Retro Revival for Port Adelaide Landmark

A 1979 Brutalist office block in Port Adelaide is set for a new chapter, with construction under way on a $45 million transformation into a 100-room hotel.

GALLERY  

The former Marine and Harbours Building will be reimagined as a retro-inspired destination, reflecting both the site’s industrial heritage and the precinct’s accelerating renewal.

Led by Kite Projects, the project will see the long-vacant 10-level structure repositioned as a hospitality offering that speaks to a changing demographic in the area. Managing director Damon Nagel described the building as having “great bones”, pointing to its robust concrete frame and enduring presence within the port’s streetscape.

The adaptive reuse will be delivered by Build Inc., with a focus on retaining the building’s character while upgrading it to meet contemporary standards. Works include the integration of air conditioning systems and seismic strengthening, alongside a full internal reconfiguration to accommodate hotel rooms and shared guest amenities.

Two large-scale murals that span much of the eastern and western façades have become local landmarks over the past decade. While construction works are expected to impact the artworks, the developer has indicated an intention to work with the original artists to restore them, maintaining a visual connection to the building’s more recent cultural layer.

Future stages of the project may extend beyond the building itself. Plans are being explored for a series of floating suites within a nearby dock, offering guests a closer relationship to the water. Conceived as stationary, houseboat-style accommodation, these additions would respond to a long-standing challenge in the precinct, where elevated promenades can limit direct engagement with the harbour.

The redevelopment arrives amid a broader resurgence in Port Adelaide, following decades of economic decline after containerisation reshaped the waterfront economy. Public and private investment over the past ten years has driven a shift in both perception and population, supported by defence industry activity and large-scale residential projects such as Dock One.

As momentum builds, the Marine and Harbours Building conversion signals a growing confidence in the precinct’s future, pairing heritage fabric with a renewed sense of purpose.

Images via The Urban Developer

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