The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery at Royal Park in Launceston is undergoing a multimillion-dollar facelift after almost three years of planning, construction and demolition.
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However, Launceston architect Jim Dickenson believes the 19th-century building has been tainted with a "conglomeration of tin air-conditioning ducts rising in a ghastly destructive fashion" along its roof-line.
Mr Dickenson was appalled by the Launceston City Council's approval of the design.
"We are repeatedly told that our city is `the jewel in the crown' of Tasmania's, and even Australia's, heritage stock," Mr Dickenson said. "These atrocious air ducts have to be removed.
"That it (the removal) may well be a very difficult, very expensive exercise, is simply bad luck.
"The integrity of the wonderful heritage fabric of our city overrides any such argumentative considerations."
Mayor Albert van Zetten said last night that it was a matter for council general manager Robert Dobrzynski.
The Examiner attempted to contact Mr Dobrzynski but was unable to gain further comment.
