Adelaide City Council and the State Government, through Renewal SA, asked Rodeo to develop an architectural concept for Topham Mall, at the heart of the Market to Riverbank Link laneway rejuvenation project. We developed a concept around a singleminded grand gesture – a series of sculpted and stacked ribbons of copper, which are offset at different heights, and cantilevered platforms that open up to the surroundings. Our intention was to create a known beacon within the city and a space for public programming and commercial activations, with opportunities for elevated viewing.

We specifically wanted to express the meeting between the existing and modern architecture, providing an integrated design that reaches out from the heart of the laneways. Colour, texture and form narrate the richness of our world and the copper ribbon expresses this, through reflection, shape, scale, mass and form. These elements combine to extend and animate the public space, delivering a unique experience within the CBD.

As a central node in the laneway link, the Ribbon concept provides a place of social and cultural exchange woven into the city. It offers a rich and diverse experience of the laneways for all and serves as a magnet for those visiting the city or coming from the surrounding suburbs, as well as city workers, shoppers, and residents. It facilitates everyday connections and contributes to the collective wellbeing of the city.