Liverpool Powerhouse

Name Liverpool Powerhouse
Client Liverpool City Council
Country Darug
Location Casula, NSW
Year 1992-2008

Originally the Casula Powerhouse, the building combines a large regional gallery with arts production and performance spaces, within a heritage-listed disused power station on the Georges River. An extensive process of community consultation and workshops were undertaken to guide the design of the conversion as a multi-use cultural centre for Liverpool City Council.

The first two stages, incorporating gallery, studio, office and rehearsal spaces and the theatre shell, were opened in October 1994 and incorporate a range of commissioned public artworks, including the ‘Koori Floor Piece’ by a collaboration of leading Indigenous artists led by Judy Watson. Recently fully restored, it remains one of the earliest and largest Indigenous artworks in Australia.

A small third stage followed in 1998. The major fourth stage, completed in 2008, comprises a fully conditioned regional gallery, art store, workshop, bookshop, office space and a 350 seat theatre. Each stage of work was designed to a very constrained budget and a carefully managed approach to major services upgrading.

In 2020, TZG were engaged for a further exciting phase at Casula, taking advantage of the high-level spaces in the Boiler House to provide new community – focussed spaces for artwork, digital creation and arts organisations.

The heritage fabric of the building, including remnant equipment, is almost entirely conserved, with new facilities fitted into its exciting, large-scale spaces. The major volume, the Turbine Hall, is a multi-use space for large-scale functions, activities and exhibitions, as well as being the major foyer and orientation space for the building.

The Powerhouse serves a range of professional and community groups in the region as well as accommodating touring productions by professional companies, specially curated exhibitions and major one-off events, and has achieved an Australia-wide reputation for innovation and excellence.

Awards

1996 RAIA National Presidents Award for Recycled Buildings.
1996 RAIA Merit Award for Recycled Buildings.
1996 RAIA National Access Citation Award.

Team

Peter Tonkin, Julie Mackenzie, John Chesterman, Bettina Siegmund, Tamara Frangelli, Elizabeth Muir, Jeremy Hughes, Roger O’Sullivan, Anne Taylor, Trudy Rickard, Karen Horne, Mary-Ellen Hudson.

Collaborators

TZG Heritage.

Consultants

City Plan Services, Arup Acoustics, Steesen Varming, Page Kirkland Partnership, Paterson Wholohan Grill, Transport & Traffic, Warren Smith & Partners, LDF Pty Ltd, Csiro Building, Constructing and Engineering.

Artist

Judy Watson, Robyn Backen, Nicole Ellis.

Photographer

Brett Boardman, Bart Maiorana.

Previous Project:
Roseville College Joy Yeo Performing Arts Centre

Next Project:
Broadview Rise

Liverpool Powerhouse

In 2020, TZG were engaged for a further exciting phase at Casula, taking advantage of the high-level spaces in the Boiler House to provide new community – focussed spaces for artwork, digital creation and arts organisations.

The Powerhouse serves a range of professional and community groups in the region as well as accommodating touring productions by professional companies, specially curated exhibitions and major one-off events, and has achieved an Australia-wide reputation for innovation and excellence.

Related projects

Eternity Playhouse

Bayanami Public School

Bondi Masterplan

Craigieburn Bypass

TZG acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, on whose land we work and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future. We are committed to a just, equitable and reconciled Australia and support the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Always was, always will be.

TZG acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, on whose land we work and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future. We are committed to a just, equitable and reconciled Australia and support the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Always was, always will be.