Positive local response to NGV Contemporary

By Rhonda Dredge

There are some pretty heroic buildings around the island site earmarked for the new NGV Contemporary in Southbank Boulevard.

There’s the Conservatorium of Music by architect John Wardle on the diagonal corner across Sturt St.

And the ABC studios directly opposite were designed by Cox Architecture.

But there are also the more austere forms of the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) and their gardens closer still.

Art galleries are meant to be all about the art but the building does have an impact. Should it be subservient or heroic?

Architects around the country are discussing these issues with the release of the design competition last month by the state government for redevelopment of an office building into the new gallery.

Expressions of interest close on March 30 and local Southbank firm Fender Katsalidis is throwing its hat into the ring.

On its design team is James Pearce who designed MONA in Hobart.

The firm also designed Buxton Contemporary, the Ian Potter at the University of Melbourne, Bendigo Gallery and Grangula in Canberra.

“My particular leaning is that a building should have character,” James said. “It should be an actor in the play. It gives the curators something to bounce off.”

Times have been tough for everyone and local architects are applauding the state government’s decision to limit the competition to Australian firms.

“It’s fantastic that the government is encouraging Australian architects,” James said. “We’re going for it. So will everyone.”

James hopes the decision to support Australian design is not just a result of COVID.

“Hopefully there’s a wonderful confidence in the skills we have in Australia,” he said.

Competitions bring out ideas that haven’t been considered, Fed Square for example. “Even though it’s had its critics, it works,” James said.

As a local, James is excited about the sections of Southbank behind the river, the small independent cafes in containers, the squares and laneways that have been created between towers.

The site of NGV Contemporary was triangular, lower than the garden at the NGV but connectable, he said.

The competition favours more experienced firms by putting a proviso of entrants having a staff of 30 or more.

But smaller firms can band together, encouraging collaboration •