HASSELL + OMA has Revealed a Design for New Museum for Western Australia

International design practices HASSELL + OMA have joined leading global contractor Brookfield Multiplex and the Western Australian government to reveal the design for the highly anticipated New Museum for WA.

HASSELL Principal and Board Director Mark Loughnan, and OMA Managing Partner-Architect David Gianotten stated: “Our vision for the design was to create spaces that promote engagement and collaboration, responding to the needs of the Museum and the community. We want it to create a civic place for everyone, an interesting mix of heritage and contemporary architecture that helps revitalise the Perth Cultural Centre while celebrating the culture of Western Australia on the world stage. The design is based on the intersection of a horizontal and vertical loop creating large possibilities of curatorial strategies for both temporary and fixed exhibitions.”

New Museum with projections at night. Image Courtesy of HASSEL + OMA

At the heart of the design is a public space that is the central point of the new museum, in terms of both location and programming. It is a spectacular outdoor room framed by refurbished heritage buildings and intersected by new buildings and virtual platforms, enabling the diverse stories of Western Australia to be told.

A large new temporary gallery space will complement the extensive permanent collection of the museum that includes renowned collections including the much-loved Blue Whale skeleton. The Museum will host a diverse range of cultural, retail and dining experiences, increasing visitor numbers especially after hours.

Early works are expected to start in late 2016 with main construction starting in 2017. The New Museum is due to be completed in 2020.

New Museum seen from Francis Street. Image Courtesy of HASSEL + OMA

Project Info:
Architects: HASSELL + OMA
Client: Brookfield Multiplex/ State of Western Australia
Expertise: Culture and the Arts
Scale: 21,500 sqm
Year: 2020
Location: Perth, Australia
Photography: HASSELL + OMA
Status: Work in progress

Tags: 2020 Australia Hassell Hassell Architects Museum OMA oma architecture

Isabelle Laurent

Isabelle Laurent is a Built Projects Editor at Arch2O, recognized for her editorial insight and passion for contemporary architecture. She holds a Master’s in Architectural Theory from École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville. Before joining Arch2O in 2016, she worked in a Paris-based architectural office and taught as a faculty adjunct at the École Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris. Isabelle focuses on curating projects around sustainability, adaptive reuse, and urban resilience. With a background in design and communication, she brings clarity to complex ideas and plays a key role in shaping Arch2O’s editorial