Sydney Gets a New Modern Art Gallery Designed by SANAA
The building is designed to be powered entirely by renewable energy.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales officially reigned in an exciting new era over the weekend as it opened its Sydney Modern Project expansion designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA for the very first time. Recognized as the most significant cultural development to open in Sydney in nearly half a century, the museum is the largest government and philanthropic arts partnership of its kind with $344 million USD in total funding. Fully powered by renewable energy, it’s also the first public art museum on the continent to achieve a 6-star Green Star design rating.
“It has been a wonderful honor to design such an important public building in Sydney. Working closely with the Art Gallery of New South Wales team, we aimed to design an art museum building that is harmonious with its surroundings, one that breathes with the city, the park and the harbor. We hope it will be a special place where visitors feel connected to art wherever they are in this beautiful setting,” said the SANAA principals Sejima and Nishizawa in a joint statement.
The new structure comprises of two buildings connected by a public art garden overlooking Sydney Harbour. New innovative spaces include the Tank, an adaptive space repurposing a Second World War Naval fuel bunker, a column-free gallery, and a gallery for time-based art. Integrated into the natural surroundings, architectural features include three limestone-clad art pavilions stepped down towards the harbor, 250 meters of rammed earth wall with materials sourced from across New South Wales, and 3,400 square meters of accessible roof terraces and courtyards. The original building has also been revitalized by Australian architectural firm Tonkin Zulaikha Greer (TZG) with the addition of the country’s first children’s art library.
“Central to every decision made in the development and design of this project and at the heart of the NSW Government’s investment has been an unwavering focus on supporting access to art of a world-leading standard, education opportunity without limit and community enrichment with a tangible benefit,” says NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.
The revitalized Art Gallery of NSW is now open to the public featuring works from over 900 artists around the world.
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery Rd,
Sydney NSW 2000,
Australia
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