Sydney Modern by SANAA

The Sydney Modern Project, a transformative design by Pritzker prize-winning Japanese architects SANAA, opens to the public on December 3, 2022, at its iconic location overlooking Sydney Harbour. This marks the most significant cultural development in the city since the Sydney Opera House opened nearly 50 years ago.

The project significantly expands the Art Gallery of New South Wales exhibition space, featuring a new building connected to the original structure by an artistic garden.

The Art Museum has been relocated to a new civic space featuring the designs of renowned American landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson. This new location provides an opportunity for visitors to experience art in an outdoor setting in one of the most stunning cultural destinations.

The Art Gallery's permanent collection has been rearranged into an exhibit that addresses current relevant topics and fosters a conversation between Australian and international artworks.

SANAA principals Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, who this year were awarded the Praemium Imperiale award for architecture, said: “It has been a wonderful honour 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 harbour. We hope it will be a special place where visitors feel connected to art wherever they are in this beautiful setting.”

 

Architecture

SANAA's design for a new building at the Art Gallery complements the 19th-century neoclassical original building. The design features interlocking pavilions that descend towards Sydney Harbour, blending with the natural topography of the land. The pavilions provide ample exhibition space while preserving the public use of the surrounding landscape, including significant trees. 

The new building also has art research and education spaces, multipurpose areas, a gallery shop, food and beverage options, and visitor facilities. The design caters to 21st-century audiences, offering greater capacity for future visitors, particularly students, teachers, and artists.

 

Sustainability

Australia has now opened its first public art museum that has achieved a 6-star Green Star design rating. The new building stands as a testament to sustainable construction and is powered entirely by renewable energy sources. The Entrance Pavilion roof is home to solar panels that generate over 10% of the building's energy needs.

In addition, the new museum has implemented rainwater capture and harvesting, which is then reused for irrigation and cooling towers. The 8000 square meters of green roofs and landscaped areas are filled with native Australian species, making the building not just an art museum but also an oasis of green.

 

Press release courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales
Photos by Iwan Baan