Labor's $300 million Powerhouse Ultimo revamp hit by last-minute hitch
Much of the modern wing of the Powerhouse Ultimo is to be pulled down and rebuilt after a last-minute problem emerged with the controversial $300 million museum redevelopment.
Construction giant Richard Crookes has been appointed to revamp the museum, which will see staircases, internal walls and mezzanines demolished within the heritage listed Boiler House, Engine House, Power House and Turbine Hall, artisan studios built along Harris Street, and the building's entrance reoriented to Haymarket and the CBD.
Under plans approved only two months ago, the upper steel structure of the Wran Building and galleria, forming the modern wing of the Sulman Medal-winning architectural adaption to the 1988 museum, was to have been retained.
But it has now been deemed not strong enough to carry the new brick structure, and the steel-ribbed structure forming its galleria is to be replaced in the same scale and form, with a lower concrete structure kept in place to lessen the impact of construction works on the heritage Switch House.
Infrastructure NSW confirmed the late modification on Thursday, citing a series of concerns builders raised during the recent construction tender process. The existing steel structure was end-of-life and didn't meet current building codes and standards.
'Modification 1 is not about changing the design of the approved heritage revitalisation of Powerhouse Ultimo, it's about changing the methodology of building it,' a spokesperson said.
'The project remains on time and on budget, and a detailed construction program is currently being developed with Richard Crookes Constructions.'
Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the revitalisation would deliver the best and safest outcome for the museum and its passionate community of visitors.
'Importantly the shape and scale of the iconic Wran and Galleria buildings will be safely replaced
and future-proofed, so they can be enjoyed by visitors and the community for decades to come,' he said.
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The Age
3 days ago
- The Age
Labor's $300 million Powerhouse Ultimo revamp hit by last-minute hitch
Much of the modern wing of the Powerhouse Ultimo is to be pulled down and rebuilt after a last-minute problem emerged with the controversial $300 million museum redevelopment. Construction giant Richard Crookes has been appointed to revamp the museum, which will see staircases, internal walls and mezzanines demolished within the heritage listed Boiler House, Engine House, Power House and Turbine Hall, artisan studios built along Harris Street, and the building's entrance reoriented to Haymarket and the CBD. Under plans approved only two months ago, the upper steel structure of the Wran Building and galleria, forming the modern wing of the Sulman Medal-winning architectural adaption to the 1988 museum, was to have been retained. But it has now been deemed not strong enough to carry the new brick structure, and the steel-ribbed structure forming its galleria is to be replaced in the same scale and form, with a lower concrete structure kept in place to lessen the impact of construction works on the heritage Switch House. Infrastructure NSW confirmed the late modification on Thursday, citing a series of concerns builders raised during the recent construction tender process. The existing steel structure was end-of-life and didn't meet current building codes and standards. 'Modification 1 is not about changing the design of the approved heritage revitalisation of Powerhouse Ultimo, it's about changing the methodology of building it,' a spokesperson said. 'The project remains on time and on budget, and a detailed construction program is currently being developed with Richard Crookes Constructions.' Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the revitalisation would deliver the best and safest outcome for the museum and its passionate community of visitors. 'Importantly the shape and scale of the iconic Wran and Galleria buildings will be safely replaced and future-proofed, so they can be enjoyed by visitors and the community for decades to come,' he said.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Labor's $300 million Powerhouse Ultimo revamp hit by last-minute hitch
Much of the modern wing of the Powerhouse Ultimo is to be pulled down and rebuilt after a last-minute problem emerged with the controversial $300 million museum redevelopment. Construction giant Richard Crookes has been appointed to revamp the museum, which will see staircases, internal walls and mezzanines demolished within the heritage listed Boiler House, Engine House, Power House and Turbine Hall, artisan studios built along Harris Street, and the building's entrance reoriented to Haymarket and the CBD. Under plans approved only two months ago, the upper steel structure of the Wran Building and galleria, forming the modern wing of the Sulman Medal-winning architectural adaption to the 1988 museum, was to have been retained. But it has now been deemed not strong enough to carry the new brick structure, and the steel-ribbed structure forming its galleria is to be replaced in the same scale and form, with a lower concrete structure kept in place to lessen the impact of construction works on the heritage Switch House. Infrastructure NSW confirmed the late modification on Thursday, citing a series of concerns builders raised during the recent construction tender process. The existing steel structure was end-of-life and didn't meet current building codes and standards. 'Modification 1 is not about changing the design of the approved heritage revitalisation of Powerhouse Ultimo, it's about changing the methodology of building it,' a spokesperson said. 'The project remains on time and on budget, and a detailed construction program is currently being developed with Richard Crookes Constructions.' Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the revitalisation would deliver the best and safest outcome for the museum and its passionate community of visitors. 'Importantly the shape and scale of the iconic Wran and Galleria buildings will be safely replaced and future-proofed, so they can be enjoyed by visitors and the community for decades to come,' he said.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Katharine Murphy quits as Anthony Albanese's press secretary
As sure as death and taxes is the conga line of ministerial staffers leaving their jobs in politics after an election. The highest-profile of those departures is Anthony Albanese's press secretary Katharine Murphy, who CBD can report is moving on from the prime minister's office after just 18 months in the role, and was busy saying her farewells to the press gallery on Wednesday morning. 'Murpharoo,' as she's affectionately known, left her role as Guardian Australia's political editor to join the prime minister's office last January, in a move that was mocked by former opposition leader Peter Dutton during one of his numerous broadsides against the press gallery. 'I am genuinely shocked to see Murpharoo take up a spot to now be officially running lines for Labor,' Dutton quipped before taking a swing at this masthead's then chief political correspondent David Crowe. Murphy was replaced by veteran journalist Karen Middleton, beginning a period of instability in The Guardian's Canberra bureau. Reporters Dan Hurst, Amy Remeikis and Paul Karp, along with photographer Mike Bowers, all left the bureau in quick succession. Loading Middleton and Karp would both make claims of workplace misconduct against each other, before the political editor formally left in March, after taking several months of medical leave. Karp, who joined our stablemate, The Australian Financial Review, said he 'left with my head held high and with a clean record' in a farewell speech to colleagues. Middleton hasn't commented and CBD is not taking sides. That leaves the influential role of political editor very much up for grabs. CBD hears recruitment has been put on hold while The Guardian's forever editor Lenore Taylor is in Europe. Could Murphy return to the fold? We reached out to her and The Guardian but didn't hear back. There is precedent for Murphy making a comeback. Anne Davies, the outlet's Gold Walkley-winning former investigations editor quit to work as a spinner for teal MP Sophie Scamps in 2023, but returned to The Guardian last year and is filing from NSW Parliament in Macquarie Street.
