The $44 million Powerhouse Castle Hill expansion is a major project of the Powerhouse renewal which includes the creation of the future flagship museum Powerhouse Parramatta, the renewal of Powerhouse Ultimo and the digitisation of the Powerhouse collection.
Due for completion in 2023, the expansion includes a brand new almost 8,000 sqm building providing state-of-the-art facilities for the storage and care of the Powerhouse collection, increasing storage space by 30 per cent. It will be the home of over 500,000 objects when not on display at Powerhouse Ultimo, Powerhouse Parramatta or Sydney Observatory.
Powerhouse Castle Hill will also house flexible spaces for education and public programs, a photography and digitisation studio, workshops and exhibition prep spaces, conservation labs as well as spaces for viewing of objects. It will be a place for skill-sharing and provide a platform for collaborative education programs for the community and primary, secondary, tertiary and vocational education sectors.
Powerhouse Castle Hill Commission
Powerhouse commissioned Creative Industries Resident Amanda Williams to document the expansion of Powerhouse Castle Hill and Castle Hill plantation by using a range of photographic technologies, some of which will draw on the collection of cameras in the Powerhouse collection.
This commission will enrich Powerhouse’s understanding of our collection and history. It will also offer access to the collection and expertise of the Powerhouse staff, to a contemporary practitioner to develop their research and practice.
Amanda Williams is a photo media artist who is known for her experimental black and white analogue photography, its material underpinnings and historical legacy. Throughout her career as both an artist and commercial photographer, Williams has held a significant interest in landscape and architectural photography and has brought this knowledge and singular vision in these photographic disciplines to document the evolution of Powerhouse Castle Hill since 2020.
William’s work may inform future on-site heritage interpretation and public art as well as becoming a valuable part of Powerhouse’s archive.
