Artist Sir Hans Heysen’s historic Hahndorf home to be turned into a $9 million tourism precinct
The iconic Hahndorf home of famed artist Sir Hans Heysen will be turned into a Cultural Precinct by 2023, complete with a gallery, restaurant and gift shop – and bushfire-safe storage for more than 200 art works.
Adelaide Hills
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Famed artist Sir Hans Heysen’s historic Hahndorf home is set for a major makeover following a $9 million Federal Government funding injection.
South Australian architectural firm Snøhetta has been selected to design a cultural precinct at The Cedars, which will include a gallery, restaurant, gift shop and bushfire-safe storage for art works.
Heysen bought the property in 1912 and about 200 original works of art are now exhibited in The Cedars home and studio, where he created many of his best-known pieces.
Executive Director Tori Dixon-Whittle said the idea of turning the home into a State tourism asset had been years in the making and was supported through the Adelaide City Deal.
“It really is an exciting project and the final building should be finished by the end of 2023,” she said.
“Through the tender process, we received 31 submissions from a high calibre architectural firms from across SA who had to take a bit of a different approach to present themselves to us.
“In the end Snøhetta won the contract as they have a reputation for extraordinary buildings, having designed the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, Europe’s first underwater restaurant Under, the National September 11 Memorial Museum, and the Pridham Hall for the University of South Australia.
“We can’t wait for this exciting new project to be finished as it will help safeguard Hans Heysen’s legacy for generations to come.”
Snøhetta Australasia Managing Director Kaare Krokene said his firm would work closely with the Heysen Foundation in the coming months to create a sympathetic and emotive design.
“It was both a home and a workplace so there are possible design drivers in that as, when you walk around the house, you can feel how life would have been back then,” he said.
“It’s something that we want to capture in our design, to create something really amazing for the community.
“What that will look like we don’t know yet, but what I can say is that it’s the type of project where architecture and landscape architecture has to go hand-in-hand, so there will be a strong relationship between the two, but beyond that, we’ll have to wait and see.”
Heysen’s grandson Peter, a former chairman of the Hans Heysen Heritage Foundation, said it was humbling to see his family’s vision realised.
“I had an idea in the ‘80s to celebrate and honour my grandfather’s legacy,” he said.
“It has been a long road and I’m eternally grateful to everyone who has contributed, both financially and with their time, to reach this milestone – the start of the project in earnest.”