Stage One Competition for Melbourne’s NGV Contemporary

We are proud to announce the multidisciplinary Grimshaw-led team, comprising Winwood Mckenzie, Baracco Wright, McGregor Coxall, Foolscap, Relative Projects, 20-20 Studio, Flux Consultants, AECOM, Eckersley O’Callaghan, 2X4 Inc, and Paul Memmott, has been longlisted for Stage One of the NGV Contemporary design competition – a project set to amplify Melbourne’s status as a global leader of architectural excellence, art, design, and creative innovation.

An arts precinct of extraordinary significance, NGV Contemporary will become Australia’s biggest ever cultural infrastructure project – the country’s landmark gallery dedicated to contemporary art and design immersed in the heart of a re-imagined Melbourne Arts Precinct.

Nick Griffin, Associate Director and Co-Studio Leader of McGregor Coxall’s Melbourne Studio, said it’s an honour to collaborate with the design team on the landmark design competition.

“The NGV is Victoria’s central hub for art and design, and we are beyond excited and honoured to contribute to a vision that enhances the status and visibility of the state’s thriving cultural community.

“We look forward to working with the collaborative Grimshaw-led team in conceptualising NGV Contemporary as a global leader of architectural excellence, art, design, and creative innovation.”

The design team will respond to six foundational objectives that underpin the precinct’s transformation: Civic generosity, connectivity, identity, activation, world-class best practice, and sustainability.

NGV Contemporary will be set in a new 18,000 square metre public garden catering to outdoor performances, public art, cafes and restaurants, providing connections to Arts Centre Melbourne, NGV International, cultural offerings on Southbank Boulevard and along Sturt Street, and to the Yarra.

The new gallery at 77 Southbank Boulevard will present local and international contemporary art, design and fashion for local and international audiences. The project is set to stimulate Victoria’s cultural tourism industry, creating an estimated 5,000 jobs in construction alongside over 200 new roles in the state’s creative sector upon completion.

Endorsed by the Victorian Government, the eight selected teams will embark on a six-week competition for the initial design concept commencing Q3, 2021.

You can find out more about the project at the NGV Contemporary Design Competition website.