POWERHOUSE SYDNEY REVEALS RESTORATION PLANS

The design aims to revive the former industrial structures and transform them into spaces for exhibitions and museum programming. The revitalisation process includes the addition of over 2,000 square meters of public spaces, improvements to the streetscape to accommodate housing for the creative industries within the museum, and new dedicated spaces for the Powerhouse learning program.

A planned reposition of the museum entrance to Goods Lane will improve visitor circulation, thus contributing to the legibility of spaces throughout. Additional entry points will also be provided along the surrounding streets. The design also creates additional exterior spaces in the form of a new public square welcoming visitors to the new museum entrance.

The design scheme prioritises flexibility while ensuring the international standard for exhibition spaces. Large-volume spaces are created, utilising the potential of the existing structures. These spaces are created through the removal of mezzanines while maintaining the external structure. Back-of-house operational spaces in the museum, including a new landing dock, are provisioned in an area separate from visitor circulation and front-of-the-house spaces to ensure optimal space for museum operations.

The Powerhouse Ultimo site contains two heritage-listed buildings: the Ultimo Powerhouse and the Ultimo Post Office. The renovation of this heritage location is led by a team of architects, Durbach Block Jaggers working in partnership with Architectus, Youssofzay + Hart, and landscape architects, Tyrell Studio.