Burnie Arts redevelopment project
Project Details
We are excited to share with you a proposed new vision for Burnie's cultural precinct.
In early 2021, Council announced a change in direction for Burnie’s cultural precinct – where the city’s art gallery and museum would combine with its function centre to create a new cultural space.
This is not just a cosmetic refurbishment of the Burnie Arts & Function Centre, but a new vision and model for culture and creativity in our city.
This project has been made possible through generous support from the Australian Government, Burnie City Council and the Thyne Reid Foundation.
Burnie Arts brand identity and logo
Our precinct is a chip off the block. Our industrial nature, and raw materials connect us to our environment and inspire our creativity and culture.
The Project Steering Committee has been overseeing the Cultural Centre project. With "Burnie Arts" as the approved name, consultant Meg Perkins is crafting a new visual identity that reflects Burnie’s landscape, history, and the design of the new building, while featuring a distinctive colour linked to our cultural heritage.
Take a look at the inspiration behind the proposed brand identity for Burnie Arts released in June 2024:
Burnie-Arts-Brand-Identity.pdf(PDF, 8MB)
Key Project Milestones
The Australian Government accepted Council’s business case and approved a $5 million commitment (originally intended for a new North West Museum and Art Gallery building) to be re-directed in to the re-imagined Burnie Cultural Centre project. In 2022, post the Federal election of that year, a further commitment of $13 million was made to the project by the new Australian Government with the Burnie Cultural Precinct project included as the only Tasmanian regional cultural infrastructure project identified within the Australian Government's 5-year cultural policy document "Revive".
To better understand community expectations the architectural designs produced by Xsquared were presented for community consultation. Community members Tich Ferencz and Eleanor Austin joined the Steering Committee as a conduit for community feedback throughout the consultation process. Vos Constructions was awarded the construction contract and have started work on the demolition.
The time frame is shown below with key milestones:
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The Vision - First round of consultation ends
31 July 2021 |
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Council considered Consultation Feedback and adopted Final Report
Workshop and Council Meeting August 2021 |
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Architectural Concept and Design - appointment of Xsquared Architects
January 2022 |
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Second Round of Community Consultation - Architectural Design
October 2022 |
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Construction Tender and Appointment of Contractor
Awarded March 2023 |
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Construction - Commencement through to Completion
Commenced April 2023 |
The key milestones will be updated as the project progresses.
Construction Updates
Stage 1 - updates 2023
BAFC Redevelopment (Stage 1) – Contract 2694
December 2023
With stage one almost complete - a visit to the Burnie Arts Centre now takes you through part of the new and spectacular Long Room that includes some of the fresh permanent displays featuring ‘Burnie Stories’ drawn from objects and images in our extensive art and museum collections. The Southern entry and the new Café that will complete stage one - will be opening in early 2024!
And the shows still go on!
The 2024 performing arts program is bigger than ever with so much to see and experience for all ages and interests including contemporary and classical concerts, big band jazz and an opportunity to dress up and learn swing dancing, quality drama, contemporary dance, special shows for children in every school holiday, a new comedy festival and affordable lunchtime concerts.
Add to all this a dash of Johnny Cash, Kevin Bloody Wilson and a Taste of Ireland - there’s no excuse not to make Burnie arts centre a regular destination in 2024!
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New objects on display from "Burnie's Stories
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Part of the new spectacular Long Room
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Part of the new spectacular Long Room
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November 2023
What an entrance! The framing for the new Burnie Arts Centre is taking shape! It presence promises to lead you into a realm of Burnie's past and present, with some exciting and innovative designs inside!
October 2023
Above Left and Right: Town Hall lights and pully systems getting upgrades
Above Left: Town Hall getting new stage upgrades ^ Above Right: New lighting being installed in the Long Room
Above: Box office in the new Long Room
September 2023
Above Left: preparations for the portrait wall ^ Above Right: painting of slats for balcony face
July 2023
Sisalation has been installed on the external walls in preparation for the zinc cladding. Contractors Klek roofing (who will be installing the zinc cladding) have built themselves an all weather workshop on site.
The Cultural centres Long Room has been stripped of its ceilings and the reception area is framed up and ready for cladding.
Excavations are complete for the Café extension. Culture and Coffee anyone?
The area to be clad with zinc is all wrapped up
Klek Roofing who are installing the zinc cladding have built themselves a workshop on site.
