Making art and architecture meet at TarraWarra with Kerstin Thompson Architects

TarraWarra Museum of Art, nestled in the beautiful Yarra Valley in Victoria, will open its new building, the Eva and Marc Besen Centre, to the public on 4 March 2025. Architecture & Design’s Digital Editor, Clémence Carayol, had an exclusive first look at the Centre, guided by the creative team behind its development.

Located next to the TarraWarra Museum of Art and blending into the stunning landscape of the Yarra Valley, the 2,205sqm Centre was designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects (KTA), with OCULUS Landscape Architecture + Landscape Design and Wurundjeri Horticulturalist and Artist Craig Murphy-Wandin.

The Centre is set to become a vibrant space for learning and creativity, hosting a mix of exhibitions, workshops, talks, lectures, performances, classical music concerts, and live arts events, making it a dynamic cultural hub.

Visitors will also get to see more than 300 stored artworks from the TarraWarra Museum of Art’s permanent collection, offering a unique view of iconic pieces donated by renowned philanthropists, the late Eva Besen AO and Marc Besen AC.

"The new building has always been conceived as a companion to the original museum," explains Kerstin Thompson, Principal of Kerstin Thompson Architects (KTA). 

"We ensured the two relate harmoniously, with the museum remaining the focal point while the new Centre enhances and extends its purpose."

The Centre is designed as a flexible and adaptable space, hosting exhibitions, educational workshops, talks, performances, classical concerts, and live arts events. 

A unique feature of the building is its open collection store, allowing visitors access to over 300 artworks from the museum’s permanent collection.

"Bringing what’s traditionally back-of-house to the front-of-house was a key objective," says Thompson. 

"Internationally, we’ve seen a shift where museums are making stored collections more visible, and we embraced that idea here. The new Centre allows the public to engage more deeply with the collection."

The architecture embraces transparency, with a partially submerged design that integrates into the natural landscape. 

Visitors will find the building tucked beneath what was once the museum’s upper car park, allowing for a more seamless connection between structures.

"It’s an elegant space beneath an overpass, merging infrastructure with experience," Thompson says. 

"The landscape isn’t just a backdrop - it’s an active participant in the experience of the building interior. The transparency of the primary floor level forms an expanded ground plane linking art storage, learning areas, Sculpture Walk, Cellar Door and TWMA courtyard.” says Claire Humphreys, Associate Principal at KTA.   

A key contrast between the original museum and the new Centre is in their architectural expression. 

While the existing building exudes solidity, the new Centre has a softer, more ethereal presence. 

"One visitor described it as ‘spectacular yet invisible,’ which perfectly captures the delicate balance we aimed to achieve," says Thompson.

The surrounding landscape, designed by OCULUS in collaboration with Wurundjeri Horticulturalist and Artist Craig Murphy-Wandin, plays an essential role in the overall vision. 

The preservation of key trees along the entryway was a priority, particularly given Marc Besen’s strong connection to them. 

The retention of these deciduous species provides natural shading in summer while allowing light to filter through in winter.

Claire Martin, Associate Director at OCULUS, highlights the Centre’s careful approach to minimising its footprint while integrating with the broader hydrological system. 

"A great deal of attention was given to ensuring the landscape seamlessly interacts with the broader site’s hydrological systems."
Martin also emphasises the layered history of the landscape. 

"The design references the natural vegetation typically found along local waterways, aligning with the site’s ecological context,” she says. “We aimed to acknowledge and reconcile the various layers of history while also speculating on the site’s future."

Respecting the cultural significance of the site was key to the landscape strategy.

"The integration of imported and indigenous species enhances both the ecological and cultural significance of the site," Martin says.

"The poplar trees, for example, were significant to retain for both Marc Besen and Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy, Craig’s mother, because althoughintroduced, they provide vital habitat and biodiversity. They also contribute to the strong landscape character of the site," Martin says.

Wurundjeri Horticulturalist and Artist Craig Murphy-Wandin reflects on his deep connection to TarraWarra. 

"This project is particularly special to me. I first worked here as a gardener in the late 1990s, before receiving support from Marc Besen to further my studies. Returning now as a consultant is a full-circle moment."

Murphy-Wandin played a key role in the selection of native and indigenous plants. 

"Our goal was to create an authentic and ecologically significant indigenous garden. Some species couldn’t be sourced in commercial quantities, which was disappointing, but the result is still a vibrant and meaningful representation of the area's natural heritage,” he says.

A unique feature of the landscape is Murphy-Wandin’s stone carving, made from sandstone extracted during the site’s excavation. 

"Typically, I work with wood, but adapting my techniques to stone was a rewarding challenge. The water feature by OCULUS, which flows through the garden in a slow, meandering course, reflects the meaning of 'TarraWarra': 'slow-moving water.'"

The garden also incorporates 11 culturally significant plants tied to Wurundjeri history and traditions, including yellow gum, peppermint, and melaleuca species. 

"The landscape tells a story, blending native species with elements of the surrounding poplars to create a harmonious integration of past and present,” Murphy-Wandin says.

Sustainability was central to the design. The Centre’s positioning within the hillside provides natural insulation, reducing the need for mechanical climate control. 

The building follows Passivhaus principles, ensuring energy efficiency and fire resilience, crucial in the bushfire-prone region.

Structurally, great attention was paid to vibration isolation for the art storage beneath the car park. 

The ceiling height was calibrated to fit art racks precisely, reinforcing a meticulous, detail-driven approach.

"We also designed the spaces to be incredibly flexible," Humphreys says.

" The Learning space supports everything from kids workshops to live orchestral performances. The Art Storage space can be easily edited to suit changing artistic and curatorial needs, and it’s daylighting and mechanical strategy can adapt to evolving conservation protocols."

Ultimately, the Eva and Marc Besen Centre represents a shift in how museums function - not just as places that house art but as dynamic environments for learning and engagement. 

"It’s about openness and innovation while respecting the site’s long history," says Thompson. "This project has been about balance - between old and new, visible and hidden, strength and subtlety."
 

Images by James Henry and Leo Showell