Architectural Record
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Architectural Record
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • Awards
    • Interviews
    • Obituaries
    • Podcasts
      • Design:Ed Podcast
      • Sponsored Podcasts
  • OPINION
    • Book Reviews / Excerpts
    • Exhibition Reviews
    • Forum
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Videos
    • Design Vanguard
    • Top 300 Firms
    • Sponsored Content
    • Sponsored eBooks
    • From the Archives
  • CONTINUING ED
    • Editorial Continuing Ed
    • CE Center
    • CE Academies
  • PROJECTS
    • Buildings By Type
    • Reuse & Renovation
    • Museums & Arts Centers
    • Colleges & Universities
    • Multifamily Housing
    • Interiors
    • Lighting
    • Kitchen & Bath
  • HOUSES
    • Record Houses
    • House of the Month
    • Featured Houses
  • PRODUCTS
    • Products by Category
    • Record Products of the Year
    • Latest Products
  • EVENTS
    • Dates & Events
    • Record on the Road
    • Innovation Conference
    • Sustainability in Practice
    • Women In Architecture
    • Webinars
    • Ad Excellence Awards
    • Submit an Event
  • CONNECT
    • Ask RECORD AI
    • Newsletters
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Store
    • Customer Service
  • SUBMIT
    • Submission Guidelines
    • RECORD Competitions
  • MAGAZINE
    • Subscribe
    • My Account
    • Digital Edition
    • Current Issue
    • Firm Pass
    • Historic Archive
Architecture News

Kengo Kuma Pavilion Opens at National Gallery of Victoria Triennial

By Kara Mavros
Botanical Pavilion 2020-02

Installation view of Kengo Kuma, Kengo Kuma Associates and Geoffrey Nees’s Botanical Pavilion 2020 on display in NGV Triennial 2020 from December, 19, 2020 – April 18, 2021 at NGV International, Melbourne © Kengo Kuma and Geoff Nees.

Photo by Tom Ross

Botanical Pavilion 2020-03

Installation view of Kengo Kuma, Kengo Kuma Associates and Geoffrey Nees’s Botanical pavilion 2020 (left) and Lee Ufan Dialogue 2017 (right) on display in NGV Triennial 2020 from December 19, 2020—April 18, 2021 at NGV International, Melbourne © Kengo Kuma and Geoff Nees © Lee Ufan, courtesy of Pace Gallery.

Photo by Tom Ross

 

Botanical Pavilion 2020-04

Installation view of Kengo Kuma, Kengo Kuma Associates and Geoffrey Nees’s Botanical Pavilion 2020 on display in NGV Triennial 2020 from December, 19, 2020 – April 18, 2021 at NGV International, Melbourne © Kengo Kuma and Geoff Nees.

Photo by Tom Ross

Botanical Pavilion 2020-01

Installation view of Kengo Kuma, Kengo Kuma Associates and Geoffrey Nees’s Botanical Pavilion 2020 on display in NGV Triennial 2020 from December, 19, 2020 – April 18, 2021 at NGV International, Melbourne © Kengo Kuma and Geoff Nees.

Photo by Tom Ross

Botanical Pavilion 2020-02
Botanical Pavilion 2020-03
Botanical Pavilion 2020-04
Botanical Pavilion 2020-01
December 17, 2020

Architects & Firms

Kengo Kuma and Associates

A new pavilion has been unveiled at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne, Australia. Designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates, in collaboration with Australian artist and curator Geoff Nees, Botanical Pavilion 2020 is part of the National Gallery of Victoria’s 2020 Triennial, which opens to the public on December 19. The 2020 exhibition is the second iteration of the event, following the NGV’s inaugural Triennial in 2017.

Inspired by traditional Japanese carpentry methods, Botanical Pavilion is composed of small, interlocking pieces of wood, “assembled like a three-dimensional puzzle,” says Kuma, to form a crescent-shaped structural arch. “The joints are loose, but when all the elements are in place, the structure becomes stable,” the architect says in a video interview with NGV. Wooden joints used throughout allow the pavilion to be easily be disassembled and re-assembled. Visitors can walk through the tessellated interior, which is lined with timber collected from local trees felled or removed over the years from the neighboring Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens.

The installation will be on view at the National Gallery of Victoria Triennial, running from December 19, 2020 through April 18, 2021. Afterwards, it will enter NVG’s permanent collection.


Watch a video interview with Kengo Kuma and NGV below. Video courtesy NGV Melbourne.

Looking for quick answers on architecture and design topics?
Try Ask RECORD, our new smart AI search tool.
Ask RECORD →

KEYWORDS: Australia

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Kara Mavros is a former associate editor at Architectural Record.

Post a comment to this article

Report Abusive Comment

Subscription Center
  • Create an Account
  • Start a Subscription
  • Manage My Account
  • Sign Up for Newsletters
  • Visit Customer Service
  • Update Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Architectural Record audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Architectural Record or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • TAMLYN XtremeTrim Exterior Trim
    Sponsored byTamlyn

    Designing Cleaner Panel Facades: Why Exterior Trim Details Matter

  • Building with Vapor Barriers
    Sponsored byReef Industries, Inc.

    Vapor Barriers Help Control Moisture in Tighter Building Designs

  • Duct Interior with Prodeq System
    Sponsored byHenry, a Carlisle Company

    Designing Resilient Water Containment Systems

DESIGN:ED Podcast
Listen to Architectural Record’s DESIGN:ED Podcast

Events

June 10, 2026

Rethinking Stormwater – The Power of Porous Paving

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 ICC CEU

Learn how porous paving systems support stormwater management, reduce heat island effects, and enhance sustainable site design performance.

June 11, 2026

Very Early Warning Fire Detection for Mission-Critical Facilities

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 ICC CEU

Examine advanced fire detection strategies that support uptime and enhance safety in data centers and other mission-critical facilities.

View All Submit An Event

Products

2026 Architect's Square Foot Costbook

2026 Architect's Square Foot Costbook

See More Products

Popular Stories

Coronado Bridge

The Architect’s Guide to San Diego

Practice Matters illustration

What’s in a (Firm’s) Name? Thinking About Succession and Legacy

Practice Matters illustration

By the Numbers: Counting America's Architects

Inward House

Inward House by VeeV Design Studio

Riverdale House by Studio Lau

Riverdale House by Studio Lau

Broader Sustainability of CMU - Free Webinar - May 21, 2026

Related Articles

  • rendering National Gallery London, Project Domani

    Kengo Kuma and Associates to Design New Wing at London’s National Gallery

    See More
  • National Gallery of Art Surveys Sculptor Rachel Whiteread’s Work

    Sculptor Rachel Whiteread at the National Gallery of Art

    See More
  • serpentine pavilion 2025

    Marina Tabassum’s 2025 Serpentine Pavilion Opens at Kensington Gardens

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • Architectural Record - June 2025

    Architectural Record June 2025 Issue

  • Architectural Record - October 2025

    Architectural Record October 2025 Issue

  • const estimator

    2026 National Construction Estimator

See More Products
×

The latest news and information

#1 Source for Architectural Design, News and Products

SUBSCRIBE
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Submit
    • Store
  • ACCOUNT CENTER
    • Create an Account
    • Start a Subscription
    • Manage My Account
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Visit Customer Service
    • Update Preferences
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • Linkedin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing