The NSW Government will redevelop the existing Powerhouse Ultimo, with the renewed facility to focus on design and fashion. Exhibition and public spaces will be expanded and upgraded, with new connections to the Goods Line and adjacent precincts such as the future Tech Central. Planning for a design competition to deliver the Powerhouse Ultimo renewal is underway and is being led by Create Infrastructure and the Powerhouse Museum.
This will form part of the Powerhouse Renewal, which will also include the delivery of the new Powerhouse Parramatta and the expansion of the Museums Discovery Centre in Castle Hill.
Key Dates
| Jul 2020 | Project Announcement |
Funding contributions
| NSW Government |
PROJECT HISTORY
| 2015 | The NSW Government announced plans to relocate the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta. The initial plan was to sell the Powerhouse Ultimo for up to $195 million, with the proceeds to be contributed towards the cost of building the new museum at Parramatta. |
| Jul 2020 | The NSW Government announced that the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo will remain open and operate alongside the planned New Powerhouse Museum in Western Sydney. The NSW Government had previously planned to sell the current site at Ultimo for up to $195 million, with the proceeds to be contributed towards the cost of building the new museum at Parramatta. |
| Jun 2021 | The NSW Government announced funding to transform the existing Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo into a design and fashion focused institution. |
| Jun 2021 | Planning for a design competition to deliver the Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal commenced, with Create Infrastructure and Powerhouse Museum leading the process. |
| Jun 2021 | The 2021-22 NSW Budget allocated $166 million over the four years to FY2024-25 towards Powerhouse Ultimo. |
| Jul 2022 | The NSW Government released an Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the future Design Competition for the project, closing on 12 August 2022. |
| Sep 2022 | The NSW Government announced a shortlist for the Design Competition to renew Powerhouse Ultimo. The shortlist includes: - Architectus, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects, Tyrrell Studio, Youssofzay + Hart, Akira Isogawa and Yerrabingin submitting under the working title SPARK. - BVN and Oculus with OCP Architects, TTW, Eckersley O’Callaghan, Transsolar Klima Engineering. - Cox Architecture, Neeson Murcutt Neille, Other Architects, Hector Abrahams Architects, Sue Barnsley Design and Arup. - John Wardle Architects, Billy Maynard, ASPECT Studios, Bangawarra, Eckersley O’Callaghan, Atelier Ten and Urbis. - Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects, JMD Design, TCL, Sibling Architecture, Freeman Ryan Design, Atelier Ten. |
| Dec 2022 | The NSW Government announced a team comprising Architectus, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects, Tyrrell Studio, Youssofzay + Hart, Akira Isogawa, Yerrabingin, Finding Infinity and Arup was chosen as the successful design for the project. |
Estimated Total Cost
(2021)
Sector
Social
Procurement approach
Unconfirmed |
Location
New South Wales |
Resources
