Project updates | Kingston Arts Precinct

Project update - January/February 2024

Following on from our engagement sessions over November/December 2023, the KAP project team is now developing and refining a Precinct Concept Masterplan over the coming months. The community provided considered feedback on options for the precinct design, significantly on options to address the parking requirements as well as ensuring the heritage experience is celebrated, access and movement for the precinct and outcomes for the arts organisations.
There will be future updates over 2024 as the Precinct Development Application design is progressed.
The SLA would like to update the community regarding some site works commencing soon.
There are some dead trees to the precinct’s Wentworth Avenue frontage with some falling over in the past few months. Some of these trees are part of a Heritage Registration landscape remnants to the historical planting of the former Thomas Charles Weston’s 1920s windbreak plantings in the early stages of the Federal Capital.
The dead trees as indicated on the below plans will be felled by an approved ACT Government contractor with a 1.5 metre height tree stump being retained until precinct’s development works commence. This is to avoid disruption to existing in-ground services that may run near these root systems. Once removed, these dead trees will be replaced with ACT Heritage approved replacement trees to embrace the historic landscape.
Over the period of these site works, an area will be closed off with some access driveways temporarily closed to ensure safety. Please do not enter the site area for your own safety.
Based on Arborist recommendations, as the pine trees have died in a ‘standing form,’ unfortunately the quality of the timber is not fit for any re-use other than for chip wood mulch.

Project update - December 2023

In November/December 2023 several engagement activities were held to gather feedback on three design concepts for the Kingston Arts Precinct with a specific focus on the approach to carparking for the Arts Precinct and Kingston Foreshore area. Workshops were undertaken with the Kingston Arts Precinct Community Panel, the broader community and the KAP Arts organisations.
First Nations and Ngunnawal community members and representatives were also invited to participate in the broader community workshop which was co-facilitated by Communication Link and Curijo. Many Ngunnawal community members participated in the workshop and contributed valuable feedback and information, enriching the community engagement process.
A pop-up event was held at the Old Bus Depot Markets on 3 December 2023, which provided a high-level summary of the precinct options presented at the workshops.
Feedback received in the engagement activities has been collated by the design team to inform the final precinct concept design to be approved by the Suburban Land Agency.

Project update - October/November 2023

The Principal Design Team considered feedback received during June/July/August engagement with KAP community panel, broader community, Ngunnawal community, DNCCC, artsACT, arts organisations and ACT Government interagency stakeholders which identified a preferred design study for the site.
Further engineering and planning review of carparking requirements has been undertaken to understand and confirm the needs for the arts organisations function and visitation as well as public parking numbers that would cater for the Kingston Foreshore.
Based on the preferred design study option new master plan scenarios have been developed exploring alternative carpark locations and its impact on the integrated urban design outcome.
Further review of the possibilities for the mixed use area of the site has also been explored, including alternative housing models and other permissible uses.
The next community engagement workshop is scheduled as below.
- Date and time: Thursday, 30 November 2023, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
- Venue: Manuka Oval (Bradman Room), Manuka Circuit Griffith, ACT 2603
- Click here to register for the workshop
The objective of this engagement is to present our review and considerations noted above, discuss and seek feedback on the master plan options.

Project update - August 2023

The Principal Design Team with the SLA and artsACT have undertaken several engagement workshops with the future KAP resident arts organisations, KAP community panel, broader community, and ACT Government interagency stakeholders. The team held an engagement workshop with Ngunnawal representatives in mid-August to workshop the precinct concept design options.
The Principal Design Team are collating the feedback received in the workshops thus far and are working with SLA to investigate issues of priority for the precinct design options.
The Principal Design Team participated in a Walk on Country across three locations, the Kingston Arts Precinct Site, the National Gallery of Australia Sculpture Garden and the Jerrabomberra Wetlands, guided by a Ngunnawal representative. The Principal Design Team appreciate the knowledge shared and endeavour to respectfully integrate Ngunnawal culture and values into the precinct, architectural and public realm design response.
The Principal Design Team have undertaken the first round of functional relationship briefing with the arts organisations to clarify and confirm the Functional Design Brief of the arts organisations future accommodation.

