11 June, 2021

Winner of the 2021 City of Adelaide Prize announced

The City of Adelaide is proud to announce that COX Architecture’s redevelopment of Her Majesty’s Theatre is this year’s winner of the 2021 City of Adelaide Prize.

The prize was established by Council in 1997 to recognise and award a project that enhances the public experience of the City of Adelaide. The City of Adelaide Prize is currently managed on behalf of Council by the SA Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects and is presented as part of its annual awards program.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said the City of Adelaide Prize recognised innovative and creative projects that bring our city to life.

“The City of Adelaide Prize is about supporting the creation of public spaces that engage the community and bring the streets of Adelaide alive,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We want Adelaide to be the most liveable and creative city in the world. A city designed for life.”

This year Council received seven entries into the award:

• Hidden Gem at dwell East End Adelaide by Tapiwa Hwata
• Modernist Adelaide by Stuart Symons
• Sheridan Kiosk by BB Architects
• Sky City Expansion Project by BUCHAN
• Gawler Place Upgrade by City of Adelaide, ProcurePM, WGA, URPS, BMD
• Vietnamese Boat People Monument – Guiding Light by Tony Rosella and Ash Badios
• Her Majesty’s Theatre Redevelopment by Cox Architecture

Councillor Jessy Khera said the redevelopment of Her Majesty’s Theatre reinforces Adelaide’s reputation as an important cultural centre.

“The establishment of a second city theatre is designed to attract top performers and accommodate the largest touring musicals,” said Councillor Khera.

“COX Architecture’s stunning work in pairing the existing historic fabric with finely crafted contemporary work pays homage to the theatre’s original configuration and is a credit to them.

“Her Majesty’s is brought back to life through this redevelopment and is awarded the City of Adelaide Prize for contributing to the cultural and economic growth of the city, providing tourism opportunities and re-activating this historic building and precinct.”

The jury also decided to award three commendations for the 2021 City of Adelaide Prize.

Rosella Badios - Vietnamese Boat People Monument ‘Guiding Light’

The Vietnamese Boat People Memorial is a beautifully crafted and emotive tribute to those that made the gruelling journey across open seas, and those that perished along the way in search of new beginnings. The artworks represent family, strength and survival across generations. Careful siting draws visitors in to experience the space and offers opportunity to reflect, interpret, engage and learn through respectfully located signage. The memorial is a powerful and ultimately uplifting addition to public art within the City of Adelaide, resonating with communities beyond those that it commemorates.

‘Guiding Light’ also won the 2021 People’s Choice Category Award winner as voted by the South Australian public.

Stuart Symons - Modernist Adelaide

Modernist Adelaide describes a suite of activities, events and resources which celebrate the architects, clients, design and history of Adelaide’s modernist buildings of the 1940s-70s. Regular city walking tours, exhibitions, presentations, media interviews, a book and social media are engaging and educational, as well as accessible and affordable. Unique to Adelaide, they provide broad reach to a diverse audience, raise public appreciation and debate on the retention and reuse of the city’s heritage fabric, and contribute to the economic growth of the city through heritage tourism.

BB Architects - Sheridan Kiosk

The conservation and adaptive reuse of the Sheridan Kiosk sensitively restores one of North Terrace’s little gems. Since its construction in 1925, modifications to the building and its surrounds had negatively impacted on its use, significance and physical presence. Through the careful retention of original historic elements, keeping contemporary additions to a minimum, the Sheridan Kiosk has been brought back to life and now acts as an important entry focus for the Lot Fourteen development and successfully reinforces the public realm of North Terrace.

For more information visit Australian Institute of Architects or our City of Adelaide Prize page.

Matthew Halliwell