Page 4045 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 30 November 2022

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MS DAVIDSON: Yes.

Canberra Theatre Centre—redevelopment

DR PATERSON: My question is to the Minister for the Arts. Minister, can you please provide an update on the progress of the Canberra Theatre Redevelopment Project?

MS CHEYNE: I thank Dr Paterson for the question. The new Canberra Theatre will, of course, be the centrepiece of the revitalisation of Civic Square and surrounds to create a vibrant Canberra civic and cultural district.

In the recent 2022-23 budget, the ACT government committed $28.477 million over the next two years to progress the Canberra Theatre Redevelopment Project to develop the planning and the preliminary design of the new Canberra Theatre centre, including expansive stakeholder and community consultation.

The Canberra Theatre Redevelopment Project issued a request for expressions of interest in September this year to find a design and technical partner to provide a range of advisory services, including but not limited to architecture and urban design, theatre design, acoustics, town planning, heritage, engineering and sustainability, as well as cultural advice and stakeholder engagement.

This EOI process produced an impressive result, with 21 submissions received from various national and international consortia. Of these 21 submissions, three consortia have been shortlisted to participate in the next phase of the procurement process to tender for the project by developing concept designs for world-class performance spaces that will create outstanding audience experiences and deliver excellence in urban design and architecture right here in the cultural heart of the nation’s capital.

DR PATERSON: Minister, what national or international design experience do these three shortlisted tenderers bring to the Canberra Theatre Redevelopment Project?

MS CHEYNE: I thank Dr Paterson for the supplementary. Architectus, DesignInc and Hassell have been named as the three shortlisted tenderers to participate in the next phase of the procurement process. These three organisations have a demonstrated track record of delivering exceptional design and architecture projects with international significance. As a consortia, each of the shortlisted tenderers are partnering with international architects to develop world-class concept designs for our premier performing arts venue.

Architectus proudly lists the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art and the redevelopment of the heritage listed State Library of Victoria as part major projects. It has partnered with international theatre designers Arup as well as Danish architects Henning Larsen, who lead the design work in Iceland for the Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavik, and the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen.

DesignInc, who recently completed work on Phive, Parramatta’s new civic hub and library, has enlisted the expertise of Zaha Hadid Architects, the international firm responsible for Beijing’s Galaxy Soho.


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