A team led by Austin-Smith:Lord, working in in collaboration with MVRDV, were shortlisted in a design competition to revitalise the vacant, B-Listed Perth City Hall to bring the building back into public use and create an international cultural destination for permanent and temporary exhibits.

The neo-Classical hall has been closed since 2006. The revitalised building will deliver 3,000 sqm of cultural, creative and community spaces in the heart of the city centre.

Our proposal was to redefine Perth City Hall as Perth’s Living Room; a place for everybody to enjoy. We proposed a fresh, dynamic cultural collector and connector reflecting Perth’s place in the modern world; a new type of exhibition space, unique in its flexibility and adaptability revealed by peeling back the stone facade.

The Austin-Smith:Lord / MVRDV proposal received the most votes in a public and online exhibition.

Our team are thrilled to be shortlisted for this exciting project. Once again extending our longstanding collaboration with internationally renowned architects, MVRDV of Rotterdam, with whom we are preparing the (Y)our City Centre masterplans for Glasgow City Council will bring an added dimension to the project. Redefining Perth City Hall as an innovative and contemporary cultural space presents a significant opportunity for the City to create a world-renowned destination that will benefit the local community and raise Perth’s international profile. 

Graham Ross – Partner, Austin-Smith:Lord