RAA Place (originally the State Bank Building, and also known as BankSA Building, Santos House, and Westpac House) is a 31-storey office tower located at 91 King William Street in Adelaide, South Australia. It reaches 132 metres (433 ft) at its roof, with each level approximately 4.2 metres (14 ft) in height. From its completion in 1988 until 2019, it was the tallest building in Adelaide.
History
Construction began in 1986 and was completed in 1988 at a cost of A$98 million (equivalent to approximately A$251 million in 2022). The building was originally opened as the State Bank Building, built for the State Bank of South Australia. Following the bank's collapse in 1991, it was renamed the BankSA Building to reflect the surviving bank's new name.
In February 1997, the building was purchased by Santos and renamed Santos House. In 2007, after Westpac acquired BankSA, the building became known as Westpac House, and the Santos sign was replaced with the Westpac logo. Santos moved its headquarters to a new building on Flinders Street that same year.
In December 2022, the Royal Automobile Association (RAA) secured two floors and signage rights for the building, and it was renamed RAA Place in April 2023. Installation of the RAA signage on the building's fascia began on 22 May 2023. Unlike previous signage, the RAA sign has the ability to change colours dynamically.
Architecture and Design
The building is designed in the Modernist architectural style and functions as an A-grade commercial office building. During major holidays, the windows have been selectively lit up in formation, including a white cross for Easter and Anzac Day, and a fluorescent green tree for Christmas.
Ownership
As of the most recent available information, the building is co-owned by Abacus Property (50%) and Inheritance Capital Asset Management (50%). Abacus Property originally acquired a half interest in Santos House in October 2004 and the remaining 50 per cent in 2015, before selling 50 per cent to Inheritance Capital Asset Management in 2016.
Tenants
Current tenants include the RAA, the Australian Federal Government, HWL Ebsworth, and the South Australian Government.
