Port Adelaide Renewal: Hart's Mill Surrounds
2016 National Award of Excellence - Cultural
2015 South Australia Award of Excellence - Cultural
ASPECT Studios
Port Adelaide is one of Australia’s most valuable and least realised post-industrial waterfronts. Over the past decade it has been the subject of a slow burn renewal through many state government and local council initiatives designed to reenergise ‘The Port’.
Within this context, Hart’s Mills Surrounds has almost single-handedly reshaped how South Australians view ‘The Port’ by adaptively reshaping the precinct and opening it up for public uses.
The former mill, a heritage-listed waterfront building, provides the backdrop for a contemporary new play space, while the sensitively and adaptively reused flour shed is now fit for community uses. This has also enabled the completion of a hike-and-bike loop, and created a new destination as well as interpretation opportunities for the former industrial uses on the Port River. The colourful contrast of the play space against the red brick mill and the expansive wharf areas create a new experience as well as much needed attention on the Port community.
The project includes a large playspace with new recreation areas and together with an adapted flour shed provides a series of multifunctional spaces for events and markets. The project has been delivered as a premier destination in a suite of ‘early win’ interventions that has been rolled out around the port aiming to increase visitation and provide greater access and amenity to the waterfront.
