Westpac House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Westpac House |
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Westpac House in 2008
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| Former names |
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| Etymology | Westpac |
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Commercial |
| Location | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Coordinates | 34°55′29″S 138°35′54″E / 34.92472°S 138.59833°E |
| Current tenants |
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| Completed | 1988 |
| Owner |
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| Height | 132 m (433 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 31 |
| Floor area | 3,170 square metres (34,100 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Rod Roach Architecture in association with Woods Bagot |
| Developer | State Bank of South Australia |
| Main contractor | Baulderstone Hornibrook |
Westpac House is a tall office building located in Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It has 31 floors and stands about 132 meters (433 feet) high. From 1988 until 2019, it was the tallest building in Adelaide!
This building has had a few different names over the years. It was first known as the State Bank building. Later, it became Santos House, and since 2007, it has been called Westpac House. You can find it on Currie Street, close to King William Street.
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A Look at Its Past
Westpac House first opened its doors in 1988. It was originally named after the State Bank of South Australia. In the early 1990s, the State Bank faced some big financial problems. Because of this, the building was sold.
In February 1997, a company called Santos bought the building. They renamed it Santos House. Santos is a large Australian company that deals with natural gas and oil.
New Name, New Look
In 2007, Santos moved its main office to a different building. That's when Westpac, a major Australian bank, took over the naming rights. The building was then officially renamed Westpac House. You might have even seen the big "Santos" sign being taken down and replaced with Westpac's red "W" logo!
Fun Window Lights
If you're in Adelaide around major holidays, you might notice something special about Westpac House. The building's windows are sometimes lit up in cool patterns! For example, around Easter and Anzac Day, you might see a white cross. At Christmas, the windows light up to form a bright green Christmas tree. It's a fun way the building celebrates with the city.
A Race to the Top
Because Westpac House was the tallest building in Adelaide for many years, it was chosen for a special event in 2007. It hosted stair races during the World Police and Fire Games. Imagine racing up all those stairs!
Who Owns Westpac House?
The building is currently owned by two companies: Abacus Property Group and Inheritance Capital Asset Management. They each own half of the building.
