Preserving heritage while delivering a seamless office relocation for the History Trust of South Australia in Adelaide's Cultural Precinct.

With an upcoming lease expiry, the History Trust of South Australia sought a new office space for their team, one that would reflect the purpose of the History Trust and suit their evolving needs. They identified a space within the heritage-listed Security House within Adelaide’s Cultural Precinct.

To meet the critical handover date, SHAPE was engaged under an Early Contractor Involvement agreement, working closely with Brown Falconer and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport to identify and mitigate any early buildability considerations within the heritage space and to fast-track the procurement process.

The new office featured a mixture of working areas, focusing on an open and collaborative environment to welcome their clients. Feature and exposed ceilings span throughout the office, creating a striking balance with the heritage flooring, both of which required additional care and quality management steps to achieve the design intent and quality finish. Full acoustic upgrades were also necessary for the new meeting rooms and the open working spaces due to the age of the building.

It was identified early that there would be some scopes of work requiring action after the set practical completion date, which could not be altered due to the lease expiry. By raising these items early, our team was able to create a detailed and realistic schedule for the client, providing them with greater transparency regarding what to expect following their relocation.

The project and consultant team were actively engaged and highly collaborative throughout the project, with regular site inspections taking place, resulting in the quick resolution of any Request for Information. The project was delivered on time and within the client’s budget, with excellent feedback provided by the client team and designer.