PARKES.- The National Gallery of Australia has appointed Kerstin Thompson Architects (KTA) to design a new café and dining destination for visitors, to be opened by July 2025.

Located at the main entrance, the new National Gallery Café will open onto the Australian Garden with views of James Turrell’s remarkable Skyspace Within without 2010, offering a range of dining options for visitors to the National Gallery and the local cultural precinct.

Selected via an open tender process, KTA demonstrated the vision and experience to partner with the National Gallery, backed by an impressive portfolio of architectural projects spanning heritage-listed sites and cultural institutions.

Director Dr Nick Mitzevich said, ‘The National Gallery is thrilled to have KTA on board to deliver a new dining destination here at the National Gallery.’

‘The National Gallery looks forward to creating a new dining venue to add significant dimension to the amenity and the experience of the National Gallery – great food and beverage served in an inspiring new space will provide new opportunities for connection, reflection and enjoyment,’ said Mitzevich.

KTA are an expert lead consultant and project architect practice providing a full service encompassing civil, educational and residential architecture, interiors, landscape and urban design. KTA have worked on major architectural designs including the Bundanon Art Museum & Bridge, which received significant accolades, and the recent Melbourne Holocaust Museum.

In 2023 Kerstin Thompson was awarded the Gold Medal - the Australian Institute of Architects’ highest honour - recognising distinguished services by architects.

The National Gallery Café will be KTA’s first project for the Kamberri/Canberra region.

Architect Kerstin Thompson said, ‘It is an honour to be able to work within the iconic architecture of the National Gallery of Australia.’

‘The new dining experience will extend the National Gallery’s art experience. We imagine it will be integral to the Gallery circuit, a further place for the display of, immersion in, engagement with art. A destination for National Gallery visitors but also for locals passing by. Welcoming, connected to landscape, a place to meet, stay a while,’ said Thompson.

As the exclusive caterer for the National Gallery, the team at Trippas White Group will cater for the new café. With a proven track record for over 30 years, Trippas White Group caters to events and meticulously crafts menus to showcase the finest in fresh contemporary and locally sourced ingredients.

The National Gallery Café will open July 2025.

Kerstin Thompson is Principal of KTA and Adjunct Professor at RMIT and Monash Universities. A committed design educator, she regularly lectures and runs studios at various schools across Australia and New Zealand. In recognition for the work of her practice, contribution to the profession and tertiary education, Kerstin was elevated to Life Fellow by the Australian Institute of Architects in 2017, appointed the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2022 and awarded the Gold Medal in 2023 - the Australian Institute of Architects’ highest honour - recognising distinguished services by architects.

Thompson is Panel Member on the Office of the Victorian Government Architect’s Design Review Panel and Board Member for Melbourne Housing Expo, a research group led by The University of Melbourne. A passionate defender of civic space and advocate for extracting new life from our built heritage KTA’s redevelopment of the Broadmeadows Town Hall won the 2020 Victorian Architecture Medal.

In 2022 two key KTA projects received AIA recognition across multiple categories; Bundanon Art Museum & Bridge was awarded both Public Architecture named awards at national and state level, The Sir Zelman Cowen Award and The Sulman Medal, and it also was awarded for Sustainable architecture. The other project was Queen & Collins, the ‘most recognised project’ at the 2022 AIA VIC Chapter awards, was granted the prestigious Melbourne Prize, along with Interior Architecture, Urban Design and Commercial Architecture awards.