A massive wall of glazing constructed from Alspec ecoWALL 225 flush glazed framing draws the attention of visitors to the new Rockhampton Museum of Art in Rockhampton, Queensland. Located on the historic Quay Street, next to the Customs House, the museum has been built to house the region’s art collection.

Surrounded by the architecture of Rockhampton’s past, this new venue for Australian art showcases its heritage neighbour through a wall of picture-perfect glazing. The museum is an exciting addition to one of Queensland’s most significant heritage streetscapes.

On arriving at the museum’s grand entry area, the visitor’s eye is drawn to a towering glazed façade, which provides a framed view of the Classical Revival architecture of the adjacent Customs House.

ecoWALL 225, which is used for the substantial wall of glazing, is a structural framing system engineered to eliminate the need for additional steel framing supports, thereby, allowing vast interior spaces to be created. The system features reinforced subheads and mullion anti-buckling technology, which deliver a structural strength not found in similar-sized framing profiles offered by competitors.

For the remaining window framing needs across the site, Hunter Evo 150 double and single flush glazed framing was incorporated. Desirable in commercial environments for its versatility, this flexible product from Alspec comes in two depths (101.6 and 150mm), and either single or double glazed glass capacity, which allows a large range of glazing widths to be accommodated.

With Rockhampton being in a cyclone-risk region, the cyclonic impact tested and weathering credentials of both Hunter Evo and ecoWALL products provide the museum’s operators with peace of mind, knowing their valuable collection is well protected.

Now the largest gallery in regional Queensland, the building is home to more than 3000 pieces of art from famous historical figures such as Russell Drysdale, Margaret Olley and Sidney Nolan, to significant contemporary Queensland artists such as Michael Zavros and Sally Gabori. Many of the pieces are newly exhibited as the former gallery was too small to display much of the collection. The interior has been arranged with lower and upper-level gallery exhibition areas, and education spaces, along with retail and dining facilities.

As part of the Quay Street Cultural Precinct, the Museum of Art is another key step in the ongoing revitalisation of the Rockhampton CBD.

Project details

Address: 220 Quay Street, Rockhampton City, QLD, 4700

Architect: Conrad Gargett and Clare Design

Builder: Woollam Constructions

Fabricator: Queensland Glass

Alspec products used

  • ecoWALL 225
  • Hunter Evo 150mm Double Flush Glazed Framing
  • Hunter Evo 150mm Single Flush Glazed Framing
  • Applied Finish: Portland Stone

Photography: Troy Sanders