Sydney Modern Museum

Sydney Modern Museum

SANAA

Sydney Modern Museum
© Yayoi Kusama. Image Courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales, Zan Wimberley

ARCHITECTS
SANAA

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / Sanaa

BUILDER
Richard Crookes Constructions

EXECUTIVE ARCHITECTS
Architectus

PHOTOGRAPHS
Ivan Baan, Joerg Baumann

AREA
40000 m²

YEAR
2022

LOCATION
Sydney, Australia

CATEGORY
Cultural Architecture, Museum

Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan
Sydney Modern Museum
Aerial view of the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ new SANAA-designed building, 2022. Image © Iwan Baan
Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan

Text description provided by architect.

The Sydney Modern Project is a once-in-a-generation transformation of the 151-year-old Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, creating an art museum campus comprising two buildings connected by an Art Garden on Gadigal Country overlooking Sydney Harbour.

The centerpiece of the Sydney Modern Project is a new building designed by Pritzker prize-winning architects Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA.

Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan
Sydney Modern Museum
© Francis Upritchard. Image Courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales, Christopher Snee
Sydney Modern Museum
© Francis Upritchard. Image Courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales, Christopher Snee

Designed as a complementary counterpart to the Art Gallery’s revitalized original building with its 19th-century neoclassical facade. SANAA’s design for the new building responds to the unique project site with a series of interlocking pavilions that gently step down towards Sydney Harbour.

The pavilions sit low and lightly on the site, following the natural topography of the land.

The design delivers much-needed exhibition space while respecting and enhancing public use of the surrounding landscape, retaining and celebrating significant trees, and improving access to Sydney’s eastern cultural precinct.

Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan
Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan

The new building also comprises art research and education spaces, multipurpose spaces, a gallery shop, food and beverage facilities, and visitor amenities.

The new building has been designed to meet the evolving expectations of audiences for a 21st-century art museum with greater capacity to accommodate future Art Gallery visitors, particularly students, teachers, and artists.

Sydney Modern Museum
© Lisa Reihana. Image Courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter
Sydney Modern Museum
 Image Courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales, Zan Wimberley

The Art Gallery is the first public art museum in Australia to achieve the highest environmental standard for design.

The Sydney Modern Project has been awarded a 6-star Green Star design rating by the Green Building Council of Australia.

Sydney Modern Museum
Image Courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales, Zan Wimberley
Sydney Modern Museum
 Image Courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales, Zan Wimberley

Classified as ‘world leadership’ in sustainability, the rating exceeds the Art Gallery’s original 5-star goal and sets a new standard for art museums globally.

Sydney Modern Museum
© Lisa Reihana. Image Courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales, Zan Wimberley
Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan


Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan
Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan
Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan
Sydney Modern Museum
All Rights Reserved., 2022. Image © Iwan Baan
Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan
Sydney Modern Museum
Image Courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter


Sydney Modern Museum
© Adrián Villar Rojas. Image © Jörg Baumann
Sydney Modern Museum
Image Courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter
Sydney Modern Museum
Image Courtesy of Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter


Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan
Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan
Sydney Modern Museum
© Iwan Baan


Sydney Modern Museum
Sections
Sydney Modern Museum
Section


Sydney Modern Museum
Plan - Entry Level
Sydney Modern Museum
Plan - LL1
Sydney Modern Museum
Plan - LL2
Sydney Modern Museum
Plan - LL4
Sydney Modern Museum
Plan - Site
Sydney Modern Museum
Elevation
Sydney Modern Museum
Entry Canopy Detail


Sydney Modern Museum
Detail Sections - Roof
Sydney Modern Museum
Detail Section