The renewal will deliver refurbished and expanded exhibition and public spaces, connecting Powerhouse Ultimo to the Sydney CBD, exploring opportunities to re-orient the Powerhouse to The Goods Line and connecting it to nearby cultural precincts.
The Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal will continue to deliver an applied science and applied arts program, presenting exhibitions that showcase the Powerhouse Museum collection, international exclusive exhibitions and programs that support the applied arts, applied sciences and creative industries.
Powerhouse Ultimo will be in a precinct that actively contributes to the growing night-time and visitor economies.
The project is progressing through a staged planning process.
The first stage included a Concept State Significant Development Application (SSDA), which was granted consent on 23 February 2023 by the Minister for Planning.
The winning design for the Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal was selected in December 2022, following a national Design Competition. Detailed planning for this design is now underway.
The next stage involves developing a detailed SSDA. Community consultation to inform the design and planning application was held 17 February until 10 March 2023.
Read the Project Overview and Design fact sheets and visit our Library to learn more about the project.
Design development for the renewal of Powerhouse Ultimo is an iterative process and will continue to be detailed and refined into the construction phase. The stages of the design process are outlined on page 4 of the Design fact sheet.
The next stage involves developing a detailed SSDA. Community consultation to inform the design and planning application was held from 17 February until 10 March 2023.
Community consultation to inform the design and planning application was held from 17 February until 10 March 2023.
This included an online survey, community information sessions and webinars.
Join the Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal mailing list for further updates about the project.
Ask a question using the contact details below:
Phone: 1800 962 221
View all Concept State Significant Development Application (SSDA) documents.
The Powerhouse Ultimo renewal will reinvigorate one of Australia’s most revered museums.
It will deliver refurbished and expanded exhibition and public spaces, connecting Powerhouse Ultimo to the Sydney CBD, exploring opportunities to re-orient the Powerhouse to the Goods Line and connecting it to nearby cultural precincts.
The Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal will continue to deliver an applied arts and applied sciences program.
The design presents a distinct museum experience – unlocking the precinct with intuitive circulation, the addition of new presentation spaces alongside the immense scale of the heritage Boiler House and Turbine Hall, and a new public square at The Goods Line.
A new building on Harris Street will create a precinct that presents an assembly of buildings, each representing a similar use of materials, respective of heritage and the standards of an internationally recognised museum of applied arts and applied sciences.
The project is located within the site of the existing Powerhouse Museum, at 500 Harris Street, Ultimo.
With a budget commitment of $480-500 million, the renewal of Powerhouse Ultimo represents a significant investment in NSW’s cultural infrastructure and secures Powerhouse Ultimo’s future, delivering another world-class museum for NSW.
The timing for the construction of the project is subject to planning approvals, design and procurement processes.
A State Significant Development Application (SSDA) is deemed to have state significance due to the size, economic value or potential impacts. As the Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal has a capital investment value of more than $30 million, it is considered a State Significant Development Application. This means that the application will be assessed by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment and will be determined by the Minister for Planning.
The SSDA for the Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal seeks approval for construction of new museum building along the Harris Street frontage, conservation and adaptive reuse of the existing Ultimo Power House and Ultimo Post Office heritage items and construction of new public open space at the south-east corner of site.
This design is an exemplar of adaptive heritage reuse.
The Concept SSDA set clear parameters around the retention and use of the heritage buildings within the site. The design meets these parameters by retaining, enhancing and preserving all heritage listed buildings on the site.
The Detailed SSDA will be accompanied by a Statement of Heritage Impact that assesses the impact of the design on the existing heritage items. This will look in detail at the connections between the new and old buildings and also include an interpretation strategy to illustrate the many and varied histories of the site.
Community consultation to inform the design and planning application was held from 17 February until 10 March 2023.
Join the Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal mailing list for further updates about the project.
Yes, a Public Exhibition will follow later this year where the community can view the detailed plans, understand and give feedback on the impacts and mitigations, and lodge a submission to the Department.
Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo takes the next step towards transformation with the first stage of planning consent granted to enable the renewal of the iconic museum.
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The next stage of community consultation is now underway, with feedback on the design of Powerhouse Ultimo being sought to inform and support the planning process for the project.
Have your say by completing our online survey, attending a community information session (in person at Powerhouse Ultimo or online) until 10 March.
READ MOREPowerhouse Ultimo is set to undergo a transformation that will celebrate the best of its past within innovative exhibition and educational spaces, following the announcement of the winning architectural design for its renewal.
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