Victoria Square Visions

[Howie]

Did you make that Howie? In Sketch Up?

Yep, it was part of my submission for Vic Square. It's modelled on Dublin Spire.

[Wayno]

Seems to me the ACC are simply gathering a bunch of random designs. If you don't know what you want then how do you know when you have achieved it?

[adam73837]

i think that it would be a good idea to have a tower, BUT PLEASE, MAKE IT TALLER (about as tall as Westpac maybe, with about 3 observation decks; one at about the height of GPO Tower, one at the top and one in between; this would give people different views of the city from 3 different heights. It would also be an idea to have those glass elevators so that people get an even more rounded view of Adelaide).
I also like the idea of having it in the centre because it truly would be something that tells people that they have reached the centre of Adelaide! I also like the idea of having an amphitheatre, diverting the east-west traffic underneath the square, etc.
There's just SO MUCH that we can do with the square. But we need to make sure that we don't stuff up, because if we do, a brilliant opportunity goes with it.

[Wayno]

i think that it would be a good idea to have a tower, BUT PLEASE, MAKE IT TALLER (about as tall as Westpac maybe, with about 3 observation decks; one at about the height of GPO Tower, one at the top and one in between; this would give people different views of the city from 3 different heights.

like this?

adelaide-spire-all.JPG (526.79 KiB) Viewed 3728 times

i'm not convinced a tower is a good idea, but i'm not personally fussed either way. It's really the ground-level human element that's most important (amphitheatre, gathering areas, some water, paving, grass, less traffic somehow)

[Splashmo]

I think it's incredibly 1980s to look towards a tower as some sort of attraction or addition to the cityscape. What also concerns me about this proposal is that there would be an 'east-west road bridge' and I could think of little worse than having a pedestrian plaza underneath a road.

[Pat28]

I think it's incredibly 1980s to look towards a tower as some sort of attraction or addition to the cityscape. What also concerns me about this proposal is that there would be an 'east-west road bridge' and I could think of little worse than having a pedestrian plaza underneath a road.

But, half of Adelaide is of the 80's, so no real change.

[alfer7_3]

This plan completely ignores the one major problem with victoria sq which most people have said which is cars. No one is going to use a public space which is surrounded by busy roads. I know its ambitious for a car dependent city like adelaide but victoria sq is not going to improve otherwise. The tower also needs to be of alot more innovative design. I'm thinking of something like Frank Ghery's Walt Disney concert Hall, its monumental and fits into the urban landscape. An observation deck seems like a waste being 10-20metres off the ground. Q1 Observation deck, Gold Coast is 220 metres high. A sunken plaza under a large road will also be a place to avoid at night as it will breed crime. I think we have plenty of east, west roads in the cbd, to eliminate 1 or 2 will not be much of a loss but a great gain for the city. A monumental building in the centre which could also go underground so it doesn't take up alot of the square so there is still plenty of open space i think would be good. something which could house contemporary art, live outdoor music performances, big screen for big sporting events (AFL grand final, soccer world cup, melbourne cup etc. and new years eve), festival events for our many festivals, bars, cafes, restaurants and a tourist information centre, which is obvious and attractive, not stuck in the mall.
cheers

[monotonehell]

This plan completely ignores the one major problem with victoria sq which most people have said which is cars. No one is going to use a public space which is surrounded by busy roads. I know its ambitious for a car dependent city like adelaide but victoria sq is not going to improve otherwise. The tower also needs to be of alot more innovative design. I'm thinking of something like Frank Ghery's Walt Disney concert Hall, its monumental and fits into the urban landscape. An observation deck seems like a waste being 10-20metres off the ground. Q1 Observation deck, Gold Coast is 220 metres high. A sunken plaza under a large road will also be a place to avoid at night as it will breed crime. I think we have plenty of east, west roads in the cbd, to eliminate 1 or 2 will not be much of a loss but a great gain for the city. A monumental building in the centre which could also go underground so it doesn't take up alot of the square so there is still plenty of open space i think would be good. something which could house contemporary art, live outdoor music performances, big screen for big sporting events (AFL grand final, soccer world cup, melbourne cup etc. and new years eve), festival events for our many festivals, bars, cafes, restaurants and a tourist information centre, which is obvious and attractive, not stuck in the mall.
cheers

While I agree in general with what you say, your example is rubbish. Everything Ghery's done in the past decade has been EXACTLY the same tin foil hat design. But off of my hobby horse and back on topic.

[Omicron]

Confession - the mid-century World's Fair-esque tower is marvellous in a quaintly retro mid-century World's Fair sort of way. Of course, I'm a funny old sort with a house full of cats and tweed pants.

[monotonehell]

Confession - the mid-century World's Fair-esque tower is marvellous in a quaintly retro mid-century World's Fair sort of way. Of course, I'm a funny old sort with a house full of cats and tweed trousers.

[alfer7_3]

While I agree in general with what you say, your example is rubbish. Everything Ghery's done in the past decade has been EXACTLY the same tin foil hat design. But off of my hobby horse and back on topic.

thats cool. its just an example of something i think could work. cheers

[JamesXander]

I like Howies metal beam tower.


And I also like my base idea

I drove past Vic Square today and also had a radical idea. Instead of a sunken ampitheatre, how about a hill sort of thing on the Southern side, with it facing the north. Then perhaps have the tower behind the hill of just in front. This way it could be a meeting spot for rallies, and events. Plus it would be pretty cool to get photos and stuff done. meh. Just my idea

[AtD]

Or for a real pie-in-the-sky idea, have King William, Grote and Wakefield Streets tunnel under the square, with an underground bus/tram interchange also underground.

[Pat28]

Or for a real pie-in-the-sky idea, have King William, Grote and Wakefield Streets tunnel under the square, with an underground bus/tram interchange also underground.

mmm, pies in the sky! well we do need a central city bus interchange (maybe along the lines of Queen St in Brisbane or King George Square?)

[cruel_world00]

Or for a real pie-in-the-sky idea, have King William, Grote and Wakefield Streets tunnel under the square, with an underground bus/tram interchange also underground.

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