Bauhinia Architects in association with Brewster Hjorth Architects (BA + BHA) were engaged by RRC to undertake a Feasibility Assessment of the effective use of a series of sites on Quay Street owned by RCC, with the view to leverage and enhance existing riverfront redevelopment.
RRC sought to address the current underutilisation of these buildings and to maximise the potential of their contiguity to advance possible relocation and expansion of the Art Gallery, establishment of a CBD Visitor Information Centre and local history display area, designated premises for Smart Hub and relocation of RRC staff.
BA + BHA prepared masterplan studies and concept designs that have looked at revitatising the buildings at 208, 212 and 214 Quay Street as the “lead the way” in a flow on revitalisation and regeneration of Rockhampton CBD Waterfront.
The combined redevelopment of the 208, 212, 214 Quay Street building, together with the riverbank redevelopment project, will effectively create a new hub in the city that could be defined as a cultural hub with inclusion of the art gallery. To this end the feasibility study has included creating a pedestrian market lane connection from the riverbank to East Street, and incorporating the Quay Street redevelopment. This city laneway activity would also link with the nascent riverbank Art Trail. Entrances to the new art gallery, the old Customs House and the old Bond Store will feed off this pedestrian traffic. The old Bond Store will be “on the map”, and back on the city’s radar, enjoying passing pedestrian traffic and a street presence. The market lane concept will require the purchase of one or two properties in East Street. Three options have been explored, with the preferred option having a direct line of sight from East Street to the riverbank.
The facilities to be included within the Quay Street Precinct included:
- A new or relocated home for the Rockhampton Art Gallery
- The new Smart Hub
- New offices for up to 60 staff of FCC
- Visitors Information Centre
- A new outdoor covered markets and possibly
- New theatre based uses for the existing Rockhampton Art Gallery Building.
design innovations and heritage contract
The new Rockhampton Art Gallery has ben designed to show case a blended futuristic and heritage architecture, expressed through the adaptive reuse of The Old Customs House Building, which is a grand sandstone building, in Italianate classical design including a prominent dome roof.
The OCD Customs House Represented an ideal use as an art gallery, with its prominent ceremonial profile, creating an ideal destination for ventral art gallery and exhibitions.
This has been combined with the adaptive reuse of the adjoining office building to accommodate all the required galleries for Rockhampton Art Gallery. This part of the project has been designed with more contemporary elements which when combined with the Old Customs House, they create the blended heritage contemporary architecture that will be successful to redefine the city’s identity and promote cultural and business growth.
The contemporary design has included dynamic facade design elements that allow the new building to change form and appearance, and form an art work of its own.
Showcasing a blended futuristic and heritage architecture has become state of the art for regional galleries across the world and will create a state of the art new art gallery precinct for Rockhampton.
project overview
client
Rockhampton Regional Council
size
performing arts centre 1900m2office 1035m2, hub 480m2, gallery 2700m2
cost
TBC
procurement completed
2016
team
Project Director
Project Architect
Ian Brewster
Luigi Staiano
