MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART BY FENDER KATSALIDIS

The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Tasmania designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects won the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture.

The architects said: "Briefed by our iconoclast client as functional receptacle, not architectural spectacle, MONA is carved into a peninsular of Hobart’s Moorilla Estate, where its waffle concrete and Corten steel container will weather inexorably into the landscape."

Jury citation: "MONA is the result of a unique collaboration between David Walsh, self-styled art collector and philanthropist, and Fender Katsalidis Architects. Together they have created a powerful and entertaining experience for displaying and engaging with art, and by extension, one of the best examples in the country of the benefits of cultural tourism.”

Opened in January 2011, the new Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is a stunning intervention on a superb headland site overlooking the Derwent River near Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania. Conceived and funded by a private client David Walsh to house his private art collection. 

The volume is expressed through a bold geometry of waffle concrete and Corten steel — a material palate appropriate to the duality of its land/sea context, and one that will weather gracefully, ensuring the facade is ultimately subsumed by the landscape.

A green roof with a series of sculpture terraces top the building container and reestablish the land’s original height around the Roy Grounds ‘Courtyard House’, which is re-purposed as the museum entrance. The roof is accessible by both land and water: the former via an adjacent on grade car park; the latter, via a private ferry landing and external staircase cleft through bedrock.

Descending a spiral staircase, visitors arrive at the lowest gallery level, where a slender rock hewn corridor leads to the museum’s principal organising space – on one side, the three levels of gallery chambers; on the other, full height exposed sandstone.

Such raw materiality continues throughout the interior — the building’s internal structure left exposed, and its sculptural envelope expressed — connecting inside with outside in a way that defies the absence of windows.

Interconnection between gallery chambers and levels is unconventional — not complicated, but visually complex. Indeed, the museum as a whole is never clearly seen, but discerned in pieces. Art is thus revealed with a sense of exploration: each visitor experiencing an individual journey of discovery, rather than a preordained circulation strategy.

Also outside the norm is the museum’s approach to energy conservation. Its underground situation, design and materiality enable the building mass to act as a highly efficient thermal stabiliser. Once reached, its internal temperature is thus maintained with a relatively small amount of energy.

Location: Hobart, Australia

Architect: Fender Katsalidis Architects

Project Team: Nonda Katsalidis, Robyn Bartley, Milena Beames, Roland Catalani, Man Ching Chan, Coen Chin, Karl Fender, Daniel Goldin, Kathie Hall, Ashley Hunnisett, Andromeda Hutchins, Nicolina Iuliano, Shem Kelder, Wayne King, John Lamb, Jessica Lee, Andrea Mancuso, James Pearce, Falk Peuser, Anne Sophie Poirier, Tom Robertson, Rochelle Rosenwax, Eve Sayer, Natalie Stone, Andrew Walter,

Area: 9000 mq

Year: 2011

Award: WAF Entry2012

MONA PAVILLION BY FENDER KATSALIDIS

Once considered to be on the outskirts of civilization, Tasmania is still an island at the bottom of the world. But that hasn’t prevented Australia’s smallest and most remote state from taking center stage by being at the cutting edge of luxury hotels.

Separated by a vast body of water from the south-east coast of mainland Australia, Hobart has been the long-time butt of jokes in its splashier Big Sister cities like Sydney and Melbourne. Yet when The Henry Jones Art Hotel burst onto the scene in Tasmania's capital city in 2004 the global luxe set had to take notice. Set on the waterfront, this 56 rooms hotel merged cool, contemporary design into the original wooden beam and stone walls of this 1820s jam factory and showed just how high-end historic could go here with Australia's first dedicated art hotel. 

The original four pavilions: Arthur (Boyd), Brett (Whiteley), Charles (Blackman) and Sidney (Nolan), have been completely refurbished to reflect the open plan design, opulence,and simple understatement. The four new pavilions (opened in November 2009) have been named for architects who have influenced Australia's architectural landscape: Roy (Grounds), Robin (Boyd), Esmond (Dorney) and Walter (Burley Griffin).

The MONA pavilions perched high overlooking the Derwent River offer the epitome of up-market, first class, boutique, luxury and stylish self contained accommodation in Tasmania built with privacy, indulgence, relaxation and comfort in mind. Admire the sunrise from your private balcony, relax in air conditioned comfort and enjoy breakfast from the gourmet provisions in a 'state of the art' kitchen or in the restaurant. Each pavilion has a private wine cellar featuring wines from Moorilla and Moo Brew Beers.

MONA Pavilions are bold and elegant in design, generous in space and feature modern furniture by young Tasmanian designers, along with a who's who in international pieces all complemented by feature artwork of the highest standard from the MONA collection. All MONA pavilions at Moorilla have access to the heated infinity lap pool, sauna and well equipped gymnasium.

The interiors respond to the external forms, with a luxurious dark mood to the warped aluminium clad pavilion, playing off the angled walls defining the internal spaces. The glazed volumes of the diamond framed apartments elicit a lighter response, reflected in the materials and finishes selected. Each apartment has an individual character, expressed through the forms and finishes, the inclusion of art works from the much anticipated MONA collection and the eclectic selection of furniture.