church, designed by Brown Falconer.
