The University of Melbourne is searching for a Lead Architect Design Team with the right experience and expertise to help create a new Place for Indigenous Art and Culture.

The Place for Indigenous Art and Culture will be an Indigenous-led research and teaching facility for cultural objects and contemporary art of Aboriginal Australian origins in the care of the University of Melbourne. The project is a first of its kind in Australia, co-locating four of the University’s most significant Indigenous collections in a new purpose-built home in the heart of the Parkville campus, including museum grade storage and supporting spaces.

This facility will be a signature project of the University of Melbourne’s Indigenous Strategy 2023-2027 and a major investment in reconciliation, education, and conservation of Indigenous knowledge for future generations. It will be the international lead for the collaborative care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander material seeking strong Indigenous-led practices and future-proofing access to Indigenous knowledges and collections for communities of origin and the public.

This Expression of Interest is open to design practices across Australia.

Key dates and stages

The selection process has two stages.

Stage 1 (current stage): Expressions of Interest (EOI) - 29 June – 25 July 2023

Stage 2: A short-list will be selected to proceed to the Request for Tender (RFT) - 28 August – 22 September 2023 (TBC)

Please refer to the EOI Information Pack for further details.

Key eligibility

The EOI is open to suitably qualified architects who can demonstrate they have:

Offices in Australia (including a Melbourne presence)

Capacity to provide $20 million Professional Indemnity and Public and Products Liability Insurances