VISUALS: Plans for Hungary’s new National Gallery in Budapest revealed at Osaka World Expo

Plans for the New National Gallery to be built in Budapest’s City Park (Városliget) were unveiled on 28 April at the Hungarian Pavilion of the Osaka World Expo, Városliget Ltd. announced Monday.

According to the statement, the final piece of the Liget Budapest Project was presented at the expo by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, founders of the Pritzker Prize-winning architectural firm SANAA. The announcement recalled that SANAA was awarded the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2010 for their contributions to the field.

Known worldwide for their minimalist and refined style, SANAA’s architecture plays with light and transparency and seeks to harmonise structures with their surroundings. Their portfolio includes the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, the New Museum in New York, the Rolex Learning Centre in Lausanne, Grace Farms in Connecticut, and the Louvre-Lens Museum in France.

The statement reminded readers that SANAA won the international design competition for the New National Gallery as part of the Liget Budapest Project. The new museum will be constructed on the site of the former Petőfi Hall, showcasing major works of Hungarian and international fine art from the early 19th century to today. According to the release, the building will feature modern, airy designs, a close connection with the surrounding park, and innovative exhibition spaces.

“It was an incredible moment today at the Hungarian Pavilion to watch the founders of SANAA—one of the world’s most renowned architectural duos—present the plans for the New National Gallery,” said László Baán, ministerial commissioner of the Liget Budapest Project. “Their presentation made it clear that an extraordinary building is in the works in Budapest—one that will be SANAA’s largest project to date.”

Baán added, “If everything we envisioned a decade ago comes to fruition, including the completion of the New National Gallery, it will prove to future generations that we were able to create something of historically significant value—something that undeniably benefits the nation.”