Powerhouse, Australia’s leading museum of applied arts, design and technology, has unveiled plans for its extensive renewal plans across its three sites in Sydney, Australia. 

Called Powerhouse Ultimo, the new schemes represent the latest phase of its comprehensive renewal plan, alongside the development of a fourth new site opening in Parramatta in Western Sydney in 2025.

Receiving a $1.3 billion AUS from the New South Wales state government, the ambitious vision for renewal of Powerhouse, as the largest museum institution in Australia, is now taking shape.

Located in the heart of the leading technology, media and start-up hub of Sydney, the Powerhouse Ultimo is a home to the main campus of the city’s University of Technology. 

The renewal of this heritage site is led by a team of architects, Durbach Block Jaggers working in partnership with Architectus, Youssofzay + Hart and landscape architects, Tyrell Studio. The design will reinvigorate the heritage listed buildings and transform exhibition and programming spaces to an international museum standard.

The new plans for the renewal of Powerhouse Ultimo include four new flexible exhibition spaces to showcase world class exhibitions drawn from international collections as well as the Powerhouse’s own collection of more than 500,000 objects. It will include the conversion of the heritage-listed original Power Station buildings for their ongoing adaptive reuse by the Powerhouse. 

Moreover, it will incorporate a new 2,000-square-metre public square, and the improvements of the streetscape for housing creative industries within the museum. Also, it will feature new dedicated spaces for the Powerhouse learning programme enabling immersive experiences, workshops and events catered to students and learners of all ages.  

"This is another major step forward in our plans to create state of the art conditions for a truly modern, world class museum institution that is fit for a new generation of audiences and creators," said Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah.

"Alongside the development of the new Powerhouse Parramatta, Ultimo will now be brought up to date whilst respecting its heritage and maintaining its vital place in the cultural life of Sydney," Havilah added. 

Powerhouse Sydney has its origins in the Museum of Applied Arts and Science founded in 1879 and sits at the intersection of the arts, design, science and technology. 

It is currently undertaking a landmark $1.3 billion infrastructure renewal programme across its four sites in Sydney, spearheaded by the creation of the new museum: Powerhouse Parramatta - expanded research and public facilities at Powerhouse Castle Hill, the renewal of the iconic Powerhouse in Ultimo, and the ongoing operation of the historic Sydney Observatory.

Powerhouse Parramatta, dubbed as Australia’s most significant new museum, is set to open to the public in 2025. 

Designed by Moreau Kusunoki and Sydney-based firm Genton, the new museum, located on a landmark site in Western Sydney, is envisioned as the largest cultural development in Australia since the Sydney Opera House.

All renderings © DBJ. 

> via Powerhouse Sydney 

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