Construction on Melbourne’s highly anticipated contemporary gallery and urban garden, The Fox: NGV Contemporary, is set to begin, marking a major milestone in the city’s arts precinct transformation.
Lendlease, led by Executive General Manager for Victoria Construction Bill Alexandrakis, has been awarded the contract to build the new 30,000 square metre art gallery and part of the Laak Boorndap garden.
The gallery, located behind the current National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), will be the largest of its kind in Australia and feature a sweeping rooftop terrace along with new hospitality and events spaces.
Laak Boorndap, an 18,000 square metre garden, will include biodiverse planting, sculptures, and spaces for relaxation.
The development is part of a larger $1.7 billion overhaul of the Arts Precinct, which also involves the redevelopment of the Arts Centre’s Theatres Building and is set to open in 2028.
Alexandrakis commented on the project, saying, “Our experienced team will work alongside the project and design teams to create a celebrated, city-shaping cultural landmark that will create a new global destination for the arts.”
The gallery aims to be a major cultural draw, as noted by NGV Director Tony Ellwood, who called The Fox “the premier institution in Australia for audiences to experience, learn and enjoy groundbreaking new work by contemporary practitioners.”
The development is also a significant step forward for local employment, with over half a million hours of work dedicated to training cadets, apprentices, and trainees throughout the project.
Source: Herald Sun.