Project update - July 2023

The design team have been working with the Suburban Land Agency (SLA) and artsACT to produce three unique precinct concept design studies.
The design team have been exploring carpark development sizes and locations with each of the precinct concept studies to balance the project priorities.
The design team have undertaken engagement workshop sessions with the future KAP resident Arts Organisations, Community Panel, ACT directorates/agencies, First Nations representatives & broader community. The workshop sessions shared and discussed the precinct concept studies and the next step will be the formal recommendation of one precinct concept option for development in the Estate Development Plan and Architectural & Landscape design stages.

Project update - June 2023

The first of our community workshops will be held at the end of June 2023.

The objective of this workshop is to present the precinct concept designs and gather feedback from the community to see how the concept designs represent the design principles from the Place Brief.

The workshop will be held on Thursday, 29 June 6.30 - 8.30pm at the East Hotel, 69 Canberra Ave, Kingston.

If you would like to join the workshop, please click HERE to register.

Project update - May 2023

Since last update, the Kingston Arts Precinct (KAP) Design team undertook a site walk around the existing KAP site and Kingston Foreshore area. As part of their functional analysis of the tenant technical requirements, the team along with the Project Managers, visited the existing facilities of the future KAP resident arts organisations.

Currently, the Design team is:

working with the Suburban Land Agency (SLA) and Project Managers to analyse the historical documentation undertaken on the KAP project, to date, including a review of the previous masterplan and precinct concept designs
testing development options for the precinct concept design, framing the project vision with the Place Brief place pillars and design principles, and
finalising the stakeholder engagement strategy to guide community engagement through the design process.

While the Design team have been busy in establishing the KAP project and commencing design activities, we have finalised the Stakeholder and Community Design Engagement Plan. The Plan outlines the activities to be delivered in support of the design stage of the KAP and contains information on engagement activities and how you can have your say in the Precinct’s development.

Project update - March 2023

The Kingston Arts Precinct (KAP) Place Brief is now complete. Throughout 2022 we have worked closely with the community and key stakeholders in the development of a Place Brief that brings together aspirations of our diverse Canberra community. It integrates ideas, experiences, and values KAP will bring to life, expressed by community, arts organisations, and stakeholders – the people who will live, work and play in the precinct.

The Place Brief provides a framework for decision making to ensure the precinct stays true to its vision to become a leading arts destination, celebrating a rich living history and vibrant community life, through discovery, connection and collaboration. Created through a place-based approach, the Place Brief puts people first.

The purpose of the Place Brief is to guide SLA and arts ACT, developers, architects, landscape architects and urban designers in preparing designs and future development proposals that respond to the area’s unique character and contributes positively to a sense of place.

We are excited to announce that we have now engaged a new consulting project team that will take the project forward during 2023. RPS AAP Consulting are the Project Managers that will lead the consulting team; Turner & Townsend have joined the team as the Quantity Surveyors, and NH Architecture have joined the team as the Principal Design Group. Together the team will develop the designs for the Precinct that responds and reflects the KAP Place Brief aspirations and meets the needs for the arts community that will reside within the Precinct.

Over the next 12 months further engagement with the community and arts organisations will take place through different stages of the design to prepare submissions for formal approvals that will permit construction to commence.

Project update - December 2022

It has been a busy year working in partnership with the community and key stakeholders to develop a Place Brief for the Kingston Arts Precinct. This has been a co-create journey that has involved workshops, interviews, site visits, self-led walk shops, pop up stalls, a youth PasteUp artwork, employee surveys, a creative panel discussion, a community survey and detailed conversations with Ngunnawal Elders and Knowledge Holders.

Thank you to everyone who has taken time to be part of the process and provided us with valuable feedback and insights that have helped shape the Place Brief. The Community Survey that closed in September received a very strong response with 481 people taking part. The results from the survey have been key to informing the outcomes for the design principles for the Precinct. A Listening Report has been developed outlining the results from the survey and ‘what we heard’.

Specific engagement with Ngunnawal Traditional Owners commenced earlier in the year with the assistance of Curijo. SLA is committed to undertaking a meaningful engagement with the Ngunnawal Traditional Owners and stakeholders to help understand the unique social, spiritual, and historical connection to place as part of the engagement and the development of the Kingston Arts Precinct. The outcome of this engagement is the final piece of the puzzle that will complete the Kingston Arts Precinct Place Brief. We anticipate its release in early 2023 when we welcome on board the Design Team who will be turning the outcomes from the Place Brief into a final design for the Precinct.

We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the community and key stakeholders and we progress the Kingston Arts Precinct.