Occupying the ground floor of a 1960’s modernist building on Dandenong Road at Monash University Caulfield, Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA) and its sculpture forecourt presents opportunities for exchange between the typically internal program of the museum and the daily life of the campus and broader community.

The new gallery brings the inside out so that – in combination with the Ian Potter Sculpture Court – art will infiltrate the surrounding landscape to enhance the campus grounds and provide it with a cultural focus.

Exploiting the pivotal location of the museum within the Art and Design precinct the project is designed to be enjoyed from both upper and lower levels of the campus. It stitches together disparate campus buildings and departments transforming what was previously the back of the university into a focal point.

The introduction of a major canopy along the southern edge of MUMA reinforces a key pedestrian link between these buildings and provides a threshold between inside and outside for outdoor events including after hours museum openings. The existing curved façade of the building is amplified by the linearity of the canopy and the introduction of inky black glass facets which reflect the landscaped surrounds.

The project demonstrates how an integrated vision for art, architecture and landscape can enhance the public realm and make the experience of art more accessible and incidental.