Melbourne Arts Centre Transformation Project
SHP worked with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation (MAPCo) and architectural teams to embed Traditional Owner perspectives in this major project.
In 2022, we began working on the Melbourne Arts Centre Transformation (MAPT) project. This exciting project will involve the complete overhaul of Melbourne’s arts precinct with a new gallery (NGV Contemporary), upgrades to the heritage-listed Theatres Building and an extensive public urban garden.
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Our role was to work with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders to identify site-based and digital opportunities that would create meaningful Traditional Owner outcomes for the MAPT. We did this by facilitating workshops between Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders, MAPCo and architectural teams, followed by a series of consultation sessions with the Elders to obtain feedback and discuss directions for research.
We then developed a Traditional Owner and First Nations Opportunity Identification Strategy for MAPCo, which outlines key themes and stories for future placemaking as directed by Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders. This document has been used as the basis for briefing architects, public artists and landscape architects working on the site.
The MAPT is scheduled to be completed in 2028.
Client: Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation, Development Victoria
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Date: 2022 – 2024
Scope of works: First Nations consultation, story gathering workshops, historical and environmental research, theming and story matrix, story mapping, Opportunity Identification Document
