nice architects wins people's choice award for adelaide rocks

nice architects wins people’s choice award for adelaide rocks
all images courtesy of nice architects

slovakian studio nice architects has won the people’s choice award and a joint 2nd prize in the RAH international competition for their proposal, ‘the hill.’ designed as part of a new urban quarter, adelaide rocks in south australia, the mixed-use development focuses around ecological principles and economic sustainability. the core of the project is a large scale urban gesture, a man-made hill formed by recycled material of demolished building waste.

providing a strong sense of identity for the city, the new environment is embedded with a series of different functions. the mass and height of the structure supports the climate control across the site through subsidence cooling, geothermal exchange, and heat extraction via a thermal chimney. the design is intended to be a significant cultural and civic space that connects the north terrace boulevard and riverbank precinct together. the resulting green, vertical landscape provides multiple recreational opportunities that are not readily available within adelaide’s center.

aerial view showing the extension of the botanic garden to the RAH site

view of the preserved historical buildings along the north terrace

the cultural boulevard extension along the north terrace

the man-made hill is formed using recycled materials from demolished buildings

view of the university square with connection to the botanic garden

the artistic square and spaces situated along the hill

concept development

site plan

plan – ground floor

diagram showing the different functions

sustainability schemes

project info:

architecture and urbanism: nice architects + mulloway studio
landscape design: 2ka landscape architects
sustainability consultant: jasmine palmer

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.