4.0 ANALYSIS and ASSESSMENT of COMPONENTS 4.1.34 Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square Assessment
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4.0 ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF COMPONENTS 4.0 ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF COMPONENTS 4.1.34 Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square Assessment TARNDANYANGGA/VICTORIA SQUARE: 1035 4.0 ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF COMPONENTS Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square Significant Components and Places Existing Planning / Development Plan Context Within Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square, these components include: Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square exists within the Victoria Square Precinct CA10 of the City of Adelaide Development Plan (pp. 106-107). Its ‘Environment’ is described as: Overall Spatial Patterns Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square drew its form from the original design prepared by Colonel DESIRED FUTURE CHARACTER William Light that created a rectangular road system and park shape in the Square. Conceptually The Victoria Square Precinct will be maintained as the civic centre of the State, and the focus of its the park shapes within the Square, as proposed by Light, remain obscure due to the quality of judicial and administrative functions. There are opportunities for cultural, community and educational primary information extant today but it was clear that he envisaged a two-rectangle configured facilities, medical services and for additional visitor and residential accommodation to add further diversity park within the Square with a roadway encircling the parks and a central east-west roadway and vitality around the Square. through the space. This design was largely implemented by the Corporation in the late 1830s, and extensively planted by landscape contractor George Francis and inaugural City Gardener The central City significance of the Victoria Square Precinct will be reinforced by the development of O’Brien with conceptual concern to design and fashionable period tree species, until the Square substantial and imposing buildings that enhance the formal and dignified character of the Square, and was redivided in 1883 by the Corporation, through the assent of the Victoria Square Thoroughfare respect the scale and detailing of the many significant heritage buildings. Act 1882 by the colonial parliament, enabling the division of the Square into four equal rectangular shapes with central east-west and north-south roadways dissecting the Square like a The Square itself is the most formal of the City’s public areas and will provide spaces for civic ceremonies, union jack flag. City Gardener Richard Patterson was charged with creating the formal cultural activities and public meetings, as well as a range of casual recreational areas of less formal Victorian-style gardens within each of these rectangles and implemented the first recorded activities. The landscaped environment of the Square and streets leading to it are to be improved and landscape plan involving a somewhat consistent formal and decorative scheme of pathways, tree designed to reinforce this civic role and allow for these activities. Within the Square, tree planting will and shrub plantings, garden beds, and accent features that included the re-siting of several of the replace senescent trees, while on the perimeter, planting should create vistas linked to connecting formal extant statues in the Square. City Gardener August Pelzer undertook minor modifications and boulevards. improvements to the Square up until 1910-11 whereupon a major renovation was undertaken of infrastructure, tree and shrub plantings, toilet erection, pathway systems, and statue locations to The Precinct will continue to be highly accessible and a key focus of the public transport network. Bus a master plan prepared by Pelzer. A further major renovation to the landscape of the Squares stopes and the tram terminus will maintain attractive shelter, seating and safety. was proposed in a Edwardian-style master plan and implemented by Pelzer in 1930 including major tree felling, grubbing and replacement, pathway reconfigurations and a reduction of the There are no components within Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square that are identified on the State labour-intensive garden beds. This design remained consistent until the next major renovation Heritage Register, however several components adjacent to Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square are of the Square that was prompted by the re-alignment of the roadway system in the Square in identified in the State Heritage Register, including: 1966 creating the existing dual semi-triangular spaces, with an east-west roadway, central pedestrian promenade, changes and extensive felling of mature trees and planting beds removals. 2-10 Flinders Street, Pilgrim Church The accompanying planting design sought to incorporate extant Patterson and Pelzer established 16-20 Flinders Street, Ethnic Affairs Commission Building trees and was laid out in a simplified Gardenesque manner. Much of this vegetation remains 28-30 Franklin Street, offices today in a deteriorating condition. Despite a successive suite of design proposals commissioned 5-7 Gouger Street, Jeffcott Chambers by the Corporation or pro-offered by the community and design professionals since 1966, the 131-133 King William Street, Electra House Corporation has failed to resolve and implement a mature spatial design to the Square that 141-159 King William Street, General Post Office resolves any design, planning and political debates about a space commissariat to the stature of 142-160 King William Street, former Treasury Buildings the city and the spatial importance of the Square to Light’s Plan, the city and the state. 281-299 King William Street, Local Court Interestingly, since its creation nearly every 50 years the Square has been subject to a major 308-310 King William Street, Crown & Sceptre Hotel landscape renovation including new tree planting; thus the Square is a venue of process heritage 17 Morialta Street, Adelaide Benevolent & Strangers Friend Society that enables a regular renovation in line with contemporary landscape design ideas of the time; 19 Pirie Street, Queens Chambers and, the next renovation therefore is running behind schedule. In terms of the overall spatial 181-189 Victoria Square, MLC Building patterns, 182 Victoria Square, Reserve Bank of Australia 199-201 Victoria Square, former Marine & Harbors Building Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square Overall (J&E LB.20): a large rectangular space that has been compromised with the creation of a series of six triangular park spaces that 202-220 Victoria Square, Sir Samuel Way Building departed from the original two-rectangular and later four-rectangle series of formal 261-279 Victoria Square, Supreme Court landscape spaces resulting in the present 1966-created spatial arrangement. Of some 262-280 Victoria Square, Magistrate’s Court symbolic, design, historical and aesthetic merit. 11-19 Wakefield Street, St Francis Xaxier’s Cathedral Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square Nomenclature: as a place, the Square carries two names: ‘Victoria Square’ and ‘Tarndanyangga’. Both names are significant in terms of No components of Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square have been identified on the National Trust their designation and the date of their designation. As a Square, Victoria Square was of South Australia’s Register of Significant Trees. named after Princess Victoria (1819-1901) and not Queen Victoria (r.1837-1901) as she ascended to in 1837, and there are very few places in the world actually named after the TARNDANYANGGA/VICTORIA SQUARE: 1036 4.0 ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF COMPONENTS Princess as distinct from her known role as Queen. Tarndanyangga derives from the Kaurna word for tarnda (red kangaroo) and kanya ('rock'), -ngga is a suffix frequently found in Kaurna place names to denote location. During 2004 the City Council adopted the joint cultural designation of Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square as part of its Reconciliation commitment. Of some social merit. Circulation Networks Historically Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square was proposed by Light as a two-portion rectangular common encircled by a roadway with a east-west roadway dissecting the space. Francis and O’Brien implemented a formal rectangular and diamond-shaped pathway system, and under Patterson and Pelzer the re-designed Square was re-crafted into a series of formal rectilinear series of pathways paralleling the quad-partite set of parks that were created. The circulation Land Use system was extensively modified in 1966 with the re-construction of the north-south roadway The land use of Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square has remained consistently, as proposed by and the subsequent major renovations to the internal pathway system. These circulation routes Light, as a public park or village common. There is one area of significance evident in terms of include: its use and function: Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square Road System: a very open semi-tree-lined roadway Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square Park Use: the overall Square has retained its design system that encircles the Square. Of some design, aesthetic and engineering merit. intent and purpose as proposed by Light in 1836 as a central gathering point and passive Wakefield-Grote Streets Roadscape: a very open tree-lined road expanse constructed recreation venue. Of some design, symbolic and cultural merit. in c.1836 enabling through Wakefield-Grote street movement which has remained a consistent circulation system since the first survey of the Square. Of some design, aesthetic and engineering merit. Boundary Demarcations Natural Features Responsiveness No evidence is present of past demarcation devices and fencing apart from the fundamental Tarndanyangga/Victoria Square exists within