The Adelaide Landmark

[Shuz]

Just reading through some cities of the world on Wikipedia, and on the Copenhagen article, I noticed they have this wind farm, in the middle of the ocean. This could be quite a landmark for Adelaide - doing the same thing off the coast of Glenelg, but with a bit of a twist - to illuminate them at night in an array of interchangeable colours. With their tall columns, they could present a show, using a variety of effects; i.e. flow, wave, ripple, piano, radio, etc. The benefit of being a green electricity source for Adelaide, which could really do well with those strong westerlies that come in from time to time, and doubling up as a landmark for Glenelg, but without actually being "in" Glenelg, ie; reducing NIMBY resistance. It would attract more people to Glenelg to see the night show from the jetty, serving a purpose very much like as the Rundle Lantern does? Come NYE and countdown time, say if there were 15 'towers', the towers could act as the 'countdown' for 15 seconds, each tower light turning off each second? Also serving another purpose...

Photoshopped it! And alas;

[Norman]

Looks rather interesting lol

[Wayno]

sorry, but - yuk!

[keep your thoughts flowing though - there's no right or wrong with brainstorming]

[Aidan]

Offshore windfarms have all the disadvantages of onshore windfarms, but at greater expense. If one were that close to Glenelg, thousands of Glenelg residents would complain about the noise. There may also be objections from the airport, as offshore wind turbines are typically very big.

And there's another reason the ideas a non starter: the Gulf of Saint Vincent is not really windy enough to make them economically viable. And even in the Southern Ocean I doubt they'd be anywhere near as cost effective as solar or geothermal, or even onshore wind.

An Adelaide Landmark should be designed for Adelaide conditions. And Adelaide has already done far better things with projected light, both with the Rundle Lantern and with last years Northern Lights exhibition.

[ricecrackers]

so this begs the question.... what is the quintessential Adelaide landmark?

is it the St Peters cathedral, which seems to be the most identifiable feature interstate? however as a church it is quite unremarkable...its more its prominent location behind the Adelaide oval.

Melbourne has its Flinders St station, which while quite spectacular on the outside, is nothing to write home about from the interior. the Adelaide station has it covered there, but is nothing special from the outside.

is it the fountain in Vic Square?

is it the statue of Colonel Light? its probably that

[Strangled Cat]

so this begs the question.... what is the quintessential Adelaide landmark?

is it the St Peters cathedral, which seems to be the most identifiable feature interstate? however as a church it is quite unremarkable...its more its prominent location behind the Adelaide oval.

Melbourne has its Flinders St station, which while quite spectacular on the outside, is nothing to write home about from the interior. the Adelaide station has it covered there, but is nothing special from the outside.

is it the fountain in Vic Square?

is it the statue of Colonel Light? its probably that

I doubt it's the statue of colonel light. I'm from Victoria (been in Adelaide 4 years) and most of my mates don't even know who colonel light is! Founding Fathers are usually something for the state in question and it's residents to be proud of. Unless we're talking about founding fathers of entire nations, every city has founding fathers and mostly people aren't interested in any of them except their own.

I think you're on a winner with the church though, with the church usually in the background of pictures of Adelaide Oval, it's one of Adelaides most recognisable landmark. Unfortunately (if you look at it that way) it only highlights the whole 'city of churches' deal when interstaters see/think of it.

[ricecrackers]

so this begs the question.... what is the quintessential Adelaide landmark?

is it the St Peters cathedral, which seems to be the most identifiable feature interstate? however as a church it is quite unremarkable...its more its prominent location behind the Adelaide oval.

Melbourne has its Flinders St station, which while quite spectacular on the outside, is nothing to write home about from the interior. the Adelaide station has it covered there, but is nothing special from the outside.

is it the fountain in Vic Square?

is it the statue of Colonel Light? its probably that

I doubt it's the statue of colonel light. I'm from Victoria (been in Adelaide 4 years) and most of my mates don't even know who colonel light is! Founding Fathers are usually something for the state in question and it's residents to be proud of. Unless we're talking about founding fathers of entire nations, every city has founding fathers and mostly people aren't interested in any of them except their own.

I think you're on a winner with the church though, with the church usually in the background of pictures of Adelaide Oval, it's one of Adelaides most recognisable landmark. Unfortunately (if you look at it that way) it only highlights the whole 'city of churches' deal when interstaters see/think of it.

yeah you're probably right about Light....its a landmark for locals but means nothing to anyone else

[adam_stuckey]

I doubt it's the statue of colonel light. I'm from Victoria (been in Adelaide 4 years) and most of my mates don't even know who colonel light is! Founding Fathers are usually something for the state in question and it's residents to be proud of. Unless we're talking about founding fathers of entire nations, every city has founding fathers and mostly people aren't interested in any of them except their own.

I totally agree i think we should look at other states and countries i think what landmarks do they have that we respect, and not copy that but apply it to our city. Personally Federation square is something that i respect and think that Adelaide could really use.

[Wayno]

does a landmark need to be a built structure?

The parklands *should* be one of our landmarks, and takes a step closer to reality with the glenelg water project.

[ricecrackers]

if they're watered they'll just look like any other park....not really iconic

....as opposed to now where they're all dry and dusty...quite unique for a city park

[Wayno]

if they're watered they'll just look like any other park....not really iconic

....as opposed to now where they're all dry and dusty...quite unique for a city park

Central park in NY is an example of a "non-built" landmark...no reason why we can't head in that direction. i'm not saying the parklands should be our sole landmark, but they ARE a key Adelaide differentiator - so much potential...

[flavze]

the malls balls is Adelaide's landmark!
Seriously probly Adelaide Oval would be the most known thing in Adelaide i would have thought.

[fasterthanlids]

If the windmills could function properly rather than just exist, i like the idea, for what it's worth.

Personally I like windfarms and would strongly support plonking them all over Adelaide and near our somewhat famous sites. Windmills next to St Peters Cathedral and on Montefiore Hill, windmills in Victoria Square and the Mall. Build them and the wind shall come... (Is that how it works?)

[Shuz]

Of course the windmills would function!

[Brando]

if they're watered they'll just look like any other park....not really iconic

....as opposed to now where they're all dry and dusty...quite unique for a city park

Central park in NY is an example of a "non-built" landmark...no reason why we can't head in that direction. i'm not saying the parklands should be our sole landmark, but they ARE a key Adelaide differentiator - so much potential...

Central Park works because it is a park within a city, surrounded by highrise buildings, Adelaide is a city within the parklands. Our problem is our city dies out towards the parklands for the vast portion of it and as already pointed out, the lack of water harms it beauty.


I have always had a vision of South Tce being a high rise strip, full with residential and commercial buildings. Turning Sth Tce into a one way road, expanding the sidewalk to create a boulevard of cafes, restaurants and flash designer shops. The parklands alongs Sth Tce improved with garden shows and displays, lighting in the parklands by night, tourist attractions and weekend markets on the opposing side of the cafe strip.