Laying the foundations for the Sydney Modern Project

AAR-AGNSW-View-from-WoolloomoolooAn important construction milestone for the Sydney Modern Project was achieved in late September when the concrete foundations began to be poured for the Art Gallery of NSW’s new building.

Providing a glimpse – and a bird’s eye view – of the work going on behind the hoarding, the Gallery has produced the first in a series of short timelapse videos, capturing the build through cameras installed at various vantage points around the site.

The new building, designed by SANAA, will almost double exhibition space with seamless connections between indoor and outdoor spaces, delivering rich and diverse experiences for visitors.

Highlights of the expansion include a new prominent destination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art; a large gallery for major exhibitions; a unique contemporary art space repurposed from a decommissioned WWII oil tank; and flexible spaces to expand learning programs for schools, communities and families.

The project has also set a new benchmark for cultural institutions as the first public art museum in Australia to achieve the highest environmental standard for design – with the Green Building Council of Australia awarding the Sydney Modern Project a 6-star Green Star design rating.

The Sydney Modern Project is on track for completion in 2022 with the Gallery remaining open during construction. For more information, visit: www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au for details.

Image: Sydney Modern Project: View from Woolloomooloo – courtesy of Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA