A New Home for WASO

In 2020, The Hon David Templeman Minister for Culture and the Arts announced a Government commitment to redevelop Perth Concert Hall.

Following this exciting news, a project team was established by the Western Australian Government through the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport (CITS - formerly DLGSC) to lead the redevelopment and provide a permanent home for WASO.

Over the last couple of years, the WASO team have worked closely with the project team and with project architects, WITH Architecture Studio and Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), on a shared vision for the future of Perth Concert Hall.

As the vision for the redevelopment was beginning to take shape the full project scope was realised at $173.3 million for the heritage listed building. This funding consists of $127.3 million in WA State Government funds, $12 million from the Australian Government, $4 million from the City of Perth and $30 million from Woodside through the Resources Community Investment Initiative (RCII), recognising the important role Perth Concert Hall plays in the West Australian Community.

The redevelopment work includes:

• preservation of the concert hall’s world-renowned acoustic features

• essential structural maintenance of the award-winning building architecture

• updated seating, new rehearsal spaces and improved backstage facilities

• refurbishment of the foyer areas, including upgraded signage and lighting

• new food and drink offerings

• improved venue accessibility, with remodelling of the auditorium entry, lifts and stairs, as well as additional toilets and box office relocation

• transformed outdoor spaces

• new spaces for small events, school educational visits and training.

While lots of work has taken place recently, this project has been two decades in the making as WASO has searched for a permanent home. When the ABC Perth Studios on Adelaide Terrace were closed in 2005, the orchestra was left without offices and rehearsal facilities and insufficient room available at the Perth Concert Hall for our whole team.

WASO is currently the only State Orchestra in Australia that is split across locations, and without dedicated spaces for instrument storage, or for WASO musicians to practice. We are grateful that this will change in 2028 owing to the leadership of the WA Government.