ARM Architecture wins design project for Gold Coast Cultural Precinct

Australian firm ARM Architecture has won the design competition for an expansive cultural precinct in Gold Coast City, Queensland, Australia.

The firm has created designs to link together an immersive centre to promote the region’s arts and cultural component, with the site also set to play host to events and programming when the city hosts the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The site for the Gold Coast Cultural Precinct has been chosen by the City Council to be located in the area’s Evandale Park region, which is framed by the Nerang River and offers views of the city’s coastal skyline and mountain backdrop.

The precinct is to feature an expanded Living Arts Centre, which will see the incorporation of a new 1200-seat theatre, a versatile 350-seat black box theatre and a refurbished existing performance theatre accommodating up to 600 people. There are also plans for a 10,000-seat outdoor amphitheatre, which is to be accompanied by an artistic central terrace.

Visitors will potentially be able to explore a sub-tropical outdoor garden artscape, with a lake as its focal feature, while visitors will also be able to use a spiral-helix encased bridge to reach the region’s famous Chevron Island.

The site also proposes a 14-storey New Arts Museum, enticing visitors up through galleries to enjoy pieces of art, city views and perhaps partake in a bungee-jump when they reach the top of the attraction.

ARM’s designs are based around a voronoi diagram, to help establish a distinctive and memorable pattern language throughout the site, which is attached to helix and DNA sensibilities.

The City Council will now use the winning design concept to build support for investment, partnering and participation in the Gold Coast Cultural Precinct.

Once complete, the precinct would make use of drama, music, dance, art, new media and public sculpture features, as well as providing creative educational opportunities and an extensive outdoor programme of activities that make use of the public space opportunities available at the site.