A recent article on HOTA Gallery in The Australian Financial Review Magazine offered an insight into the role they believe HOTA will play in redefining the future and reputation of the Gold Coast.
Queensland Bureau Chief Mark Ludlow said: ‘Think of the Gold Coast and images of famous artworks probably don’t come to mind. But the $60m Home of the Arts gallery, due to open in May, might change that.’
When ARM architects won the design competition for the new HOTA Gallery in 2013 we said then that the building would be a beacon of the arts on the Gold Coast. And today, as the final touches are being made as we countdown to opening on Sat 8 May, there’s no denying that the striking HOTA Gallery deserves that description. Even on a gloomy day (and we don’t get many of those) HOTA Gallery, with its bold and unapologetic colours can be seen from kilometres away.
‘The Gold Coast’s new $60 million HOTA Gallery in Surfers Paradise demands your attention well before you arrive at the city’s cultural precinct, a couple of kilometres inland from its famous beach. The six-level multicoloured building, surrounded by palm trees and framed by the holiday strip’s distinctive skyline, has a Voronoi pattern that resembles a leaf or a dragonfly wing.’ Mark continued.
Reflecting on the bold design in the AFR article, Mayor Tom Tate was adamant when briefing the architects that the design for the new building should reflect the Gold Coast’s personality.
“It had to be fun – first and foremost – and make people think, ‘what is that?’ And the last thing, be unapologetic. It’s the ‘have-a-go’ spirit of the Gold Coast,’
The Gold Coast has long had a reputation as a holiday destination, a place for surf, sun and theme parks. But the addition of HOTA Gallery will make the HOTA precinct a place where arts and culture, lifestyle and recreation mix seamlessly.
Mark continued: ‘The HOTA precinct is at the epicentre of the cultural revolution. The endgame of the 15-year development – fully funded by the Gold Coast City Council – is to not just win over locals but encourage interstate and international travellers to visit or extend their stay on the coast.’
Mayor Tom Tate continued: ‘City pride is very important for our city and we are maturing. A city without culture is a city without a soul,’ he says. ‘But it’s also about broadening our economy.’
With more than $399 million committed to the HOTA precinct over the next 10-15 years, there’s no doubt HOTA will help redefine our city and become a source of pride for locals as we stake our claim as a must-visit cultural destination.
Read more on HOTA Gallery and the line-up of opening exhibitions you’ll be able to see once the building opens on Sat 8 May.
And you can read the Australian Financial Review article here.
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