A new cultural icon is set to emerge in Australia when the Sydney Modern Project opens its doors on 3 December 2022.
The Sydney Modern Project is a remake of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, one of the leading art museums in Sydney and one of Australia’s pre-eminent cultural institutions.
The A$344 million (US$245 million) transformation of the Sydney Modern Project is touted to be the city's most significant cultural development since the launch of the Sydney Opera House nearly half a century ago.
Overlooking Sydney's iconic harbour and the Royal Botanic Gardens, the the series of low-slung and transparent buildings cascade towards the harbour is designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architects SANAA.
The new building is set to expand the formal exhibition space from 9,000 to 16,000 sqm, including a vast 2,200 sqm underground art space, repurposed from a decommissioned World War II naval oil tank.
Another aspect of the expansion will be a dedicated gallery showcasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, in addition to major commissions by world-renowned artists such as Yayoi Kusama (Japan), Lorraine Connelly-Northey (Australia), among others.
For its sustainable design elements such as a rainwater harvesting system and a solar array installed over the new entrance pavilion, the Sydney Modern Project has already been awarded a 6-star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.
The Sydney Modern Project's underground art space is housed in a decommissioned World War II naval oil tank.