After more than four years of visionary design, construction, and collaboration, the $140m Geelong Arts Centre Little Malop Street redevelopment is now open!
We’ve transformed the Little Malop Street building to create the largest dedicated regional arts centre in Australia with a unique design that reflects Geelong’s history, culture and creativity. Funded by the Victorian Government, the Little Malop Street Redevelopment significantly expands the capacity of Geelong Arts Centre.
Entertainment lovers will be dazzled by The Story House; a multi-format 550-seat theatre expanding to 850 in ‘live gig’ mode and The Open House; a 250-seat contemporary hybrid venue featuring a giant door connecting the space to Little Malop Street Plaza, as well as dynamic and colourful foyer and bar facilities alongside a range of event spaces, including alfresco dining at Tutti - Geelong Arts Centre's dedicated dining space.
Dedicated to delivering on a bold future for a clever and creative Geelong, the remarkable design brings together elements drawn from the history of the Geelong, the traditions of circus and theatre, and the strong and continuing First Nations culture and connection to Country.
Geelong Arts Centre is a celebration of artistic excellence and is deeply committed to enriching the whole region. As we embark on this exciting new chapter, we remain dedicated to providing access to inspirational arts experiences, nurturing creativity, and creating community.
Photo by John Gollings
A remarkable collaboration between Geelong Arts Centre, ARM Architecture, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and the wider First Nations community living, working and playing in the G21 region.
Having begun as a series of impassioned conversations between Geelong Arts Centre, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and members of the First Nations community, ideas of incorporating First Nations narratives into the Geelong Arts Centre campus were part of the original ideation for this design.
The project and design team engaged closely with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and other First Nations groups in the Geelong region from April 2020, ensuring First Nations themes were integrated into all aspects of the design process, and not just referenced visually. Throughout this time, one key question continued to arise: “How do we welcome Country into the very fabric of this building?”
Coming together as co-designers, Geelong Arts Centre, ARM Architecture, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and the wider First Nations community identified opportunities to pursue in the project design and delivery, including cultural reflection in the building’s design, economic development and employment opportunities, culturally relevant programming, inclusivity and accessibility.
Together, they have woven traditional stories of the land, language, water and sky, and the colours and textures of Moonah trees, ochre, and granite stone throughout the layers of the building.
Deep listening has been at the epicentre of this design journey, and Geelong Arts Centre is incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation in sharing stories and continuing to walk with us to develop the First Nations themes and narratives that bring this venue to life and create meaningful connections to Country and culture.
Levels of Country
Within its design, each level of Geelong Arts Centre represents a different First Nations reference to Country.
Coming together as co-designers, ARM Architecture, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and the wider First Nations community have woven traditional stories of the land, water and sky, and the colours and textures of Moonah trees, ochre, and granite stone throughout the layers of the building.
The Team
The Architects
ARM Architecture
ARM Architecture was appointed as the Principal Architect for the next stage of the Geelong Arts Centre redevelopment project, the $140 million Little Malop Street Redevelopment.
ARM Architecture has an international reputation for making places that are uplifting, memorable and beyond visitors’ expectations. The Geelong Library and Heritage Centre, also on Little Malop Street, is a stunning example of their work and their commitment to creating landmark and beautiful architecture in Geelong.
The project design team includes ARM Architecture in collaboration with Umow Lai as service engineers and Bonacci Group, structural and civil engineering services as well as theatre consultants Charcoalblue and acousticians Hanson Associates.
Theatre consultant Charcoalblue provided comprehensive auditorium design and theatre planning scope, alongside a full suite of technical design for all the Geelong Arts Centre performance spaces. Guided by the innovative and bold thinking from the client team, and the vision and collaborative spirit of ARM Architecture, Charcoalblue’s Melbourne team brought a global theatre design perspective to this once-in-a-generation community-driven project, delivering two radically flexible theatres both filled with the outstanding potential to take Australian performance to the next level.
The Builders
Lendlease
We were delighted when the Victorian Government announced the appointment of Lendlease to deliver the $140 million Geelong Arts Centre Little Malop Street Redevelopment.
Lendlease’s ‘Geelong First’ commitment will put local partnerships, skills and innovation at the heart of the project. It will ensure that local suppliers and tradespeople are invited to tender on works packages throughout construction, including local social enterprises.
Lendlease will participate in the GROW initiative that works to reduce unemployment and promote the social prosperity of the region.
Lendlease has a long history of delivering major cultural projects throughout Australia, including Arts Centre Melbourne’s Hamer Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne Theatre Company and University of Melbourne’s Ian Potter Southbank Centre.
THE ARTISTS
Little Malop Street Redevelopment First Nations Featured Artists
One of the most exciting design elements of Geelong Arts Centre Little Malop Street Redevelopment is the presentation of specially commissioned artworks within the building's spaces by four extraordinary First Nations artists
In a collection of captivating videos, Wadwaurrung artist Kait James and First Nations artists Gerard Black, Tarryn Love and Mick Ryan take us into their creative workspaces to reveal the stories behind their unique artworks which form part of the fabric of the new Geelong Arts Centre.
In this video collection, viewers will hear directly from the artists and artist mentor Kiri Tawhai as they share personal stories about their connection to Country, their inspiration, their influences, as well as the fabrication journey to present these works.