Anticipated Buildings of 2024: Five Exciting Projects

As we enter a new year, numerous projects are on the brink of completion. Here are the highly anticipated developments scheduled to be finished in 2024:
1. Australian Opal Centre by Glenn Murcutt, Wendy Lewin, and Dunn and Hillam
Australian Opal Centre: The first stage of this $34-million museum, dedicated to showcasing Australia's opal fields' treasures, is set to open in late 2024. Designed by Wendy Lewin in collaboration with Dunn and Hillam, the building will be located near a former opal-mining site in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales. It will feature underground spaces that take visitors on a journey into the depths of the earth, sharing stories of miners, machinery, fossils, and, of course, opals.
2. Queensland Performing Arts Centre by Blight Rayner and Snøhetta
Brisbane's Southbank Theatre: This new $150-million theater is poised to become Australia's largest performing arts center. The winning design by Norwegian firm Snøhetta and Brisbane's Blight Rayner Architecture includes a glass facade, two studio spaces, and glazed foyer areas. It also incorporates references to the region's First Nations people. Originally slated for completion in 2022, the project experienced delays.
3. Barangaroo Pavilion by Spresser and Peter Besley
Barangaroo Pavilion at Watermans Cove: Highly anticipated due to its innovative use of local oyster shells, this pavilion in Sydney is the result of a design competition. Architect Jessica Spresser, along with Peter Besley and Arup, incorporated white "oyster concrete" made from Sydney's oyster shells into the design's 123 columns. The pavilion will also feature a rooftop garden providing shade for the meeting place and events space.
4. Sydney Metro by Foster and Partners, and Architectus
Sydney Metro Train Stations: Commuters in Sydney can look forward to the opening of six new metro train stations in 2024. These stations, including Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street, and Waterloo, have been designed to enhance accessibility and inclusivity, integrating level access between platforms and trains. Victoria Cross is expected to be the first station to open, following the completion of station works early in 2024.
5. Powerhouse Museum Building J by Lahznimmo Architects
Powerhouse Museum Expansion: The $30-million expansion of the Powerhouse Museum's storage facility and discovery center in north-west Sydney is now complete, but the opening has been delayed due to fire regulation compliance. Designed by Lahznimmo Architects, the structure, known as Building J, will enable the museum to expand its public education programs, workshops, exhibitions, and events. The design statement describes the building's overall form as simple and industrial, featuring a facade that tilts, folds, and peels to create openings.