STAGE one of a North Terrace innovation neighbourhood aimed at positioning Adelaide as the start-up capital of Australia is to be driven by an urban design and landscape architecture practice.

Oxigen will lead the design for public and accessible spaces on the former Royal Adelaide Hospital, site (renamed Lot 14) which is already attracting industries of the future, including the University of Adelaide’s Australian Institute of Machine Learning.

Renewal SA Chief Executive John Hanlon said the design would encourage people to reconnect with the site as it transforms into a place for all South Australians.

“Lot 14 will provide dynamic public spaces that reflect the site’s history by recognising people’s past connections, and will become a resource for future generations who will know the neighbourhood as a catalyst for opportunity,” Mr Hanlon said.

The urban design project aims to foster the idea of connectivity and place through seamless design and ‘smart’ principles in lighting, signage, way-finding, waste management and biodiversity.

The Renewal SA plan is to help enable businesses and entrepreneurs to develop their ideas and explore technologies within defence and space, cyber security, artificial intelligence, robotics, media and creative industries.

Mr Hanlon said that when fully established over the next eight years, thousands of people would work and stay within the seven hectare site.

The site’s start-up and growth hub is to offer 650 work spaces to allow entrepreneurs to partner with industry groups, researchers, mentors and investors.

It will also become the home of the Australian National Aboriginal Art and Culture Gallery, a contemporary art space, a new international centre for Tourism, Hospitality and Food Studies, and temporary accommodation.

Urban expansion is not limited to the CBD with Tonsley Innovation District now home to more than 30 businesses — also surging ahead.

Mr Hanlon said that in the past 12 months, innovative projects including the Global Centre for Modern Ageing and Flinders University’s Tonsley Manufacturing Innovation Hub have kicked off.

Construction bean ni februrary on a $26 million, 850 home project at Tonsley

“Residents will have access to Tonsley’s urban forests, town square, plaza and sporting facilities, plus 15 parklands and recreational facilities,” Mr Hanlon said.

Renewal SA is also on there front foot in the inner city suburb of Bowden on behalf of the state government with more than 680 apartments and townhouses sold on 20 parcels of land since 2013.

“There are now 319 apartments with five buildings under construction and construction will (soon) start on more than 200 apartments and townhouses at Bowden.”

Port Adelaide is not about to miss out either with the redevelopment of 21 hectares of waterfront land into residential, commercial and tourist precincts.

Starfish is developing the Dock One and Port Approach sites, while Cedar Woods is working on the North West and Fletcher’s Slip precincts. The projects are expected to generate more than $280 million in private investment and deliver 1150 new homes for up to 2600 new residents.