Construction of the New Museum for Western Australia, Perth, designed in joint venture by international design practices Hassell + OMA is complete. Exhibitions are now being installed to ensure the Museum is ready for opening in November 2020. Located in the heart of Perth’s cultural precinct, the Hassell + OMA design was conceived as a ‘collection of stories’, offering a multidimensional framework to engage with Western Australia.
A holistic building, comprised of heritage and new structures, the New Museum for Western Australia will be a place where the local community and global visitors gather, to share their understanding of the past, thoughts of the moment, and ambitions for the future. Refurbished heritage buildings and newly built volumes house the Museum exhibitions, event spaces, and public areas.
Photo © Peter Bennetts
Two intersecting circulation loops—one vertical and one horizontal—connect and organise in multiple ways the Museum’s content, which includes a world-renowned meteorite collection and iconic blue whale skeleton. A core element of the design is the ‘City Room’—a sheltered outdoor public space at the centre of the Museum, framed by the refurbished heritage buildings and a large cantilevered volume.
The ‘City Room’ is an open space for everyone to stimulate their imagination and creativity, and participate with a variety of activities, from large scale community events to smaller gatherings. A large new temporary gallery space complements the Museum’s extensive permanent collection and the ‘City Room’. The New Museum will house a diverse range of cultural programs, and new retail and dining opportunities—a Museum that invites regular visits by everyone throughout the year. Source and photos Courtesy of Hassell + OMA.
Photo © Peter Bennetts 
Photo © Peter Bennetts 
Photo © Peter Bennetts 
Photo © Peter Bennetts 
Photo © Peter Bennetts 
Photo © Peter Bennetts