Long Room stripped of ceilings. Reception area framed up on the left.
Excavations complete for the café extension.
June 2023
...and down came the staircase !
Scaffolding has also started going up getting ready to take the old cladding down to replace it with Zinc Cladding. It is estimated that it will take 15 weeks to clad the building.
Fun fact - The new Zinc cladding is weatherproof, corrosion resistant, and not degraded by Ultra Violet light. A patina on the surface protects it from moisture. As a result, zinc roofing and cladding has a very long service life, and can in theory last up to 100 years without degradation.
The scaffolding going up - to bring the cladding down
May 2023
Demolition is now well under way.
The ceiling tiles we all came to know and love over the last 47 years have been removed (see pictured), and we can now see what was up above that ceiling! The electrician is busy isolating the cables and wiring.
The town hall balcony is also stripped in readiness for a revamp and addition of a wheelchair accessible space.
Demolition will continue over the next few weeks and we will continue to share the progress.
Demolition is well under way!
Gone are the 47 year old ceiling tiles
Balcony has been stripped in readiness for a revamp
Stage 2 - updates 2024
BAFC Redevelopment (Stage 2) – Contract 2711
October 2024
Construction of the Atrium space, previously the external courtyard is well underway. Steelwork is erected and glazing for the roof is complete. The surrounding roofed area is framed and clad. The blockwork lift shaft is fully complete with the lift lid in place. Major external ground works were undertaken during August/September with fire mains and new water line laid around the building. This included new fire hydrants and booster assembly. Set-out and excavation of the external western link from the car park to the new entry has commenced.
The café area is complete both internally and externally. Laying of Bluestone paving to the external slabs has been delayed to ensure pavers are not damaged through adjacent external works. The pavers external to the café will be laid early October. Pavers under the entry canopy will not be laid until some further external work can be completed as these “tooth” into the external pavement. The southern entry is substantially complete with “nose” of the canopy delayed. The structure for this is now in place and the remaining cladding will be installed once this arrives on site.
July 2024
Demolition of the internal courtyard has been completed. Excavations for footings, including the lift shaft are poured and blocks for the lift shaft have arrived on site. Steelwork erection for the new Atrium space will commence in July. The lower ground back of house areas are complete and these have been handed back to BAFC for storage use. Zinc cladding to the north external wall is complete except for areas adjacent new northern canopy.
Café cooking equipment delivery has been delayed but will be installed early July. Floor finish and glazing to Long Room space is complete. Soffit and external express cladding to entry canopy complete. Café external walls underway. Entry slabs complete with paving to commence in conjunction with external work.
May 2024
Demolition of the internal courtyard (below) is nearly complete with footings for the lift shaft, stairs and walkways commencing soon.
The internal courtyard before construction commenced.
Demolition of the internal courtyard is almost complete.
The glass section of the building (below), which housed the Town Hall Bar, was replaced with Cemintal Barestone during Stage 1 of the redevelopment. During the current Stage 2 of the redevelopment, the degraded cement sheet area has been replaced with zinc seam cladding, which is a fully recyclable product that has a lifespan of 60-100 years.
The glass section that has been replaced in stage 1.
The Cemintel Barestone exterior.
On the otherside of the Cemintel Barestone wall is the new bar in the Town Hall.
March 2024
Demolition of Stage 2 is well underway with framework commenced in the Long Room.
Lower ground back of house areas are also under construction.
Zinc cladding to external wall in Little Alexander Street is complete.
January 2024
Preparations on stage two are underway. With plans to reimagine the internal courtyard and establish a glazed roof, the installation of a lift for an all access pass to the Town Hall balcony and completion of the Northern extension – we are set to see all this and more develop in 2024.
As we begin works on Stage two, we'd like to advise the community that we have closed the walkway between Burnie Arts and Culture Centre and Wilmot Street.
Please use the alternative path to the Kings Street Carpark and the BAFC on the other side of the road (see map)
Location
Burnie Arts Centre, 77-79 Wilmot St, Burnie 7320 View Map and directions
-41.0509338,145.9025573
Burnie Arts Centre, 77-79 Wilmot St ,
Burnie 7320
Burnie Arts Centre, 77-79 Wilmot St ,
Burnie 7320
Burnie Arts redevelopment project