NGV Contemporary design includes restaurants, rooftop terrace
Restaurants and a rooftop terrace will be part of the new gallery, which has been touted as Melbourne’s answer to the Eiffel Tower.
Victoria
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Victoria’s new art gallery has been touted as Melbourne’s answer to the Eiffel Tower.
Creative Industries Minister Danny Pearson on Tuesday unveiled “striking” new designs for the NGV Contemporary building, which will be the nation’s largest art gallery.
It will be built behind the existing NGV International building, housing art spaces, a sculpture garden, restaurants and a rooftop terrace with views of the city.
Selected by an eminent jury, the winning design by Angelo Candalepas and Associates will boast 13,000sq m of display space.
Mr Pearson said the NGV Contemporary, which was announced in last year’s budget, will also feature studios and scientific laboratories for conservation of art work.
“This is going to be an absolute game changer on the world map,” he said.
“This will be as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris, the National Gallery Victoria contemporary will be to Melbourne.
“It is just going to be so wonderful to see.”
Mr Pearson said the project cemented the state’s reputation as the “cultural capital”.
It forms part of a wider $1.7bn revamp of the Melbourne Arts Precinct transformation and includes the restoration of the State Theatre.
More than 11,000 jobs will be created over the life of the project.
“NGV Contemporary will be Australian designed and Australian made, creating thousands of local jobs and becoming an iconic reference for our great city on a global stage,” Mr Pearson said.
National Gallery of Victoria director Tony Ellwood said: “With its uplifting and generous architecture, this design provides all Victorians with a timeless building for arts and culture that will be loved for generations.”
Early construction works on NGV Contemporary will begin in the next year, with full completion expected by 2028.