Visionary design for Powerhouse Ultimo revealed
The winning design and the new extension along Harris Street.
A public garden will be built behind the old Ultimo post office.
The museum’s 1988-built arched atrium extension will be demolished and replaced by a four-storey building with street-level access to a library and archives, and upstairs accommodation for 60 school children with options to sleep under the stars in a rooftop garden.
The Powerhouse’s main public square looking back from The Goods Line and planted with native species.
An interior courtyard of the new Powerhouse Museum.
The winning architectural design for Sydney’s Powerhouse Ultimo museum was announced in mid-December, with an Australian team made up of Architectus, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects, Tyrrell Studio, Youssofzay + Hart, Akira Isogawa, Yerrabingin, Finding Infinity and Arup chosen to deliver a visionary world-class museum.
The team’s submission for the museum was unanimously selected by an expert jury following a national design competition that commenced in July this year. Amongst the five design concepts shortlisted were teams that included BVN, Cox Architecture, Neeson Murcutt + Neille and John Wardle Architects, and others.
The design contains expanded museum exhibition spaces, including international museum standard galleries for immersive exhibitions and learning programmes. A new urban space connecting the museum to The Goods Line will create a major new public square for Sydney, increasing open public space that will support outdoor programmes. The Harris Street frontage will be revitalised with creative studios that will support education and industry programmes and create new opportunities to access the museum’s library and archive.
The Powerhouse Ultimo renewal is part of the New South Wales (NSW) Government’s investment in cultural infrastructure. Minister for the Arts Ben Franklin said the $480–$500-million project will reinvigorate one of Australia’s most revered museums, offering incredible museum experiences and expanded exhibition spaces that will provide new levels of access to the Powerhouse collection. The design will enable the museum to showcase international exclusive exhibitions and programs that support the creative industries.
“I’m thrilled with the jury’s unanimous decision, which will be the foundation of a dynamic and active museum precinct in the heart of Sydney’s CBD for communities to connect, for families to enjoy and creative industries to thrive,” Franklin said.
“I’m particularly excited for the new Powerhouse Academy, which will offer a rooftop camp for secondary and tertiary students from regional NSW and beyond, providing an immersive learning experience in the heart of the city. This will provide a range of new opportunities for young people right across the State to engage with and explore the Powerhouse Ultimo’s internationally renowned exhibitions.
Design Director Camilla Block said the team is looking forward to embarking on this career-defining project.
“The new building casts a reimagined lens on the heritage fabrics and cityscapes from multiple levels of this escarpment – from uses, circulation, terraces and gardens,” says Block. “Respectful and immediate, the reimagined building lives alongside the Powerhouse core, a powerful embodiment of both geography and backdrop.”
Chair of the design competition jury, Wendy Lewin, said the jury is confident that the winning design team will deliver a truly exceptional building for NSW and ensure the Powerhouse Museum can showcase its collection for future generations. The design was noted for its deeply considered response to the Ultimo site, honouring the history and heritage of the Powerhouse museum whilst simultaneously reimagining continued engagement with communities into the future.
The national design competition saw more than 100 registrations of interest received from across Australia. Timing for construction commencement and completion of the Ultimo renewal is subject to planning, design and procurement processes.
About Powerhouse
Powerhouse sits at the intersection of arts, design, science and technology and plays a critical role in engaging communities with contemporary ideas and issues. It is undertaking a landmark $1.4 billion infrastructure renewal programme, spearheaded by the creation of the flagship museum, Powerhouse Parramatta; expanded research and public facilities at Powerhouse Castle Hill; the renewal of the iconic Powerhouse Ultimo; and the ongoing operation of Sydney Observatory. The museum is custodian to over half a million objects of national and international significance and is considered one of the finest and most diverse collections in Australia. It is also undertaking an expansive digitisation project that will provide new levels of access to Powerhouse collections.
