NGV Contemporary
Collaborating with Grimshaw, Baracco + Wright, McGregor Coxall, and a swathe of other consultants at the top of their field, Foolscap designed interiors as part of one of four teams invited to partipate in the final stage of the NGV's design competition.
The proposal presented a vision for a 21st century museum that is active, collaborative, and inclusive; responding to a diverse public and embodying values of fluidity and transparency. The concept imagined a building not only as a container for contemporary art but also as a relevant, engaging setting for art through layered experiences and connections with the landscape, the city, and curatorial practice.
The design emerged from a focus on place, relationship, repair, experience, and openness. Notions of icon and landmark were reinterpreted through action, engagement, and visual identity. Architecture was considered in relation to Country, natural ecosystems, and the urban environment, with transformative ground planes at lower and upper levels connecting nature and culture while fostering a sense of placeness.
Open Weave turned the container inside out, extending the public realm into NGV Contemporary and integrating nature, art, design, performance, and hospitality at the edges of the built form.
The team shared a commitment to research and experimentation, operating with a unified ethos, diverse skills, and a multiplicity of perspectives to reflect the contemporary world. Open Weave explored architecture beyond spatial components, cultivating a deeper connection with place and demonstrating how contemporary art could question, reframe, stimulate, and provoke.
Open Weave was formed for the NGV Contemporary Design Competition as a collaborative collective. Grimshaw acted as the anchor practice, supporting Australian design leadership, while local architectural practice Baracco + Wright led design stewardship. The multidisciplinary team included Winwood McKenzie, McGregor Coxall Australia, Foolscap, Relative Projects, 20-20 Studio, Flux Consultants, AECOM, Eckersley O’Callaghan, 2×4 Inc, and Paul Memmott.
