The Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo, Sydney has announced the winning architectural design for an A$500 million transformation
The Australian team is made up of Architectus, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects, Tyrrell Studio, Youssofzay + Hart, Akira Isogawa, Yerrabingin, Finding Infinity and Arup.
Powerhouse’s chief executive Lisa Havilah said the design honours the institution’s history and heritage “whilst simultaneously reimagining how we can continue to engage our communities into the future”.
“A truly world-class museum”
“Their internationally distinctive design will achieve a truly world-class museum that, alongside our flagship Powerhouse Parramatta, will fortify our role at the forefront of global contemporary museum practice.”
The design features expanded exhibition spaces, including galleries for immersive shows and learning programmes. It also includes a new public square and creative studios.
“With a bold, defined approach to country-centred design that is sensitive to the heritage of the site, and inspired by the memory of local sandstone escarpment, the winning scheme is in essence an acknowledgement of country in practice,” added Powerhouse director, first nations, Emily McDaniel.
The design team’s submission was unanimously chosen by a jury following a national design competition. More than 100 registrations of interest were submitted from across Australia.
“Respectful and immediate, the reimagined building lives alongside the Powerhouse core, a powerful embodiment of both geography and backdrop,” said Camilla Block, the project’s design director.
In addition to the Powerhouse Ultimo‘s makeover, a new flagship museum called Powerhouse Parramatta is being created in western Sydney.
Powerhouse Parramatta is the largest cultural infrastructure project in New South Wales since the Sydney Opera House. It will also be the largest museum in the state at 30,000 square metres.
Meanwhile, the Art Gallery of New South Wales has opened a new building designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANAA. The Sydney Modern expansion almost doubles the museum’s exhibition space.
Images: Powerhouse
