current affairs

Our work at the National Library of Australia is now complete and was opened formally by the Governor-General on 6 October. The project has delivered a new Treasures Gallery and Exhibition Gallery, a refurbished Main Reading Room, a new Central Foyer  and a new Bookshop. Photos of the completed work will be posted soon.

Our current projects include:
/ First World War Galleries, Australian War Memorial, Canberra
/ Sir Harry Gibbs Legal Heritage Centre, Supreme Court of Queensland, Brisbane
/ Treasures and Exhibition Galleries, National Library of Australia, Canberra / Opening 2011

Our recently completed projects:
/ Newcastle Regional Museum, Newcastle / Opened August 2011
/ Landmarks: People and Places across Australia, National Museum of Australia, Canberra / Opened June 2011
/ Hamer Hall Exhibition & Public Programme Proposal, The Arts Centre, Melbourne

We are extremely proud to announce our recent appointment to redevelop the First World War Galleries at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

The initial schematic planning is currently underway and the expected completion of the galleries will coincide with the centenary of the First World War in 2014.

On June the 2^nd 2011 Landmarks: People and Places across Australia opened at the National Museum of Australia. The project team at CMD had been working on Landmarks for the past 2 years and it was wonderful to see the designs realised and the many and varied objects and stories in their new home. It was also great to catch-up with the museum team who put so much energy into the project over many years.

The first stage of the refurbishment of the National Library of Australia has now opened to the public, comprising new foyer areas and alterations and additions to the Main Reading Room. The Treasures and Exhibition Galleries will be completed over the coming months for official opening in early October. Construction has also commenced on the new Library Bookshop for an opening date to coincide with the galleries.

CMD have been commissioned to design a boutique museum for the Supreme Court of Queensland Library in the new Supreme Court Building in George Street Brisbane. The Sir Harry Gibbs Legal Heritage Centre will showcase the workings of the judiciary, examining a variety of subjects as viewed by judges and litigants alike. Evolving exhibitions will look at a variety of subjects using new media interactives coupled with displays of objects and memorabilia.

The finishing touches are underway as the opening date in early August approaches.  CMD have been involved in the exhibition design process for the past 4 years and are very excited to see the collections being installed in their new home.  We would like to wish the City of Newcastle Museum Project Team every success with the launch of their brand new museum next month.  For completed project images please click here.

We are proud to announce the successful completion of Champions: Thoroughbred Racing Gallery at the National Sports Museum.  The opening was scheduled to co-incide with the launch of the 2010 Spring Racing Carnival, hosted at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.  ‘Champions’ is the final stage of the National Sports Museum project, a collaboration spanning the past 8 years between CMD and the Melbourne Cricket Club.  For completed project images please click here.

Photography by John Gollings

CMD has now completed the design and documentation of major works at the National Library of Australia. The work includes a new Treasures Gallery, an Exhibition Gallery and extensive revisions to the Main Reading Room. Construction will begin in late 2010 for completion in late 2011.

Foyer to Galleries and Main Reading Room

Entrance to Treasures Gallery

Entrance to Main Reading Room

Our current projects include:
/ Hamer Hall Exhibition & Public Programme Proposal, The Arts Centre, Melbourne
/ Treasures and Exhibition Galleries, National Library of Australia, Canberra / Opening 2011
/ Landmarks: People and Places across Australia, National Museum of Australia, Canberra / Opening 2011
/ Newcastle Regional Museum, Newcastle / Opening 2011

Our recently completed projects:
/ Champions - Thoroughbred Racing Gallery, National Sports Museum, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne / Opened September 2010
/ World War II Gallery Half-life Refurbishment, Australian War Memorial, Canberra / Opened August 2010 

CMD is in the final stages of documentation of the Newcastle Regional Museum in collaboration with Sydney architect, FJMT.  The new museum will be housed in 3 historic locomotive workshops in the Honeysuckle precinct.  CMD is designing the permanent exhibitions, including galleries dedicated to Work, Play, Transport, Coal and Newcastle on the World Stage.  The museum is scheduled to open in May, 2011.

Construction has commenced on the National Museum’s newest permanent gallery. Due to open in 2011 Landmarks: People and Places across Australia will include objects large and small, including a windmill! Find out more here.

Here are some renderings we produced during the concept design stage of the project showing some of the other big objects.

Bryon, Paul and Laila  attended the Museums Australia Conference from the 28th September to the 2nd October. Bryon took part in a exhibition critique session of Screenworlds at ACMI and Paul delivered a paper, A designer’s perspective: sustainability in museums.

There were many interesting sessions and ideas circulating. Visiting the new exhibits at the Grainger Museum, Professor Richard Sandell’s keynote address ‘Museums and the good society’ and Professor Morris Vogel’s keynote ‘America’s enduring conversation about national identiy: The shifting view from New York’s Lower East Side Tenement Museum’ were a few of the highlights.

It’s our pleasure to announce that as part of the State of Design Festival CMD have been awarded the Premier’s Design Award 2008 in Cultural Exhibition Design for the Conflicts 1945 to Today galleries at the Australian War Memorial. It’s a great credit to all who worked on the project, including our most important sub-consultants:

/ Beattie Vass Design Graphic Designers     / Mental Media Multimedia Designers
/ Bluebottle 3 Lighting Designers                    / WT Partnership Cost Consultants

Conflicts 1945 to Today has also earned its construction contractors, Designcraft, the Master Builders Association Award 2008 for Commercial and Retail Fitout, Refurbishment or Alteration, $1-3 million. Many thanks Designcraft – the quality of construction and attention to detail could not have been bettered. And of course, very special thanks to the team at the Australian War Memorial for being such an eloquent and responsive client.

Check out a recent article about the Conflicts 1945 to Today galleries at the Australian War Memorial written by Marcus Baumgart for Artichoke 23.