$7 million tender awarded for National Aboriginal Art Gallery design

A $7.175 million tender has been awarded to an Alice Springs architecture firm supported by an award-winning Australian company to design the National Aboriginal Art Gallery, blending the best of international and national experience with local expertise.

The tender for the Alice Springs gallery has been awarded to BVN Architecture which will join forces with NT architects Susan Dugdale & Associates.

The news follows the announcement of a $250 million investment into Alice Springs, with $150 million to go towards delivering the National Aboriginal Art Gallery.

The design is expected to be finalised by late 2023, with stakeholder and community input central to the process.

BVN Architecture has extensive experience in urban design and master planning, as well as commercial, residential and public projects; while Susan Dugdale and Associates has delivered a range of innovative projects for Aboriginal organisations in Alice Springs and across Central Australia and the Barkly.

The gallery will celebrate the powerful contribution Australian Aboriginal art has made to the world, as well as showcasing the cultural significance and beauty of Aboriginal art to a domestic and international audience.

In addition to the gallery, the much-anticipated Kwatye water play space will be incorporated into the area surrounding the gallery.

Northern Territory Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and Central Australian Economic Reconstruction Chansey Paech notes “The National Aboriginal Art Gallery will be an iconic example of architectural excellence that will be the jewel in Mparntwe’s crown.

“BVN Architecture and Susan Dugdale & Associates possess the flair and experience to deliver an innovative, exciting design that reflects the natural, spectacular beauty unique to our home here in the heart of Australia.

“The Gallery will celebrate Aboriginal art and showcase its creative aesthetic and cultural significance to domestic and international audiences. Much like experiencing Uluru, experiencing the Gallery will be a must for all visitors to Central Australia.”

“I’m looking forward to the completion of design work as this will be a major step towards the realisation of this project.”

The NT government is buying the old Shell Depot land near the Alice Springs central business district and Todd River to build the tourism and visitor centre. The gallery will be built next to it.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner advises that the $150 million Alice Springs arts precinct is set to be the biggest investment in the city in a century.

It is also expected to strengthen the Territory's position as the preferred destination for Aboriginal cultural tourism experiences.

Minister Gunner adds "The gallery will be a national centrepiece, bringing in 50,000 visitors a year, and creating more than 200 jobs. It will pump over $60 million into the territory economy and cement Alice as Australia's inland capital."

The National Aboriginal Art Gallery plan was launched five years ago and met with resistance from Anzac Oval’s traditional Mparntwe custodians, who cited concerns that the development threatened sacred sites, specifically the nearby Anzac Hill. Negotiations led to an agreement that the hill will be protected by a buffer zone; additionally, the traditional owners will be involved in the design process of the gallery, which “will highlight cultural considerations and the aesthetics of how that building can be built on the First Peoples’ principles,” added Minister Paech

Construction of the gallery is expected to begin in late 2023, with completion in 2025.