London’s Southwark Council has granted approval for the redevelopment of Dulwich Picture Gallery and its gardens. Led by architects Carmody Groarke and landscape artist Kim Wilkie, the project will be the biggest redevelopment of the past two decades for the venue, which originally opened in 1817 as the UK’s first public art gallery.

The redevelopment will see a new timber pavilion constructed in the gallery's gardens. Characterized by circular window openings and a timber reciprocal frame roof, the pavilion is intended to serve as a “warm, tactile space for children and families to enjoy.”

The square form of the pavilion will be angled at 45 degrees to the historic gallery to “reinforce the relationship of the pavilion with the landscape and the two entrances to the site.” Inside, the reciprocal frame roof will filter natural daylight into the center of the cruciform plan, while natural copper canopies will “provide places to sit, play, and explore while reducing overheating.”

The redevelopment also includes the restoration and extension of a neighboring historically protected cottage. Once renovated, the cottage will offer space for school lunches, a shop, and a public cafe. Meanwhile, the development’s sustainability strategy will include a new ground source heat pump to decarbonize the existing gallery’s heating systems alongside supplying new buildings.

The south side of the gardens will see the transformation of a currently underused field into a meadow featuring an 'art forest.' With approximately 150 new trees and extensive wildflower planting, the Kim Wilkie-led plan is expected to boost the area's biodiversity by 17%. The gardens will also feature a series of temporary sculpture installations that will be interactive, encouraging visitors to play, touch, sit, and engage.

“We are delighted that the transformative plans for the Gallery’s Open Art program have received approval from Southwark Council,” Carmody Groarke director Andy Groarke said in a statement. “We have enjoyed working with the Gallery to develop their vision, enhancing the enjoyment of art and architecture within the wider landscape. We look forward to bringing the project to fruition in the coming months”.

Construction is expected to begin in Winter 2023 and conclude by early 2025.