Redevelopment of Riverside Theatres

Five internationally acclaimed design teams, announced as finalists in December 2023, have commenced Stage 2 of the Design Excellence Competition.

Incorporating feedback received from the Design Jury as part of their original submission, finalists will present their updated vision for transforming Riverside into a world-class performing arts centre in May 2024.

The Stage 2 Design Brief clearly outlines the vision, scope, and functional requirements of the redeveloped performing arts centre in collaboration with the Government Architect New South Wales (GANSW). Finalists must respond to this detailed brief in their design concepts for the centrepiece of Western Sydney’s arts and culture precinct.

The finalists include:

• ARM Architecture (Lead Architect and Urban Design) with UN Studio (Architecture and Urban Design), Aspect (Landscape Architecture), FCAD (Designing with Country and Emerging Practice), Supermanoeuvre (Architecture) and Second Edition (Architecture and Emerging Practice)

• Cox Architecture (Lead Architect and Urban Design) with 3XN Studio (Architecture), Turf (Landscape Architecture), Bangawarra (Designing with Country) and Aileen Sage (Architecture and Emerging Practice)

• Durbach Block Jaggers Architects (Lead Architect) with Openwork (Urban Design and Landscape Architecture), Jiwah (Landscape Architecture and Designing with Country), Retallack Thompson Architects (Architecture and Emerging Practice), Schuler Shook (Theatre Planning/Venue Design), Finding Infinity (Sustainability) and Suzie Miller (Advisor)

• Wardle (Lead Architect and Urban Design) with REX (Architecture), Billy Maynard (Architecture and Emerging Practice), Sue Barnsley Design (Landscape Architecture), WSP (Designing with Country), Charcoalblue (Theatre Planning/Venue Design) and Eckersley O’Callaghan (Structural Engineering)

• Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects (Lead Architect) with Spackman Mossop Michaels (Landscape Architecture and Urban Design), Sibling Architecture (Architecture and Emerging Practice), Djinjama (Designing with Country), and Atelier Ten (Sustainability)

Read the Media release here 

The Design Excellence Competition (‘Competition’) is an important part of the redevelopment of Riverside Theatres Project. It attracts the best design teams (including local collaborations) who want to be part of the revitalisation of a significant and much loved cultural hub. The project includes a two-stage competition process - Stage 1 being an EOI followed by a single-stage design competition (Stage 2).

The Riverside Theatres Stage 1 EOI attracted a total of 28 responses based on the competition brief that was issued in August 2023. Entries drew interest from local and international architectural teams who shared their vision of a people-focused place to cater for the growing demand for performances and gatherings in Western Sydney.

Stage 2 of the Design Excellence Competition, which only includes five finalists, has commenced. Teams are required to respond to a detailed design brief and submit a Stage 2 submission to the Design Jury.

The winning design is expected to be announced in May 2024 with construction expected to start in late 2025.

The Riverside Theatres Project is part of an envisaged Parramatta Cultural Precinct, which will also include the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) and Civic Link and other venues in Parramatta CBD. The project objectives include enhancing facilities, improving accessibility and inclusivity, fostering cultural diversity and stimulating the local visitor economy.

The Riverside Theatres Redevelopment is intended to benefit the local community, residents of Western Sydney, Greater Sydney and domestic and international tourists alike. The project is envisaged as an iconic and unique centre of performing arts excellence and a world-class cultural venue which, when complete, will assist in making Parramatta a twenty- first century cultural destination and become the centrepiece for performing arts in the Central River City.

Riverside Theatres is the premier performing arts venue in Western Sydney. It is the centrepiece of performance culture in Sydney’s central city, Parramatta offering live performing arts experiences and a wide array of significant community events. Well-established and highly respected both by the local community and the national arts industry, Riverside is a successful cultural and community asset of the City of Parramatta Council.

The vision for the Theatres, endorsed through the Riverside Theatre 2017-2021 Strategy, is: “Imagining, Understanding and Celebrating our world on stage”. Riverside plays an important role in building a diverse, thriving local city culture. By connecting artists with audiences, attracting talent and industry, and supporting education and innovation, it contributes to the city’s liveliness, vibrancy and economic activity while facilitating authentic community dialogue and interaction, attracting talent and industry and supporting education and innovation.

In December 2022, Council approved a detailed business case to transform the Council-owned-and-operated Riverside Theatres into the centrepiece of Parramatta’s revitalised arts and culture precinct. Council is investing more than $136M million, with $40 million in NSW Government’s WestInvest funding also committed for the redevelopment project.

The Riverside Theatres Redevelopment Project presents an opportunity to create a new cultural anchor of scale that reflects the values, aspirations, and culture of Sydney's Central River City. Our ambition is that Riverside Theatres will support Parramatta’s aspiration and trajectory to becoming a great global and cultural city. The project sets a number of ambitious goals for its future, including providing flexible performance spaces, offering an expanded artistic program for a diverse community; and crafting an iconic and distinctive architectural landmark for Western Sydney.
 
The redevelopment concept plan will see Riverside Theatres’ capacity more than double and include: 

• The addition of a 1,350-1400 seat Lyric Theatre; 
• Refurbishment of the existing iconic 760-seat Riverside Playhouse Theatre; 
• Construction of an all-new 430-seat ‘Black Box’ drama/performance theatre; 
• An all-new 80-90 seat digital development studio / digital cinema; and 
• Significantly enlarged and enhanced public spaces, foyers and food and beverage and function spaces. 

The Riverside Theatres Redevelopment is intended to benefit the local community, residents of Western Sydney, Greater Sydney and domestic and international tourists alike. The project is envisaged as an iconic and unique centre of performing arts excellence and a world-class cultural venue which, when complete, will assist in making Parramatta a twenty-first century cultural destination and become the centrepiece for performing arts in the Central River City.