Hassell and OMA combine heritage buildings with new volume for New Museum for Western Australia
by Stu Robarts | 20 Dec 2019
– David Gianotten
Hassell and OMA have completed construction of the New Museum for Western Australia, which houses museum exhibitions, event spaces and public areas in a newly unified group of old and new buildings.
Located in Perth, the facility combines four heritage-listed buildings with a newly created volume, tripling the size of the museum.
Inside, there are eight new galleries, a 1000sq m (10,800sq ft) special exhibitions gallery, multipurpose spaces for programs, learning studios, food and drink spaces and a variety of gathering and meeting spaces.
In addition, a new outdoor public area at the centre of the museum – the City Room – provides a space for outdoor gatherings, activities and events.
Mark Loughnan, principal at Hassell, said: "Our vision for the design was to create a space that promotes engagement and collaboration, responding to the needs of the museum and the community. We wanted it to be a civic place for everyone; an interesting mix of heritage and contemporary architecture, that contributes to the revitalisation of Perth’s cultural precinct whilst celebrating the culture of Western Australia on the world stage."
David Gianotten, managing partner of OMA, said: "The New Museum is a place to welcome everyone to explore the natural and social heritage of Western Australia. More importantly, it has been deliberately designed as a place for conversations, to inspire new ideas and knowledge of global relevance. It is a museum that both showcases and stimulates discoveries."
Hassell and OMA were one of a number of teams shortlisted in 2015 as part of a design competition for the museum. They were announced as the winners in early 2016 and revealed their initial designs later that year.
The museum is set to open to the public in November 2020.
Hassell OMA museum Australia
The project has tripled the size of the museum Credit: Peter Bennetts, courtesy of Hassell + OMA
The facility combines four heritage-listed buildings with a newly created volume Credit: Peter Bennetts, courtesy of Hassell + OMA
The museum is located in the Western Australia capital of Perth Credit: Peter Bennetts, courtesy of Hassell + OMA
01 Aug 2016
Past meets the future as architects unveil design for Perth's new WA Museum
07 Apr 2016
Rem Koolhaas wins AU$428m Western Australia Museum project
22 Jun 2015
Foster + Partners, Nouvel, OMA compete for Western Australia’s AU$400m museum
Hassell and OMA have completed construction of the New Museum for Western Australia, which houses museum exhibitions, event spaces and public areas in a newly unified group of old and new buildings. Located in Perth, the facility combines four heritage-listed buildings with a newly created volume, tripling the size of the museum. Inside, there are eight new galleries, a 1000sq m (10,800sq ft) special exhibitions gallery, multipurpose spaces for programs,
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