NSW Government calls on designers for new Powerhouse Museum

The NSW government is calling on world-leading architects to design the new Powerhouse Museum at Parramatta along with a public space and pedestrian bridge for Western Sydney.

• Powerhouse in Parramatta will showcase arts by the river
• Powerhouse Museum will move to Parramatta: Gladys Berejiklian­

The NSW government is calling on world-leading architects to design the new Powerhouse Museum at Parramatta along with a public space and pedestrian bridge for Western Sydney.

The international design competition, which officially launches today, marks the next major step in the Coalition’s plans to the museum from its current location in Ultimo to Western Sydney.

Artists impression of the new Powerhouse museum that will be built in Parramatta.

Arts Minister Don Harwin said the government was “looking for the best designers from across NSW, Australia and internationally” to create the new “cultural landmark”.

The two-stage competition process has the endorsement of the Australian Institute of Architects with Australian entrepreneur Naomi Milgrom AO to chair a “highly-credentialed jury”.

Site of the preferred location for Parramatta’s new Powerhouse Museum. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“While Labor announced vague plans to build a much smaller ‘institution’ with no collection or operational budget — this Government is getting on with designing and building a museum that will be the envy of the world here in Parramatta,” Mr Harwin said.

“Western Sydney deserves nothing but the best and that’s what we are going to build in Parramatta.”

The two major parties are at war with each other with opposing plans for the Powerhouse Museum.

Opposition Leader Michael Daley this week vowed Labor would keep the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo and build a $500 million “world class cultural institution” in Parramatta if he won the NSW election in March.

But Premier Gladys Berejiklian slammed the policy saying it would leave Western Sydney with a “second-rate” cultural institution.

Sydney's Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo. Photo Jeremy Piper

A large planetarium will be a key feature of the new Powerhouse Museum at Parramatta, which will also showcase the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences’ collection developed over the last 135 years.

The first stage of expressions of interest for the design competition are now open and close on March 18.

Designs produced by short-listed teams will be on public display later this year.

For more information visit https://competitions.malcolmreading.com/maasparramatta