Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 7 : Debate on New Art Gallery and Cultural Centre, 1970-1976

JOAN _.., CHRISTENSEN~ 17, of Buranda sketches ,the new art ~ allery yesterday, of THE AUSTRALIAN, Tuuday, Allrll 17, ·1973-5 LOCAL FIR,M· TO DES,IGN ART G:ALLERY 1 A BRISBANE firm of architects has been commissioned to design the new $7.5 m11lion Queensland· -Art Gallery. The firm, Robin Gibson and Partners, won the commission in a . competitive selection. Announcing the commission last night, the ·Minister for Works · and .Housing, Mr Hodges, said the new art gallery would be built on a . South Brisbane river bank bounded by Orey, Stanley, Peel and Melbourne Streets and have 50,000 square feet of parking space. He said the firm's design was selected by a panel of experts. Most of the land has already been acquired for the site. Negotiations for land facing Melbourne Street are continuing. Mr Hodges said all land would be acquired before construction began early in UJ75. The gallery wm have a floor area of 150,000 square feet and wlll be opened to the public early in 1978. . There will be a pedestrian ac– cess as well as riv~r landing ac– cess to the gallery. Simplicity The panel experts said the design exhibits clarity and simplicity of con– cept, and relates admirably t.o the environment and site. Mr a ·1bson has won many architec– tural awards Including Residence of the Year Award (twice) and the Building of the Year Award Cthl'ee times), His designs include Mathel's In Queen Street, Mayne Hall at Queensland Uni– versity and Pioneer House at Toowong. The design for the gallery Includes air cond•ltloning, a restaurant, a waterfall and landscaped---=-ga_r_d_ens_ , _____ 13