Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide

The Adelaide Festival Centre is a landmark of cultural significance and the nation's first multi-purpose arts center built in a capital city. Designed by Hassell Architects and constructed in the 1970s, this iconic complex is situated on Kaurna Yarta, near the banks of the River Torrens and adjacent to Elder Park. The Festival Theatre, the centerpiece of the complex, opened in June 1973, followed by the completion of the entire center shortly thereafter.

The complex is easily recognizable by its two striking white geometric dome roofs and its unique positioning at a 45-degree angle to Adelaide's city grid. It includes several key venues: the Festival Theatre, the Dunstan Playhouse (formerly known as The Playhouse and Optima Playhouse), and the Space Theatre (formerly The Space), along with various gallery and function spaces.

The Adelaide Festival Centre is a vibrant hub for the arts, hosting the Adelaide Festival and numerous other major festivals throughout the year, such as the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, OzAsia Festival, DreamBIG Children's Festival, Adelaide Guitar Festival, and OUR MOB. It serves as the home for several prestigious arts organizations, including the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, State Opera South Australia, Australian Dance Theatre, State Theatre Company South Australia, The Australian Ballet, Brink, and Windmill Theatre Company.

The Festival Centre was built on the site of the historic Adelaide City Baths, which had been a fixture in the city for over a century. Recently, the site underwent significant redevelopment, initiated in 2016 and completed in February 2022, with the theatre spaces remaining operational throughout the process. This redevelopment has modernized the facilities while preserving the center's role as a cornerstone of Adelaide's cultural life.