National Portrait Gallery
Adjacent to Lake Burley Griffin, this $80 million project houses Australia's growing collection of portrait art. The internal facilities include a café, shop, function room, theatrette, education area and car parking.
A unique element of the building, and critical to the perception of the finished gallery, was the extensive use of Class 1 concrete. John Holland gave this material significant attention by engaging the pre-eminent concrete subcontractors in Canberra and virtually reinventing the process of creating class 1 in situ concrete.
The following construction features allow the gallery to harmonise with the surrounding buildings whilst reflecting the building’s inherent purpose:
- Symmetry and attention to stringent set out
- Overt simplicity of detailing with no trims
- Innovative use of the Aramax roofing material
- Thermal brake window systems
- Lighting to enhance the sophistication of the gallery
Environmentally sustainable design was a key priority for the National Portrait Gallery, but it had to be balanced with the conflicting environmental demands of displaying artwork, a safe and comfortable atmosphere for visitors and staff, and the demands associated with preservation, conservation and storage of artwork.
