The history
The journey to the new performing arts venue has involved many years of reports, consultations, plans and individual effort in getting a purpose-built contemporary and city based theatre for the people of Western Australia.
In late 2003, the Department of Culture and the Arts commissioned theatre consultant Graham Walne to undertake consultation about the potential structure and possible locations for a new performing arts venue.
More than 51 organisations, groups and individuals were involved in this consultation. The key findings of the consultation, which were published in The Walne Report in April 2004, included:
- agreement that the venue should primarily house drama and contemporary dance;
- recommended capacity of the main theatre to be 525-575 seats; and
- inclusion in the facility of a studio space with a capacity of 200 seats.
The information gathered as part of the consultation process became the basis for the development of the design brief in late 2004.
In 2004 a Steering Committee was established, chaired by Alastair Bryant, Director General, Department of Culture and the Arts, to make recommendations on the best site for the new venue. The consultation and evaluation process for the site selection was exhaustive, with 11 sites initially identified.
In November 2004, the Minister for Culture and the Arts, the Hon Sheila McHale, announced that Cabinet had approved the development of the new performing arts venue on the corner of Roe and William Streets in Northbridge.
Following the announcement, a project team began the immense task of scoping the detailed requirements of the proposed facility which resulted in the development of a design brief.
In recognition of architecture as a critical component of the performance experience and the importance of the new performing arts venue to the future of Perth, its residents and the arts community, the Department of Culture and the Arts elected to select an architect for the project through an international design competition, CentreStage.
CentreStage attracted more than 40 designs from architects around the world and in November 2005, award-winning Kerry Hill Architects was announced as the winning firm.
Design development commenced soon after Kerry Hill Architects appointment and has involved more than 70 specialists, including artists, architects, theatre consultants and planners; lighting designers; acousticians; quantity and land surveyors; theatre, program, heritage, ethnographic and archaeological consultants; and structural, mechanical, civil, electrical, façade, fire, environmental and traffic engineers.
In early 2006, the New Performing Arts Venue Advisory Panel was established to inform the decision-making process. The Advisory Panel, representing 39 members with extensive experience and skills in the theatre sector, has also made a valuable contribution to the development of the designs.
