VOTE NOW FOR THE 2025 CITY OF ADELAIDE PRIZE
The City of Adelaide Prize is a category within the prestigious South Australian Architecture Awards Program, which recognises innovative projects that enliven the City’s public spaces and engage with the community.
The City of Adelaide and the Australian Institute of Architects are working together to support the enhancement of public spaces in the City.
Vote for the project you feel best represents this. Voters go in the draw to win a $300 Jam Factory gift voucher.
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Photography: Brad Griffin
Union House – The University of Adelaide
Swanbury Penglase
Once the social heart of the University of Adelaide, the heritage-listed Union House had fallen into disuse due to competing developments and perceived constraints on adaptation. Revitalisation began with understanding its heritage values, revealing opportunities that shaped the recently completed refurbishment.
The project relocated functions, introduced new student spaces, a function centre, and a restaurant, and reimagined the historic Cloister as an active public space at its core. A collaborative approach reactivated major spaces, while seamlessly integrating new services, seismic upgrades, and structural rectifications. Restoring original spatial relationships enhanced accessibility, egress, and wayfinding. The original material palette was respected, conserved, and complemented by new elements that clearly distinguish old from new while remaining subservient to the architectural context.
This revitalisation has delivered contemporary facilities while strengthening connections between the University and the wider community. It has also reshaped perspectives on heritage buildings, reinforcing their enduring relevance and long-term value.