Last-Minute Changes To Powerhouse Ultimo Reconstruction Plan
Image: Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo, Sydney. Photo: Alec Smart
A large section of the Powerhouse Ultimo is set to be pulled down and rebuilt after last-minute issues with the $300 million heritage revitalisation plan.
After a competitive tender process, Richard Crookes Construction has been awarded the contract to renovation of the museum, which will see structures inside the Boiler House, Engine House, Power House and Turbine Hall pulled down, the reorientation of the entrance toward Haymarket and the CBD, and the creation of new studios along Harris Street.
Although plans approved in April initially included the preservation of the the upper steel structure of the Wran Building and galleries, Infrastructure NSW announced on Thursday that it would not be strong enough to carry the new brick structure.
“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 told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“The project remains on time and on budget, and a detailed construction program is currently being developed with Richard Crookes Constructions.”
The structure has been deemed end-of-life, and no longer is up to building codes and standards.
Steve Kamper, Minister for Lands and Property, said he believed the revamp would deliver the best and safest outcome for the museum and those who love it.
“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.
“Keeping the structures is not only unsafe and non-compliant, it would cost the taxpayer more and give a limited warranty on the buildings, which isn’t justifiable given the end product will look the same.”
Former trustee warns of city becoming a monoculture
Despite its heritage listing, these last-minute changes have been classified as exemptions under the precinct’s listing, provided the site exclusively remains a museum, eliminating the possibility of sale or commercial development. If these rules are adhered to, building modifications to the modern additions as long as its shape or form remains the same.
The renovations have not been without controversy. The museum closed in early 2024 after the redevelopment sparked protests.
Former Powerhouse Museum Director Jennifer Saunders said in 2022 that the renewal was an “unnecessary wasteful upheaval and demolition”.
In 2021, former trustee Kylie Winkworth wrote of her fear of a hollowed-out Powerhouse” for CityHub.
“What is the Powerhouse Museum without power and transport?” she asked. “I think this is a form of cultural cleansing, and that Sydney is at risk of turning into a monoculture, all artist studios, contemporary art and function spaces instead of actual collections.”
The first stages of construction have begun on the Wran building, with the government expecting a completion date of late 2027 or early 2028, provided all stays on track.
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