Laing O’Rourke Australia has won a competitive tender for Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) in the Sydney Opera House’s Stage 1 Building Renewal program.
Comprising $250 million of projects to be carried out over the next five years, the program is the largest package of works since the Opera House opened in 1973 and includes design involvement from ARM Architecture, Tonkin Zulaikha Greer (TZG) and Scott Carver architects.
The job has been broken up into five parcels of which have been split among ARM, TZG and Scott Carver and will include upgrades to the Opera House‘s two largest internal performance spaces, the Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre, as well as upgrades to the entry and foyers and new creative learning and function centres.
Under the ECI contract, Laing O’Rourke will work with the Opera House and its design teams to ensure the program is as efficient as possible and provides the best value for money. Each project will progress through a series of review points before moving on to the construction phase.
Laing O'Rourke Australia’s Managing Director, Cathal O’Rourke, said he was delighted with the opportunity to work on renewing one of the world’s most iconic buildings.
“We are excited and honoured to be working on this landmark building and look forward to collaborating with the Opera House and its design teams to identify the smartest, most efficient and sensitive solutions for this important project,” O’Rourke said.
The first project to reach construction will be the upgrade of the Joan Sutherland Theatre. This theatre, the second largest internal venue at the Opera House, will be closed from May to December 2017 to replace its end of life equipment.
