Powerhouse Parramatta Museum by Moreau
Courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki.
Nour Fakharany, Powerhouse Parramata Museum by Moreau Kusunoki and Genton to Open in 2025, Arch Daily, 7 August 2023
Powerhouse Parramata, Sydney’s new largest museum, has been announced to open in early 2025. The museum group overseeing the project sits at the intersection of the arts, design, science, and technology industries. Designed by Moreau Kusonoki in collaboration with local practice Genton, the museum will be located on the south bank of the Parramatta River in Western Sydney, acting as the largest cultural infrastructure project in the Australian capital city since the Sydney Opera House.
The Franco-Japanese partnership Moreau Kusonoki won the competition to design the scheme in 2019. The practice paired up with the local Australian studio Genton and designed a new kind of museology system. The Powerhouse team aimed to reimagine the museum experience, choosing a radically different approach when designed. The solution encourages visitors to find their own way into the space.
Courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki.
Courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki.
Instead of directing visitors from one exhibit to the next, per the more pedagogical principles of 20th-century museology, this design invites visitors to discover their own way of experiencing the cultural institution. It places an emphasis on the individual guest, giving space, light, and a kind, open arms welcome the top priority. The seven grand Presentation Spaces aim to achieve significant attention to detail and maintain a human scale by using tactile materials. The design hopes to combine the iconic with the personal.
Extreme flexibility is one of the design’s fundamental physical characteristics, allowing it to continue to be open to new, long-lived creative potential. Its structural layout and column-free interior help to achieve this simple flexibility. Powerhouse Parramatta fosters an inquiry and open-access environment by strongly emphasizing approachability and simplicity. Time spent in simple enjoyment or reflection is encouraged in quiet areas, accentuated with views of the river and surrounding scenery. Moreover, Powerhouse Parramatta guarantees a unique experience with each visit thanks to its versatility and affinity with light.
Courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki.
The entire structure is composed of two joined rectangular volumes with different heights. A new road connects the city to the riverbank between the two blocks. This allows the public to access the cultural institution with ease.
Courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki.
The interior is made up of different programs, including an exhibition space for Powerhouse collections, an immersive installation space, a performance space, and a cultural and civic event space. Moreover, the design embeds technical research residencies across the applied arts and sciences and extended education programs. Moreover, as of the present day, Paramatta has been occupied by the aboriginal Burramattagal people for 60,000 years; the program acknowledges this history and aims to create enduring relationships and meaningful collaborations with these communities.
Courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki.
In 2019, Moreau Kusonoki and Genton won the Powerhouse Parramatta International Design Competition. Six different design teams were shortlisted in the same competition, including Steven Holl Architects and Carlo Ratti. In 2020, a new vision was released in Parramatta for a central square and civic hub. Designed by Manuelle Gautrand Architecture, the six-story multi-purpose building will be a new community and cultural hub in the area.