Culture
April 9, 2026
3 Min Read

London’s National Gallery is getting a new wing courtesy of Kengo Kuma

The £750m (€862m) Project Domani will include a newly converted public rooftop and connect Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square.

Writer

Rory Jones

For the design of its most significant expansion since opening more than 200 years ago, the National Gallery in London has tapped 71-year-old Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Famed for his work on Tokyo’s Olympic stadium, Kuma won over the gallery’s jury panel with his proposal for a hefty buildout.

The new wing will allow the gallery to extend its historic collection into the 20th and 21st centuries. Traditionally it had not dealt with art made after the year 1900 in accordance to a deal made with Tate. It’s a move that the gallery says will allow visitors to view the entire history of Western painting. And the project’s funding is already well under way with receipt of two £150m (€172m) donations – the largest cash donations ever given to a gallery.

Though previous National Gallery redevelopments have caused controversy, the Japanese starchitect has a strong record of perfecting such projects. Here are three Kuma-designed spots found in Monocle’s City Guides:

1.
Lisbon
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum and Centro de Arte Moderna, Palhavá

Kengo Kuma — Top form: Kuma’s Cam renovation in Lisbon attests to his architectural influence

The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum’s art collection was amassed by Armenian oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian, who was advised by the man who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen, Howard Carter. The gallery contains some 6,000 pieces that stretch from 2500BC to the 20th century, from colourful mosque lamps and Iznik pottery to French furniture and illuminated manuscripts. At the other end of the museum’s magnificent gardens (worth a visit on their own) is the Centro de Arte Moderna (Cam), which opened in 1983. The building was recently renovated by Kuma to feature an impressive curved ceramic-and-timber canopy that stretches across its exterior. Cam’s rotating exhibitions tell the story of Portuguese art in the 20th century. [read the full guide]

2.
Tokyo
Nezu Museum, Aoyama

The Kuma-deisgned Nezu Museum houses an outstanding collection of artworks from Japan, China and East Asia. The expansive garden, dotted with stone lanterns and traditional wooden teahouses, draws kimono-clad tea practitioners from across the country. Its winding paths are also perfect for a post-exhibition stroll. [read the full guide]

3.
Kyoto
Ace Hotel Kyoto, Kurumaya-cho
Designed in 1926, the Shinpuhkan mall has been renovated and expanded upon by Kuma to form part of Ace Hotel’s first opening in Japan. The 213-key property features interiors by Commune Design, which crafted a layered aesthetic that weaves Western and Japanese sensibilities. [read the full guide]