National Gallery of Australia – South Entrance and Indigenous Australian Galleries

This significant project transforms the public’s experience of the National Gallery of Australia.

At ground level the extensions incorporate a large foyer, new cloaking, reception and bookshop areas, a fully serviced function room opening to landscaped gardens, escalator and lift connections to the original building and improved disabled access to all public levels. The upper level includes Australia’s first purpose built galleries for the display of Indigenous art. These range in scale and character from large day lit spaces to small rooms for the display of more sensitive works.

The new extensions are surrounded by landscaped areas that help complete the garden circuit around the building. ‘Skyspace’, a major work by a American Artist, James Turrell, is located within these gardens and is accessed from the function room and new building entry. The project improves the back of house, art processing facilities, with a new loading dock, security room and quarantine areas.

The extensions draw on the materials palette and iconic forms of the original building; however it is articulated from the original structure and clearly identifiable as new work.

Photographer: John Gollings