Ngununggula Southern Highlands Regional Gallery
Ngununggula is the local Gundunurra people’s word for ‘belonging’. Ngununggula reflects this sense of belonging, and provides significant exhibitions and artist-led shows and live events. This new community-focussed gallery is aimed at public programs and collaborative workshops with local schools.
Heritage fabric was protected by the design of independent internal walls to house services and seal off external moisture and heat exchange. Where possible, the new walls are held back to reveal the conserved original rendered brickwork, hinting at the past agricultural use.
Adaptive re-use projects are intrinsically more sustainable than new builds. TZG’s design went further, by recycling on-site timber, brick and metal roofing, sourcing local building materials, and having the entire framing structure for the new walls built nearby at Braemar.
The site was levelled without requiring imported fill from off-site. Provision is included for the future installation of a 99kW solar power system with batteries.
Flexible and engaging gallery spaces were designed to the strict requirements for humidity control and security, for exhibitions of works from institutions such as the AGNSW and National Gallery of Australia.
Awards
2022, AIA NSW Architecture Awards; Commendation – Creative Adaption Heritage Architecture.
2022, The National Trust Heritage Award Winner; Adaptive Re-use.
Team
Brian Zulaikha, Colebee Wright, Wolfgang Ripberger, Julie Mackenzie, Kevin Lee and Roger O’Sullivan.
Collaborators
TZG Heritage.
Consultants
Richard Cox Surveyors Pty. Limited, BCA Logic, Northrop, Donnelley Simpson Cleary, Acoustic Logic, Bylett + Associates, JILA, Varga Traffic Planning Pty Ltd., Mondan Management Pty Ltd, BCA Energy, Eric Martin & Associates, Ecoplanning, Northrop, Arbosaw, Australian Bushfire Solutions, LEP Planning, Hayman, Kan Hancock from the Art Gallery of NSW, Thermal Environmental.
Contractors
Richard Crookes Construction Pty Ltd.
Photographer
Ben Greaves, Zan Wimberly.
