Arts Centre Melbourne – Reimagined For Future Generations
The Victorian Government has announced an investment of more than A$200million over the next two years to reimagine Melbourne’s arts precinct.
Photo credit: Arts Centre Melbourne
The announcement will see Arts Centre Melbourne’s Theatres Building, one of Melbourne’s most recognised landmarks, revitalised with upgrades to its theatres and public spaces. The project will also capitalise on a nearby site to build a home to house a new Australian Performing Arts Gallery, an expanded Australian Music Vault, Arts Centre Melbourne’s administrative offices, education and research facilities, and a new creative hub for small to medium and independent arts organisations.
The project, which also includes a new contemporary art gallery, will transform the area around the Arts Centre Melbourne and the adjacent National Gallery of Victoria, creating 18,000m2 of new and renewed open public space, including an elevated pedestrian park and outdoor performance and event spaces.
“A reimagined Arts Centre Melbourne at the gateway to a seamlessly connected Melbourne Arts Precinct will solidify Melbourne’s point of difference and competitive advantage over interstate and international competitors, while ensuring we retain our international reputation as Australia’s busiest and best performing arts centre,” says Claire Spencer, Chief Executive Officer, Arts Centre Melbourne.
Melbourne’s NH Architecture and Norway’s Snøhetta have been appointed to deliver the Arts Centre Melbourne’s vision for the future of the Theatres Building, including addressing specific critical maintenance issues. The team will create an integrated design for the footprint of the Theatres Building, incorporating design for the Critical Asset Maintenance project to minimise redundant works in the future as the organisation progresses with the major redevelopment.
Snøhetta is a design studio based in Oslo and New York City with an office in Australia. The internationally renowned practice has captured global attention with projects such as the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, the 9/11 Memorial Pavilion and Times Square redevelopment projects in New York and more recently the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
NH Architecture has extensive experience in the design and delivery of complex infrastructure projects such as both stages of the Melbourne Convention Centre, Margaret Court Arena and the Stage 2 and 3 Masterplans for Melbourne & Olympic Parks.
Visit Arts Centre Melbourne’s website here.