Canberra Lyric Theatre: reimagining a national stage

The design for the Canberra Lyric Theatre opened to the public this October, marking a step forward in the transformation of the city’s Canberra Civic and Cultural District.

Designed for the ACT Government by COX Architecture in collaboration with Yerrabingin, Charcoal Blue theatre consultants and Arcadia Landscape Architecture, the new theatre will be a world-class performing arts venue that reflects Canberra’s cultural aspirations. At its heart is a 2,000-seat auditorium that establishes a new benchmark for cultural inclusivity, accessibility and artistic excellence in Australia. 

The vision was shaped through extensive engagement with community groups, including LGBTQIA+ communities and First Nations peoples. A Country-led approach, guided by Yerrabingin, grounded the process in deep listening and storytelling, allowing the architecture to emerge as a living extension of Country.

“We wanted the design to reinforce Canberra Lyric Theatre’s unique identity – one grounded in cultural respect, continuity and storytelling,” says Joe Agius, Director of COX and project design lead.

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“As a project of national significance, it was vital that the design harmonise with Canberra’s civic fabric while affirming the role of cultural infrastructure in shaping a shared identity – one defined by both our First Nations heritage and the diversity of contemporary Australia.”

Christian Hampson, Co-founder and Director of Yerrabingin, adds, “This project honours and celebrates its unique place in Country, connecting audience and performer through a shared experience of acknowledgment.”

The reimagined theatre will anchor the Canberra Civic and Cultural District, expanding the city’s capacity for major performances while offering intimate experiences for diverse audiences. Its sculpted architectural form of vertical layering and veiling filters light and frames views to Black Mountain and Vernon Circle, while spatial reconfiguration creates welcoming civic spaces and intuitive movement through the precinct. A new Theatre Plaza entry strengthens urban connections and the reconfigured auditorium enhances intimacy and acoustics through a series of stepped terraces.

Representing a once-in-a-generation investment in cultural infrastructure, the Canberra Lyric Theatre embeds respect for Country, strengthens civic life and establishes a lasting cultural legacy for the people of Canberra and Australia.

ACT announcement
Canberra Lyric Theatre

Photography
Courtesy of Canberra Lyric Theatre