For this reason, this year’s Architecture Commission has shifted from an open competition to an invited competition, with innovative and creative ideas invited from a carefully considered list of 10 practices from around the country. From this list the jury selected five teams to design a compelling and engaging design proposition for one of Australia’s great civic and cultural spaces. Invited practices were asked to respond to the aspirations of the competition brief while also considering the ambitions of the NGV Triennial through the thematic ‘pillars’ developed for the exhibition – magic, memory and matter. In addition to the change in competition structure, the jury for 2023 saw the return of Architecture Commission alumni: Architects who have delivered an NGV Architecture Commission in the past.

The invited practices were:

•  Five Mile Radius and Julia Watson (QLD)


• GFA2, Supercontext and Dean Cross (NSW)


• Nic Brunsdon (WA)


• Office MI—JI (VIC)


• OFFICE of CULTURE, TECHNOLOGY and ARCHITECTURE (VIC)


• SPRESSER and Peter Besley (NSW)


• Studiobird / SIMONA (VIC)


• supermanoeuvre (VIC)


• Taylor and Hinds with Dr Lois Peeler AM (TAS)


• Youssofzay Hart with Zena Cumpston (NSW)

Five practices were shortlisted to develop their designs in stage two. The shortlisted practices were GFA2, Supercontext and Dean Cross, Nic Brunsdon, OFFICE of CULTURE, TECHNOLOGY and ARCHITECTURE, Studiobird / SIMONA and Taylor and Hinds with Dr Lois Peeler AM.