30 August, 2018
Kindly Hosted by Plenary at The Mint

Amanda Levete CBE is a RIBA Stirling Prize winning architect. She is the founder and principal of AL_A, the international award-winning design and architecture studio. Visiting from London, Amanda presented on two renowned museum projects and their incorporation of public outdoor space, which have succeeded in increasing access to people of all ages and backgrounds.

The Victoria and Albert Museum Exhibition Road Quarter in London has unlocked the potential to bring new audiences into the V&A, breaking down the separation between street and museum. As Sydney’s great galleries and museums look to expand, learning from successful projects overseas can offer insights for the growth of our city.

The second, a new Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) in Lisbon, is an outward-looking museum located on the banks of the Tagus that welcomed over 500,000 visitors in its first year, making it more popular than any public Portuguese museum. The focus on this museum, its location and its context provided some key lessons as Sydney looks to move the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences to Parramatta.

Following Amanda’s keynote address, attendees heard from a panel discussion that explored a local perspective for a growing Sydney and the design of its outdoor spaces.

The event was moderated by Committee for Sydney Executive Chairman Michael Rose and included:

• Amanda Levete CBE | Principal, AL_A
• Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon | Director Strategy & Engagement, Sydney Living Museums
• Olivia Hyde | Director of Design Excellence, NSW Government Architects Office

The Committee for Sydney would like to thank Plenary for kindly sponsoring this event, hosted at The Mint.