Lot Fourteen

Lot Fourteen is a globally recognised innovation district in the heart of Adelaide, bringing together businesses, startups, researchers, entrepreneurs, students and government.

The precinct is home to organisations working across defence, space, critical technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, creative industries and other high-growth sectors. It provides an environment where collaboration drives research, commercialisation, investment and job creation.

Defence HQ marks the next stage in the precinct's evolution. The new 11-storey innovation centre will become a focal point for defence, space and critical technologies. BAE Systems Australia will establish its South Australian headquarters within Defence HQ, alongside the Australian Defence Technologies Academy, the Innovation Hub operated by Adelaide University, and SpaceBase, the Australian Space Common User Facility. The development is expected to double the workforce at Lot Fourteen to more than 3,000 people, further strengthening the precinct as a hub for innovation and collaboration. Built has been appointed as the builder, with completion expected by the end of 2028.

Located on the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site, Lot Fourteen blends heritage buildings with contemporary workspaces, creating a vibrant destination where people can work, collaborate and connect. The precinct also offers public spaces, cafés, restaurants, events and cultural experiences for workers, visitors and the wider community.

• Curate a globally connected district for hi-tech industry research and development collaboration, translation and commercialisation.
• Support technology skills, training and education pathways to grow emerging industries.
• Grow employment and career opportunities to attract, develop and retain talented people in South Australia.
• Promote further investment into the innovation district and State through strategic partnerships, infrastructure delivery, business expansion, research funding and venture capital.
• Advance the awareness, knowledge, preservation and teaching of First Nations cultures and languages.
• Facilitate economic business and employment outcomes for First Nations peoples.
• Establish a vibrant and exciting place for the community, workers, students and visitors through activation, arts, culture and placemaking.

Lot Fourteen is located on Kaurna Yerta (Kaurna Country).

For more than 60,000 years, the land now occupied by Lot Fourteen was an integral site to the Kaurna people as a place for camping and ceremony, between the banks of Karrawirra Parri (River of the Red Gum forest, River Torrens) and the waterholes of Kainka Wirra (Eucalypt forest, Adelaide Botanic Garden).

The areas around Lot Fourteen continued to provide refuge for the Kaurna community and were a place to practice culture for many years after the arrival of the Colonial settlers.

In 1840, South Australia’s Lieutenant-Colonel George Gawler selected this location for the Adelaide Hospital, which was renamed the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1939.

In 2017, the Royal Adelaide Hospital was closed and relocated. The site was renamed Lot Fourteen and the master plan commenced for its transformation into a global innovation district.

While none of the original hospital buildings remain, six State Heritage-listed buildings along North Terrace and Frome Road have been retained with contemporary upgrades as part of the redevelopment.

Renewal SA is responsible for providing development services for Lot Fourteen under the direction of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC). This includes the demolition of obsolete buildings, the refurbishment of heritage buildings, landscaping, civil works and construction.

Sustainability and wellness are embedded into Lot Fourteen’s culture and environment. From conception, the project has taken a world-leading urban redevelopment stance.

The innovation district is the first WELL Pre-certified Community in the southern hemisphere and a 6 Star Green Star community, with a focus on wellbeing, health and fitness, social engagement, and cohesion in sustainable communities.

Renewal SA has maintained a commitment to recycle various waste streams across the demolition program, including:

• 100% of concrete, bricks and masonry from 94,000 tonnes of demolition have been recycled
• 70% of all construction and demolition material will be recycled
• 100% of timber gets recycled into fuel which goes to Adelaide Brighton Cement – this decreases their gas usage about 30 per cent.

Completion of the demolition program is expected to result in more than 100,000 tonnes of material being recycled.

The 2019 Australian Institute of Landscape Architects Awards (SA)
Award of Excellence in Urban Design category for Master Plan and Protocols for public realm

The 2020 Australian Institute of Architecture Awards (SA)
Sustainable Architecture Award for Allied Health Building (Startup Hub)

The 2020 Australian Institute of Architecture Awards (SA)
Commendation for Heritage Architecture for the Allied Health Building (Startup Hub)

The 2022 Australian Institute of Architecture Awards (SA)
The David Saunders Award For Heritage for Bice Building Refurbishment

Stakeholder and community feedback are important considerations in the development of the master plan and Lot Fourteen Strategic Plan 2022-2026 that shape the ongoing vision and delivery for Lot Fourteen under the direction of the DPC State Project Lead.