Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 9 : Construction of the cultural centre, 1977-1981

THE STATE'S CULTURAL SHOWPLACE Perhaps nothing 1ymbollae1 the progrHa which haa b8en made In our state more than the Hteb– llahment of the Queenalend Cultural Centre. This magnificent complex, rapidly taking shape on the south bank of the Bri,banc River, is destined to become a showplacc of our stale. Indeed, expert opinion has ii lhal the centre will take its plillcc amongst I he fines I similar complexes arounll the world. The remarkable elegance of thought which has gone into the centre ensures lhal it will surpass anything of its kind elsewhere in Australia. In many ways, the centre will be unique. bringing together as ii docs on the one site such a wide diversity of cultural activities. When completed in 1984, it will provide a new home for the Queensland Art Gallery, the Queensland Muscum, and the State Library, and will house a major new perform– ing arts complex. As Minister responsible for the Queensland Cultural Trust, I have watched with great interest and pleasure the progress which has ti!cn achieved. It is a tribute to the many people involved in this im– mense project that the con– struction schedule remains basically on target and the overall cost slays within the originally defined para– meters. With the near completion of the arl gallery, interest in the cultural centre is mount– ing daily - not only locally, but intcrslalc and overseas. There is no doubt that the centre will represent an outstanding contribution lo the cultural life of our slate. Generations 10 come will be able lo lake great pride in it. The building program is now in its sixth year, having started in 1976. It is one of the biggest building projects now under way in Australia. The contract for the per– forming arts complex, which it is hoped will be opened in time for lhc Communwcalth Games, was the largest let by the Queensland Government for the constructio of a building. The present project budget stands al some $80 million, with the project proceeding strictly on the basis deter– mined in 1974, with cost escalation directly allribul– able 10 inflation being the only allowable variation. The project is providing substantial employmem op- portunities and will continue 10 do so. As an example, the build– ing progra m will involve some 2,500,000 man-huurs, equivalent lo the employment of 300 men for live years. In addition, 170,0l)C tonnes of concrele, I 1,000 !'>11o1es of steel and 350 tonnes of aluminium will be used, the production and fabrication of which is providing further crnployrncnl. In 1984 when lhc centre is fully operational, ii i· an- 1icipa1cll 1ha1 some 600 permanent staff will be em– ployed, as well as up 10 I00 casuals. The cultural centre will fill a long-felt need in the cultural life of Brisbane, but it will serve the needs not only of our capital, but the stale as a whole. For this reason, ii has been rightly designated Ihe ..Queensland.. Cultural Centre. II is the governmenI's wi!r.h 1ha1 a~ 111.1n Queens• landers a, po»iblc lake ad– vantage of 11s benefits. The concept is an imagina– tive one, and those concerned with its imrlernentalion arc enthusiastic and dedicated pcop!e. The project is truly exciting. With its river sc11ini;, a backdrop of Mt Coot-Thu and the Taylor Range, tran– quil walkways, open areas and acsthe11cally designed structures, the centre will indeed be a superb show– piecc. But more than that, it will offer a genuinely rounded complex of cultural exper– ience for the thousands of people who will visit ii each yea r. Al the same time, ii will do honor lo niur artists, our performers and our scholars. ~puty Pmnttr and Trra1111r~r Dr Ellwards TUESDAY, jl'.JNE 30, 1981 THE COURIER-MAIL ·- 3 ,. lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll11111111111111m11111111111nnmmmnnnnnn11111111m111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111m1 'OPE!ra House' ·price tag ~r Qld Cult u~al Centre 'l'IIE estimated cost of the aiill-unflnlshed Queens– land Cultural Centre on tile south bank of the Brisbane River has do,ubled s ce "its Inception In 1974 - from $51.5 million to more than $100 million. ll:hla does not bother tile Cul• tural Centre Trust chairman, sft .David Muir, \\"hO ~ll1d ye.s– terday that the escalAtlon 1n C09l "has been caused p\lr('ly by 1nnat1on - a change In the value of money." TIie latest cost howe\'er. tn,·otves " r,\te of in– crease far below that or t110 Sydney Opera House, which waa to have cost S7 mllllon \\'hen 1L was designed In 1057, had a price tag of $30 million when construction began In 1959, and cost SIO~ mllllon <more than S200 mllllon todoy1 by the time or completion In 1974. Sir David said the Cultural Centre had "lived absolutely within budget llmlta". "Wages and oosts ln all fleld• have risen and we just have to race lt," ho said, The Cftltre·a first alage ls scheduled to open on Septem– b!lr 15. ~ncludc! an art; gallery, R. • 45 -seat auditorium, • 120-scat restaurant a.nd "500-space cnr– park. The art gallerv Is §Ix llnq 1itc size or tile pre.sent Quec~ lnnd Art Galler\ The centre's performing arts complex . including ,. 2000-soat concert hall, a 2000-scat lyric theatre and a 200-seat studio theatre. Ls expected to be com– p I et e d before the Com– mon\\·ealt h Games open 111 Oc– tober next I•• r. A new Quccnst,md Museum due for completion by Sc1>tcm· bcr. 1983, and It Slate Llbrnr)· towards the end of 1984, will complete the centre. Sir David, who lnspccl.ed J) I' 0 g r C5 S YC!-itcrda~· W\lh t he Deputy Premier nnd Trr.nsurrr, o,- Edwnrd,. snld construction wns on schedulr. Dr Edwards said the ,, ntre v,,:ou ld "surpns.s Rny1111n 01 ll!-i kind elsewhere in Austrnlia: · ··Expert 011!11!011 believes 11,r cent.re wlll 111kc 1,~ place >1mong the finest such 0111- plex~s .round lhe worlcl."' D r Edwards snlct. He ww rtlcd 1he l'entre·. ~·m– hol a, nd . nld lhc cent re·~ Jir:,L director would be named boon.