Victoria Square – TARNDANYANGGA
The revitalisation of Victoria Square / Tarndanyangga in Adelaide, South Australia being a collaborative project between TCL and TZG Architects have been awarded the AIA Gavin Wakley Award for Urban Design and the AILA SA Award of Excellence for Urban Design in the 2015 .
Stage 1 commences the implementation of a revitalized Victoria Square/ Tarndanyangga and is based on the first fully endorsed Masterplan for the Square in 40 years. This regeneration creates a people focused heart for the city which facilitates everyday community expression and supports ever changing events and festivities.
The brief for Stage 1 emphasized ‘future proofing’ the Masterplan without dilution of the overall vision or re-servicing for future stages. Stage 1 has gone a long way to regenerate The Square as the city’s heart and to imagine future possibilities and stages.
The first stage draws people in the square in both everyday and event mode. It includes a fully serviced events lawn to allow for large events of up to 6,000, promenades, terraces, toilets, temporary shelters (with footings for the future arbours and mechanical fixing for easy relocation), toilets, extensive urban lounges, and a central plaza designed to accommodate cars and function as a pedestrian plaza, depending on need. The Three Rivers Fountain is relocated to the southern end freeing up space for a generous northern plaza and interactive water-feature which also functions as a stage for events. The design accommodates the future implementation of elements such as widening the road, an information centre and large connecting arbours without altering existing designed elements.
Environmental resilience and capacity is built into the project including WSUD tree pits and bio-retention soil media, long life quality materials, the overall greening of the precinct resulting in significant reductions in asphalt area, the integration of tram and bus transport systems, and the improvement of pedestrian and cycle amenities.
Jury considers Victoria Square / Tarndanyangga to be an outstanding urban design project worthy of the Gavin Walkley Award. The Jury strongly supports that the success of the first stage of implementation reinforces the value, and imperative delivering of the masterplan in full and look forward to its realization in the years to come.
Jury Citation AIA Gavin Walkley Award for Urban Design 2015
Photography credits: John Gollings, Sam Noonan
Category: Featured, Paving Mortar, Steintec, Urban Development
