The Victorian government has given its consent for the construction of the new Shepparton Art Museum. The announcement follows the selection of a design by Denton Corker Marshall for the building, announced in April, which will replace an existing gallery in the northern Victorian city.
Planning minister Richard Wynne announced that he has approved amendments to the Shepparton Planning Scheme that will fast track the development of the new museum.
Denton Corker Marshall’s design was selected from five shortlisted entries (which can be seen here) in an open competition that received 88 entries. Other shortlisted practices were John Wardle Architects, Kerstin Thompson Architects, Lyons and MvS Architects.
The winning architects responded to the site, adjacent to Victoria Park Lake and the Goulburn Valley Highway and defined by flood controls, by designing a square, five-storey-tall “land sculpture.”
Speaking to ArchitectureAU at the announcement of his practice winning the competition, Denton Corker Marshall design director Adrian Fitzgerald explained that, “By making the building small and tall we maximize parkland around the gallery and incorporate numerous places for community interaction.”
“The building must express something of its function. Of course its function is an art museum. It should be an art object in its own right. It should be as if we were artists and sculptors and we’d been commissioned to create a building.”
Four L-shaped facade plates will appear to be suspended abstractly in the landscape. “The ‘L’ to the base of the plate provides essential shade and shelter that, like the traditional verandahs of Shepparton and Australian country towns, creates a transitionary indoor–outdoor realm for exchange and interaction,” said Denton Corker Marshall in a design statement.
Victorian planning minister Richard Wynne said, “This project ticks all the boxes. It’s a big boost to jobs, tourism and the economy, and it’s a great chance for Shepparton to showcase its strengths as a cultural hotspot.”