The Victoria Tower is a striking addition to Adelaide’s CBD skyline, not only for its architectural presence but for the complexity and ingenuity behind its delivery.

For Synergy Construct, the project represented an opportunity to demonstrate the value of early contractor involvement, technical rigour and collaborative delivery in a challenging high-rise environment.

Synergy was initially engaged through a competitive tender process based on 30% design-developed documentation, competing against Tier 1 contractors from both local and interstate markets. Following a successful bid, Synergy was awarded an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) role, enabling the team to work closely with the client and consultants to refine the design and develop a financially viable design-and-construct solution.

A key focus was rationalising the structure, façade, services and fitout trade packages to align with the project budget. This included removing two transfer structures and reducing slab thicknesses. “These refinements allowed the introduction of an extra apartment floor, which increased overall project revenue and helped make the development financially viable,” explains Project Manager Josh Brooksby. “It was a win for both constructability and commercial outcomes.”

To accelerate delivery, Synergy adopted a staged approvals strategy, dividing building rules consent submissions into substructure, structure and façade, services and fitout packages. This allowed progressive design certification and early commencement on site, while Synergy’s in-house design capability supported early procurement of façades and other long-lead items, protecting the construction program from supply delays.

The Adelaide CBD site presented a particularly complex build environment, with neighbouring heritage structures and severe logistical constraints. Demolition works were carefully managed where non-heritage buildings interfaced with heritage façades, requiring progressive hand demolition, temporary strengthening and extensive steel shoring supported by piles and footings.

“The bracing could only be removed once our permanent structure was in place,” Josh said. “There were many interfaces, legal agreements and lengthy stakeholder engagements required with adjoining property owners and heritage authorities.”

Logistics were equally challenging. The tight site was bounded by a four-lane arterial road, a narrow laneway servicing two live car parks totalling 350 spaces, and neighbouring commercial and heritage buildings. Synergy negotiated access through adjoining land to maintain traffic flow, installed a large overhead gantry to protect the public and vehicles, and co-ordinated crane operations around an active pub and heavy pedestrian traffic accessing the Adelaide Central Markets.

Architectural quality was maintained through a rigorous prototyping and verification process. Feature brickwork was selected to closely match Adelaide Red bricks used in early 20th-century buildings, reinforcing the project’s contextual relationship with its surroundings. A distinctive perforated ‘Dragon Scale’ aluminium façade was developed through Australian shop drawings and overseas fabrication, with Synergy’s façade team inspecting every stage of manufacture prior to shipment. Curtain wall and window wall systems followed a similar process, with full-scale prototypes approved before mass production.

Collaboration underpinned the project’s success. Consultants were novated to Synergy post-tender, with a clear design program established and progressive design submissions issued at 75, 90 and 100% completion stages. A prototype apartment was delivered early to establish a minimum quality benchmark, while progressive PRC-handover inspections streamlined final settlement.

Delivered three months ahead of schedule, Victoria Tower is a testament to Synergy Construct’s capability in high-rise delivery. “We’ve earned the trust of the client which has opened the door to future opportunities. But above all, the project’s success reflects the depth of the team and the impressive growth of our emerging engineers—people whose talent and dedication continue to shape the high standards we set.”

For more information contact Synergy Construct, phone 1300 735 500, email enquiries@synergyconstruct.com.au, website www.synergyconstruct.com.au