Former Carriageworks director to head Powerhouse move

She turned Carriageworks into place of out of this world art and performances, but the new director of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences will have her work cut out for her moving the museum out west.

• State takes control of Parramatta pool
• $500m for western Sydney campus

Carriageworks director Lisa Havilah has announced her move from the Eveleigh space to western Sydney- spearheading the move of the Powerhouse Museum.

Her role will be to oversee the design, planning and construction of the Powerhouse’s $1.17 billion home on the banks of the Parramatta River.

Arts minister Don Harwin made the announcement on Friday on the banks of the river, overlooking the David Jones carpark that will become the site of the museum.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Lisa to this crucial role. There is no doubt her wealth of experience puts her in a class of her own. MAAS’s future, in particular the move of the Powerhouse Museum requires expert governance — I have total confidence Lisa is the person for the job,” Mr Harwin said.

Lisa Havilah joins as director for Powerhouse Museum, overseeing move from Ultimo to Parramatta. Pictured with board member of MAAS Barney Glover and minister for arts Don Harwin.

Ms Havilah had been with Carriageworks for eight years, prior to that she was the director of Campbelltown Arts Centre, which she held for six years, and six years at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre.

“I believe since it was announced that this is a visionary project.

“I am honoured to join MAAS at this important stage of the museum’s transformation and look forward to delivering great outcomes for the communities of NSW,” she said.

Ms Havilah takes over from Dolla Merrillees who stepped down as director of MAAS in July.

She is hoping to bring the same “edgy” programming decisions to Parramatta.

“I think it’s important for all cultural institutions to take risks and create programs that are relevant to the contemporary community, and I’m very excited to be working in western Sydney,” she said.

The design of the museum will match the programming, Mr Harwin has made a call to Australian and international architects and design firms to “think big” during the design competition.

The design competition has officially opened with Mr Harwin calling on firms to bring out their best for the museum.

“This is the next step in our promise to the community to deliver a state-of-the-art cultural institution for families, industry and schoolchildren to discover and learn,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to the best of the best from Australia and around the globe submitting their designs for the new museum — a future icon in the Asia Pacific.”

The international design competition to be launched in early December will be managed by independent architectural competition organisers Malcolm Reading Consultants who will drive the search for diverse and transformative designs.

The government will announce a winning design in the second half of 2019, with construction expected on the site at the end of 2019.