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The Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA) is an art museum at Monash University’s Caulfield campus on Dandenong Road, Melbourne, Australia, completed in 2010. Designed by Melbourne-based architect, Kerstin Thompson, the museum presents a program of exhibitions that focus on contemporary Australian and international art. It boasts a collection of more than 1500 works including pieces by influential Australian artists from Fred Williams and Howard Arkley to Tracey Moffatt and Daniel von Sturmer. The Museum of Art attempts to give cultural value to the life of the community and the university.

Site
The project plan had to take into consideration the placement of the original building. It is positioned between different buildings and faculties, surrounded by garden areas. Taking this into consideration, an approach that emphasised flow and connectivity was taken, described as a ‘cultural exchange’ or a continuum from internal to external. Set between two buildings on Dandenong Road is the art installation, Silverscreen by Callum Morton which serves as ceremonial entry into the MUMA precinct. Formerly the site of a car park, the Ian Potter Sculpture Court serves as an opportunity for exchange between internal program and the broader community – a relationship the architects were also interested in. Art infiltrates the surrounding landscape to enhance the campus grounds and provide it with a cultural focus. It acts as a link between the disparate campus buildings and departments, providing the precinct with a focal point.





Design
When designing the building, Thompson decided to clear away the ceiling structures from the existing building. This created more height in the galleries, which were generous for any kind of exhibition spaces. Furthermore, the removal of these layers revealed the concrete frame structure, doubling as the interior of the building. As for the air conditioning required to accommodate the artworks, a new superscaled verandah was designed on the southern exterior wall, to hold the large and complex air conditioning. Hidden behind deep, reflective black glass, the verandah created a deep space that connected the exterior of the gallery to the entrance, as well as emphasising the curvature of the overall building.

Within the interior, the architect used counterpoints as a guide to lay out the galleries. The north-south walls follow the orientation of the concrete frames, which have a radial rather than parallel relationship, whereas the transverse walls forming the central corridor are parallel.

A key consideration in the design was the relationship between architecture and art. The existing radial geometry of the existing building seemed incompatible with the curatorial idea of spatial versatility and flexibility. A series of parallel lines in plan run east–west to order these spaces and the accompanying sculpture forecourt.

"“The design of MUMA is a contribution to the ongoing debate about the relationship between architecture and art. Our response has been to balance moments of architectural expression with others of relative silence. As an integrated vision for art, architecture and landscape it exploits the public realm to make the experience of art more accessible and incidental.”"

Awards

 * 2011 AIA Awards: Marion Mahoney Award (Vic)
 * 2011 AIA Awards: Public Alterations & Additions (Vic)
 * 2011 IDEA Awards: Institutional Interior Design