Powerhouse Parramatta 2026: Overflow Installation
Explore Overflow at Powerhouse Parramatta in Sydney, Australia, featuring a shifting tidal landscape of water and sandstone.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Exhibition Overflow is on display at Powerhouse Parramatta in Sydney, Australia
- Designed by Tyrrell Studio with concept creation by Wiradjuri woman Emily McDaniel
- Spans a 60 by 40-meter gallery featuring a shifting tidal landscape
- Features stories and practices from seven Aboriginal organizations across New South Wales
Powerhouse Parramatta in Australia has transformed its naturally lit gallery into a dynamic landscape of water, sandstone, and reflected light through a large-scale installation titled Overflow. Designed by Tyrrell Studio and conceived by Wiradjuri woman Emily McDaniel, the First Nations-led exhibition centers around the living principles of First Nations Water Country, inviting visitors to remove their shoes and walk barefoot across a changing tidal terrain.
Occupying a gallery space measuring approximately 60 by 40 meters, the installation takes the form of a shallow pool flowing over a sculpted sandstone rock shelf. This stone references the geological terrain beneath Parramatta, where the river has shaped the landscape over tens of thousands of years. As water levels rise and recede, different sections of the sculpted surface emerge and disappear throughout the day.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Tyrrell Studio's design responds to the history of the Parramatta River, which was altered by European settlement through weirs, built-up banks, and concrete channels that contained the natural waterway. Overflow allows the underlying processes of the former landscape to become perceptible once more as water gathers, spreads, and withdraws across the stone.
The Overflow installation bridges traditional indigenous knowledge with contemporary spatial design, offering visitors a physical connection to the natural hydrological systems that predate urban infrastructure. By engaging directly with water, light, and sandstone barefoot, the exhibition fosters a deeper appreciation for environmental stewardship and indigenous heritage.
The cultural foundations of the exhibition stem from Emily McDaniel's concept, integrating knowledge and stories from seven Aboriginal organizations across New South Wales, including the Baramadagal Community, Gamay Rangers, The Goondee Aboriginal Keeping Place and Museum, Jagun Alliance, Joonga Land and Water Aboriginal Corporation, Moogahlin Performing Arts, and Naru Aboriginal Corporation. Their practices are brought into the gallery through films by Kamilaroi filmmaker Ivan Sen, projected across the water and sandstone surfaces.
This indoor installation directly connects with Tyrrell Studio's permanent 3,000-square-meter riverfront landscape project, Ngurra Budyari Ngalawagulang, developed alongside Baramadagal elders and Dharug representatives. Together, these indoor and outdoor elements create a continuous dialogue between the museum architecture and the natural history of Water Country in Sydney, Australia.
Source: designboom
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