Albert Hall architect Scott Balmforth discusses the designs for the remodelled east wing

Director of Terroir, the architecture firm responsible for the project, Scott Balmforth, said the new east wing would return the Victorian-era building to its former glory and enhance its connection with City Park.

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"We explored ways that we can better connect the old Albert Hall to City Park," Mr Balmforth said.

"Originally, the Albert Hall was built as part of an international exhibition. It was the building as we see it and then a series of temporary pavilions that went almost halfway along Cimitiere Street.

"We drew inspiration from that on how to better connect the building back to the park, which the extension built in the 1980s and other iterations since haven't done to the best of its capability."

The exterior of the new wing features a gentle slope from two storeys to one, and heavily features "a perforated metal skin".

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Mr Balmforth said these drew heavily on existing structures in City Park, as the design was intended to emphasise the existing northern facade, something he said was the "hero" of the building.

"We looked at the ornate Victorian fencing, the bandstand and the gazebo and imagined that we were building one of those rather than a new building," he said.

"It's not abrupt.

"It's actually working with shadows and trees and things like that. It's intended to be quite sensual."

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He said the design would also highlight other features of the Albert Hall, like the red brick facade that is obscured by the current east wing and make use of its position overlooking the park.

Other parts of the new east wing include a refurbished cafe, reception area, kitchen, meeting rooms and accessibility features - the latter of these, Mr Balmforth said, was a key consideration.

All this presented the opportunity to return some of the 19^th Century pomp and circumstance to functions at the venue, as visitors would be directed into a restored northern foyer.

"There's a sense of theatre leading up to the Albert Hall - it's a beautiful building," Mr Balmforth said.

"We're giving the option, for ceremonial occasions, people can come in off the park through the new foyer and move through to the northern foyer.

"When you come in off that northern foyer and see the grand old hall with the organ at the far end, it's a pretty amazing way of entering a building."

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The restoration work is set to be painstaking, as above all else the heritage-listed hall had to be kept intact.

"It's a grand old building, 130-odd years old," Mr Balmforth said.

"All the demolition work that's about to happen, a lot of that will happen by hand.

"We've got to be really careful with the existing building and preserve it."

Having made several trips to Launceston to visit family in his youth, and also through working closely with stakeholders Mr Balmforth said he was acutely aware of how significant the building, and its restoration, was to the community.

"It carries a lot of responsibility," he said.

"You can hold all sorts of events and part of the charm of the Albert Hall is it's a multi-use facility right in the middle of the town.

"What we're doing is helping those to flourish even more."

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