Embracing History and Local Cultures

The Art Gallery of New South Wales is Australia’s second-largest museum. The 150-year-old museum is situated in the city’s Phillip Precinct, commonly referred to as the Domain. Located on the eastern edge of Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD), near the Royal Botanic Garden and Hyde Park, this historic area marks where colonization of Australia began, with the first raising of the Union Jack at nearby Sydney Cove. While most of the original inhabitants were driven away, Aboriginal culture of Sydney today constitutes an important part of the region’s history and identity.
While several architects have been involved in enlarging the museum’s facilities over the years, the current neoclassical structure was built between 1896 and 1909 by Walter Liberty Vernon, a government architect for the state of New South Wales, who also designed Sydney’s Central Station.
The museum, which developed along with the region, is home to artwork from Australia, Asia and beyond, including works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As the city developed, the Domain became increasingly isolated from the city center, especially after the construction of the Cahill Expressway, which runs between the Art Gallery and the Royal Botanic Garden, making the area even less accessible. It wasn’t until the 2010s the area around the museum started to see signs of change under the auspices of the Sydney Modern Project.

Sydney Modern Project

In 2015, architectural firm SANAA (under Pritzker Prizewinning architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa) was commissioned to design a new building for the museum as part of the Sydney Modern Project. The project also involved revitalizing the existing building and redesigning the landscape. The expanded two-building art museum finally opened its doors in December 2022.
Composed of a cluster of pavilions that seamlessly connect indoor and outdoor spaces, the massive new building is split into several smaller spaces aligned on a gentle slope that harmonize with the existing structure. The Welcome Plaza, which connects the two buildings through landscape and art, features a wave-like canopy made of form-cast glass. The canopy adjusts the amount of light entering the plaza, creating shade in the summer and allowing a sunlit area in the winter. The Atrium on lower level 2 has an escalator in the center and sets of stairs running along the walls and climbing up from the exterior. This eclectic design encourages visitors to explore various spaces as they move from floor to floor. The exterior wall of the ground-level new gallery, which faces the existing museum building, is made of glass, offering a stunning view of the harbor. Two galleries in the first basement level feature ceilings over 5m high, accommodating various media from paintings and installations, to sculptures and videos.

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

Located near Sydney Harbour, the Garden was established in 1816. Known as the oldest scientific institution preserving Australia’s botanical heritage, it’s an ideal place for tourists and locals to enjoy nature in the city.

• botanicgardens.org.au

Finger Wharf

One of the world’s longest wooden wharves, the former cargo wharf is now home to restaurants, a marina and the luxury Ovolo Hotel. Visitors can enjoy fine dining options here, including Otto (Italian) and China Doll (Chinese).

Mrs Macquarie’s Chair

A landmark of Sydney’s colonial history, this chair was carved out of rock by convicts in 1810 for Elizabeth Macquarie, the wife of Governor Macquarie of New South Wales. Located in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, it boasts the best view of Sydney Harbour.

Potts Point

Potts Point is a neighborhood of gourmet restaurants, small galleries, independent bookstores and vintage shops, with 19th-century Victorian terraced houses and stylish boutique hotels. There is also a market here every Saturday.

State Library of NSW

Dating back to 1826, this is one of Australia’s oldest libraries. Use the audio guides to explore the permanent collection, while the gorgeous furnishings of the David Scott Mitchell collection and the Shakespeare Room are not to be missed.

• sl.nsw.gov.au

SANAA’s Architecture Connects People to Their Environment

Another notable feature of the Art Gallery’s new building is its 3,400㎡ of art terraces that line the seven rectilinear roofs and canopies, serving as both gardens and outdoor exhibition spaces. Sejima and Nishizawa received the Royal Gold Medal for architecture from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) this year, bringing renewed attention to their signature works. The transparent glass walls, airy roofs and democratic spaces in the new building at the Art Gallery are all hallmarks of SANAA’s approach to architecture. RIBA recognized Sejima and Nishizawa’s distinctive use of light and their transparency and materiality which often interplay seamlessly to create environments that connect users to the architecture and the surrounding landscape.
“We have sought to create spaces that bring people together, inviting them to imagine new ways of living and learning collectively,” the architects said, reflecting how the Art Gallery invites visitors into a new kind of artistic space — a space that breaks down the boundaries between people, nature and architecture.