Strong foundations established for Festival Plaza’s iconic second tower

A DA for the early works stage of the project was approved in 2024, allowing the SA teams from contractors FDC and Delta to commence important foundation works to support the second tower, which is about to go through its final DA consent process in March with the Department for Housing and Urban Development, following the recent approval of the code amendment.

Walker appointed Built for the major build following their previous successful partnership on the award-winning first tower which was fully leased before its official opening last year by the Premier and Governor of South Australia.

Walker Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer David Gallant said the second tower at Festival Plaza will rival the best commercial buildings in Australia.

“This will be the largest commercial tower in Adelaide, spanning 50,000m2 over 38 levels, to become a prime employment generator for global corporate and government services. Already we have seen strong interest in the leasing program as tenants look to expand their South Australian footprint into modern, flexible and technologically advanced buildings. It certainly helps having the most sustainable building as well.

“Walker are proud to continue our investment in South Australia to help the State grow and prosper and we are passionate about delivering the premium quality which Adelaide deserves as it competes to attract the best companies and jobs to a city brimming with university talent.”

The second tower is the crown jewel in the $2 billion Festival Plaza redevelopment and is set to become a city-defining icon for Adelaide. The retail component of the development will deliver over 1,000m2 of restaurants, cafes, bars and grab-and-go options for tenants and visitors. As part of the proposal, Walker's design also includes a rooftop bar and restaurant with uninterrupted views to the Adelaide Hills.

Built National Director Ross Walker said his team is ready to build an incredible tower for Adelaide.

“The partnership between Walker and Built is a proven formula for success with our teams collaborating to deliver award winning projects including Festival Tower, Collins Square, Parramatta Square and Walker’s vertical campus for Western Sydney University in Bankstown,” Mr Walker said.

“This final stage of the Festival Plaza project will create over 1,000 construction jobs and include graduate and apprentice programs, mentorship and partnerships between graduates and business leaders, to drive ongoing economic growth in Adelaide.”

Walker and Built are using innovative technologies to increase efficiency in procurement and delivery to expedite construction and enable tenants to move in by 2027.

“We are revolutionising the construction process together by leveraging the use of 3D modelling and pre-fabrication of major construction elements,” Mr Walker said.

“This early engagement with Walker and its design team will allow us to resolve issues in the 3D model before getting on site to make building safer, quicker and more cost efficient."

The second tower will innovate and excel in sustainability to exceed the latest Commonwealth Government’s benchmarks and lead the way in sustainable tenant occupancy. The tower will be the first commercial building in Adelaide designed to 6 Star NABERS Energy and a 5 Star Green Star rating under the latest higher standard, outperforming what would be a 6 Star, under older revisions.

Centrally located, Festival Plaza offers seamless access to transportation networks, ensuring unparalleled connectivity from all parts of the city and suburbs.

The second tower design aims to enhance the setting of Parliament House by respectfully blending old and new design with high-quality materials and the improvement of key view lines.

Delta will continue their works during the first part of this year in preparation for a formal handover to Built to commence superstructure works, following the final stage DA Approval, with tenants occupying in 2027.