Sydney Modern Project, Art Gallery of NSW
The Sydney Modern Project, a $344 million expansion of the Art Gallery of NSW, is the largest cultural development to open in Sydney in half a century.
The centrepiece of the project is a new building designed by Japanese architects SANAA, with Architectus as executive architect and landscape architecture by McGregor Coxall. Built by Richard Crookes Constructions, the project was delivered by Infrastructure NSW on behalf of the government and Art Gallery.
The Sydney Modern Project also consisted of the revitalisation of the existing historic building, and a new public art garden, designed to link the two buildings and be sympathetic to its beautiful parkland setting on Gadigal Country overlooking Sydney Harbour and the city.
A Landscape That Blends Art & Ecology
The Art Gallery’s expansion has doubled the space for patrons to enjoy art and brings together art, architecture and landscape. The pre-eminent public art museum is now able to show more of its art collection and attract more of the best Australian and international exhibitions.
The Sydney Modern Project landscape, delivered by our construction team, celebrates art and local ecology, blending gallery zones while remaining harmonious with the beautiful harbour and parkland setting.
Our Work Included:
- Multiple rooftop terraces and more then 8,000m2 of green roof;
- Irrigation and drainage systems;
- Construction of four water features, one of which doubled as a heavy mitigation wall;
- Large-scale landscaping embankment and podium works;
- Hardscapes including insitu concrete retaining walls, sandstone retaining walls, asphalt, concrete and decomposed granite paths, stone drainage swale and heavy mitigation walls and seating;
- Softscape works including soils, plants, mulch and irrigation. Over 100,000 native plants are now in the ground at Sydney Modern. In addition to the environmental benefits, the plants provide a stunning green backdrop to the architectural building galleries;
- A sophisticated rainwater system, which captures and harvests rainwater and supports an automated fertilising dosing unit.
Game-Day Ready
Competition day nerves are enough to manage, without the added worry of sports fields not ready for play. We work closely with the Deakin University team to ensure their sports fields are always game day ready.
Our game-day preparation routine includes:
- Cylinder and outfront mowing
- Line marking
- Garden bed maintenance and mulching
- Weed spraying
- Ongoing maintenance of the athletics track and baseball field
We also complete seasonal renovation and maintenance of the grounds, including aerating, scarifying, warm season to cool season conversions and oversowing.
The Pluses We Brought To This Project
Project Partners
- Builder: Richard Crookes Constructions
- Client: Art Gallery of NSW, Infrastructure NSW
- Lead Architect: SANAA
- Executive Architect: Architectus
- Landscape Architect: McGregor Coxall
Award Wins
- Gold in Commercial & Civil Construction Over $3 Million | The Landscape Association | 2023
- Finalist in the CCF Earth Awards | 2023
What They Say
The Billabong Parklands will offer the people of Campbelltown a new and unique public space with a range of fun activities for people of all ages. With activities like water play, landscaped areas and parklands, as well as a swimming lagoon and zero-depth play area for those with young families. “
Paul Scully, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces,
NSW Government