Charter Hall commissions SA artist to bring vibrancy to Adelaide CBD laneway

Charter Hall Group (Charter Hall or the Group) has unveiled a new, large-scale laneway art installation by South Australian artist and designer Matt Kavanagh, commissioned as part of its $450 million urban renewal project at 60 King William Street in the Adelaide CBD.

Installed this week, the 50-metre long and 4-metre high piece is designed to inject vibrancy and life into the 60 King William Street laneway during construction of Charter Hall’s net zero emissions office building, running from the Southern side of Grenfell Street to the Northern side of Rundle Mall.

The artwork fuses art, illustration, design and photography to create a colourful visual attraction for locals and the broader community to enjoy throughout the entirety of the construction phase, until 2023.

Mr Kavanagh was selected by a panel of judges, which included: 

- The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Sandy Verschoor 

- Charter Hall Development Executive, George Roussos 

- Charter Hall Development Manager, Julia Gentile 

- Built SA General Manager, Chris Bate 

- Cox Architecture Director, Adam Hannon 

- Metric Managing Director, Bec Marshall 

- Rundle Mall Management

Mr Kavanagh said, “The installation is designed to celebrate the vibrancy that the 60 King William Street precinct will deliver to the local community, while showcasing Adelaide’s small-city idiosyncrasies and multiculturalism through the use of a variety of styles and mixed media within the one piece.

“Public art is inherently placemaking, and this installation is intended to be the beginning of shaping the precinct as a destination that is future-focussed and invested in environmental sustainability, technology and health and wellbeing for occupants and the broader community.

“I hope people feel engaged when they see the artwork and take a moment to go on a little journey. It's been an honour to work with Charter Hall on a project of this scale and size.”

Designed by world renowned Cox Architecture, the 60 King William Street development will include a 14-story PCA A-Grade office tower with state-of-the-art facilities underpinned by a retail, food and lifestyle precinct that will provide connections to Rundle Mall, James Place and King William Street.

Comprising approximately 40,000 square metres (sqm) of office space and 3,600sqm of retail space for 3,500 commercial and retail workers, 60 King William Street will become the largest commercial real estate project in Adelaide’s CBD.

Charter Hall Regional Development Director, Bradley Norris, said, “This project is set to deliver a world-class, sustainable workplace for our tenant customers while offering cafes, barista bars, restaurants and wellness facilities – benefitting our tenant customers as well as the local community and visitors. It is directly in line with our precinct strategy, as we seek to create an enhanced experience for our stakeholders and enrich the local community, beginning with this fantastic art installation during our construction period, which celebrates the creative and cultural fabric of Adelaide.”

Earlier this year, Charter Hall announced Federal Government agency Services Australia as the major pre-commitment tenant at 60 King William Street. The 10-year lease is one of the State’s largest office pre-commitments covering 28,500sqm across 10 floors. It takes the building’s committed commercial net lettable area to over 70 per cent, with the only available space left on the top four skyrise floors.

About Matt Kavanagh

Matt Kavanagh is a multi-disciplinary artist and designer whose current practice spans illustration, graphic design and commercial installations and murals.

Though his early study began in 3D animation, illustration has always been a deep passion. Mr Kavanagh’s segue to graphic design came through art commissions for wine labels, which led him to brand and package work. He has developed bespoke branding and complex packaging designs for many beer, wine and liquor brands. Murals were a further evolution of these ventures.

Mr Kavanagh has worked with a number of unique Adelaide and Australian businesses including Little Bang Brewing Co, SAGE Group/Tonsley Centre, Matthews Group, The Mysterious Mr Black, Tria Prima Whiskey, Anna Roussos Recruitment, travis earth Wines, Sweet Amber Brewing Co, Eyre Peninsula Spirits and The Maid Hotel. He is currently studying part time at the Rob Gutteridge Classical Realism, pursuing deeper knowledge and skills on a journey to keep maturing as a multi-disciplinary artist and designer.

Visit: https://vinekavna.co/ and https://www.instagram.com/vine_kavna/

About 60 King William Street

60 King William Street will be Adelaide’s first carbon neutral enabled building on completion. It is targeting a 6 Star Green Star, 5 Star NABERS Energy ratings, and Platinum Well certification. 

The technology enabled building will boast a centralised business hub, touchless access and amenities, and seamless connectivity. It will seek to obtain WiredScore certification upon completion. 

Featuring 14-levels of PCA A-Grade office space, including an exclusive roof top terrace on level 14, the site will house Adelaide’s first sky lobby, providing a premium entry experience for the skyrise tenant customers. 

Health and wellbeing are central to the new building design, with a wellness centre and exercise space, the CBD’s largest hotel-style end of trip facilities including private showers, grooming stations and 350 bike parks, as well as touchless amenities and bacterial elimination systems. Wellbeing programs and content will also be accessible through the building’s Charli smartphone app. 

The ground floor retail, food and lifestyle precinct will offer a variety of food and beverage options including cafes, restaurants, and barista bar.