Adelaide's Aboriginal Art Centre Sparks Controversy Amid Cost Overruns

The Aboriginal Art and Cultures Centre (AACC) in Adelaide, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Woods Bagot, has drawn criticism over cost increases from A$150 million to A$200 million, raising suspicions of speculative interests. Premier Steven Marshall envisions it as Adelaide's answer to Hobart's MONA, rejecting a more modest Adelaide Contemporary proposal. The centre will be built on the Fourteen lot, a high-tech innovation district on the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site, with construction starting in early 2021 and completion by 2025. It will house collections from the South Australian Museum, Art Gallery of South Australia, and State Library. A rooftop garden inspired by the Kaurna concept of Minkunthi (relaxation) will feature pre-colonial Australian flora. The centre will incorporate virtual reality, digital technologies, and performance spaces for immersive narratives. Government project head Diane Dixon attributed the cost increase to aspirations of making the AACC an international cultural and tourist destination.