View looking south-west over Torrens Lake from the City Bridge. The Adelaide Festival Centre complex, the Hyatt Hotel and Adelaide Convention Centre in the background. The fountain in the centre of the lake was removed from operation mid 2006.

Festival Centre

The site of the Festival Centre at the rear of Parliament House is situated on a 2.5 hectare site which took over the locations of the City Baths, Cheer-up hut and Government printers.

Building work began on the $17 million centre in March 1970 and was officially opened in June 1973 by then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. It was designed by Adelaide architectural firm Hassell and Partners and the builders were AV Jennings. The complex is notable for the three white tetrahedron dome roofs. The southern plaza was dominated by the colourful lego-like sculptures of Otto Hajek, though these have been much reduced in scope by a redevelopment in 2001.

The second stage of the complex consisting of the Playhouse (now known as the Dunstan Playhouse), the Space (an experimental theatre space) and an amphitheatre, were officially opened in October 1974 by then Premier of South Australia Don Dunstan.

In 2001 the Festival Centre underwent an extensive building redevelopment which included carving out about a third of the plaza level and removing the outer staircase to open up a view of the building from King William Road, new seating and a new acoustic system.

The Festival Centre has over the years staged some big productions, and its largest to date was the first Australian production of the complete Wagner's Ring Cycle in 1998.

The Festival Centre is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.

Adelaide Convention Centre

The Adelaide Convention Centre on North Terrace, with frontage to the Torrens Lake behind, was Australia's first purpose-built, multi-venue convention centre and was opened in 1988. In the late 1990s an upgrade and extension was developed. This has seen a dramatic change to the Torrens Lake precinct with the huge glass wall of the new exhibition space dominating the scene. The new extensions were opened in 2001.

The extension actually sits above the nine train lines terminating at Adelaide Station. Special elastometric bearings prevent any vibration from train movements translating to the exhibtion space. There is also a special computer-controlled venting system to carry away the diesel fumes. These look like rather elegant buttressses on the western wall.

The striking glass facade was designed by Arup Facade Engineering. It is suspended from the roof structure by an innovative rod suspension system, and also incorporates horizontal steel fin plates to provide lateral stability and roof support. Such a large glass wall also needed to be designed to withstand wind movement and a differential movement joint was constructed at the base. The glass is engineered to keep out infra red rays and so insulates as well.

The architects were Woods Bagot in association with Skidmore Owings and Merril of Chicago. The builders were Baulderstone Hornibrook.

Adelaide Festival Centre

Adelaide Convention Centre

State Library of South Australia: Mortlock Wing. From the ground up August 2004-