The former home and studio of Australian artist Brett Whiteley (1939\u20131992) in Sydney\u2019s Surry Hills has reopened to the public following two years\u2019 closure to complete extensive upgrades. Led by local architecture practice Tonkin Zulaikha Greer (TZG), the renovations \u2013 which include a distinctive new roof extension \u2013 have been aimed at preserving the building and its artworks, meanwhile improving its accessibility and visitors\u2019 experience.<\/p>\n
Formerly the artist\u2019s final home and studio, The Brett Whiteley Studio spans a three-storey former warehouse that has been managed as a museum by the Art Gallery of New South Wales since 1995. According to a media communique from the institution, the building \u201cunlike any traditional gallery setting,\u201d encouraging visitors to experience Whiteley\u2019s artworks, objects and ephemera as he left them.<\/p>\n
The gallery\u2019s media communique notes that TZG \u201chas meticulously revitalised the building to meet contemporary museum standards while maintaining the unique character of Whiteley\u2019s environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
TZG\u2019s design comprises a new wave-shaped roof and facade extension constructed from hand-crimped sheets of coated aluminium and stainless steel mesh. The extension encases acoustically treated plant and mechanical equipment, installed to enable greater control of the studio\u2019s interior environment for the long-term care and management of the collection, the Art Gallery of NSW has said.<\/p>\n
The firm\u2019s project director Peter Tonkin commented of the extension, \u201cWe wanted it to look weightless as much as possible: floating, dematerialised, ethereal \u2026 so that it\u2019s not squashing this poor little 1905 factory \u2026 the fact that it looks like Brett\u2019s waves [in his drawing The divided unity (1973)]; it felt like the right solution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Further upgrades include a new library and archive, an elevator, a new staircase and new accessible amenities, which the Art Gallery of NSW has said will enable the studio to \u201cwelcome broader and more diverse audiences, while maintaining the intimacy that defines the site.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whiteley\u2019s former wife and muse Wendy Whiteley said the renovation honours the late artist\u2019s legacy while keeping the spirit of the space.<\/p>\n
\u2018The studio carries Brett\u2019s presence in every room. I\u2019m grateful that it has been cared for so thoughtfully and not preserved as a museum relic, but as a living place of creativity that continues to inspire artists and visitors,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on TZG\u2019s intent, Tonkin commented \u201cWhen you walk in, we\u2019re really hoping that you won\u2019t be able to tell that it\u2019s changed \u2026 it just looks like Brett\u2019s studio.\u201d<\/p>\n
The works, which commenced in June 2024, were funded by the NSW government in association with the Art Gallery NSW, the Brett Whiteley Foundation and Tim Fairfax AC and Gina Fairfax AC.<\/p>\n