Following a design revision, Adelaide’s $400 million Entrepreneur and Innovation Centre (EIC) has received approval from the South Australian Government.
Designed by COX in conjunction with Quintessential Equity, the building comprises a series of twisting and interconnected floorplates, a faceted facade, public atrium and landscaped podium roof terrace. Quintessential Equity has signed a 10-year lease for the Innovation Hub, which is situated within the EIC, for $20 million.
The EIC is a 41,000 sqm facility that spans 16 storeys. The Innovation Hub takes up two floors within the centre, with the ground floor being an open activated area for events and collaboration, accessible for the public and offering indoor and al fresco dining opportunities. Funding for the Innovation Hub was secured through the Adelaide City Deal in a bid to grow the city into a vibrant and innovative metropolis.
The EIC is located upon Lot Fourteen, which is the former site of the Royal Adelaide Hospital. The Innovation Hub has been symbolically placed at the heart of the centre, and forms part of the city’s desire to create a hub for research, innovation, and entrepreneurialism in hi-tech, defence, space and creative sectors.
The Innovation Hub, which offers views of the district’s central park, will be dedicated to fostering idea exchange, accelerating commercialisation and business growth, while catalysing joint research between business, universities and the public sector. A number of worldwide technology heavyweights including MIT bigdata Living Lab, Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud will be located within close proximity to the hub.
Quintessential Equity Executive Chairman, Shane Quinn, says the signing of the lease signifies both the State and Federal Governments’ commitment to deliver a world-class collaboration and innovation facility in Adelaide.
“We’re incredibly excited to be developing the Innovation Hub, which will be the centrepiece of the EIC and a gateway to attracting and retaining world-leading talent to Adelaide,” he says.
“Embodying the office and workplace of the future, the EIC will be a powerful generator of jobs of the future – and this dedicated Hub will be a place where ideas, research and entrepreneurship can thrive. The revised design is more functional and accessible as we focus on collaboration and the provision of a healthy and engaging work environment.”
COX Architecture Director, Adam Hannon, says the practice’s design aims to foster creativity for a number of technological entities.
“The Entrepreneur and Innovation Centre will showcase South Australia as a global leader in incubating and promoting innovation, research and collaboration. Our design creates a highly permeable and activated public plaza, maximising visibility and connectivity from inside to out. A faceted facade wraps around the podium, containing a public forum space and atrium that form the focal point of the Innovation Hub."
The $400 million Entrepreneur and Innovation Centre has been developed by Quintessential Equity, with the company to own and manage the precinct. For more information regarding the project, click here.
