Woods Bagot, the global design firm founded in Adelaide, Australia, will design the A$400 million redevelopment of the city’s central market arcade. Concept designs for the arcade site were revealed today when the City of Adelaide announced its partnership with Woods Bagot’s client ICD Property. The arcade site adjoins the Adelaide Central Market, one of the world’s largest and most visited undercover fresh produce markets.
The mixed use redevelopment will connect the arcade to the market and serve as a cornerstone of the broader market district. As appetite grows for a modern hotspot to help elevate the profile of Adelaide, the arcade redevelopment will see two levels (8,000-plus square metres) of specialty retail, food and beverage, a central public hall, public rooftop gardens, education spaces, hotel, apartments and offices added to the district.
Image © Woods Bagot
A retail strategy will promote Market District as the undeniable hub of South Australian food and wine.Woods Bagot associate principal and the project’s design leader Alex Hall describes it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to consolidate Adelaide’s market district as one of the world’s most vibrant. “As part of a broader vision to attract the best and brightest people, the city’s intent is to transform the market district into one of Australia’s most recognised lifestyle destinations.
Woods Bagot proposes to capture the spirit of the market in the arcade redevelopment. The design for the new arcade will seamlessly integrate with the existing Adelaide Central Market, which is being left untouched, by creating a continuous connection between the two neighbours. The Adelaide market dates back to 1869, when a group of local gardeners sold their wares without any structure other than gas lights and a fence.
Image © Woods Bagot
A century and a half on, we’re looking to sensitively create a space that can carry that local entrepreneurial spirit forward,” said Hall. Reinstating the arches sympathetic to the former Grote Street façade (partially demolished in the 1960s), the design adds a new social and commercial precinct supported by publicly accessible spaces on the ground floor and podium roof terraces. Biodiverse roof terraces are planned as a green hub for lifestyle and hospitality experiences.
“This is a design exploration of the market’s heritage beyond just a facade treatment and makes its brick arches – which have always been emblematic of the market – part of the whole experience,” Hall said. The Woods Bagot proposal includes potential connections from the existing public car park over the market and 260 new parking spaces to provide much needed relief to the currently overloaded car park.
Image © Woods Bagot
From here, Woods Bagot will embark on a detailed design involving engagement with all stakeholders to deepen its understanding of what’s needed – working through the entire planning process and guidelines. “Our design team has a local connection to this project. We live here, and visit the market regularly. This is an opportunity we meet with pride, sensitivity and a genuine desire to shape and evolve our city for the better,” said Hall.
ICD Property managing director Matthew Khoo said it was an honour to be entrusted to redevelop such an important community asset. “The Adelaide Central Market Arcade has been a prominent community space for 150 years. What we intend to do is enhance the existing structure by restoring and protecting heritage items and building complementary new assets that will become new amenities for the community to enjoy,” he said. Source by Woods Bagot.
- Location: Adelaide, Australia
- Architect: Woods Bagot
- Project manager: Sinclair Brook
- Client: ICD Property with joint venture partner Nanshan Singapore, on behalf of City of Adelaide
- Value: 400 million AUD
- GFA/ Area: 11 000 sqm
- Construction: begins 2021
- Images: Courtesy of Woods Bagot
Image © Woods Bagot Image © Woods Bagot Image © Woods Bagot 
Image © Woods Bagot 
Image © Woods Bagot 
Image © Woods Bagot