The Cutaway

The Cutaway
The Cutaway in May 2026
AddressSydney
Australia
LocationBarangaroo
OwnerPlacemaking NSW
OperatorICC Sydney
Capacity3,000
TypeArts, cultural and events space
Field size
120 metres long by 45 metres wide, a total of 10,000m2
Public transit Barangaroo metro station
Barangaroo ferry wharf
Construction
OpenedMay 2026 (2026-05)
RenovatedFebruary 2024–April 2026
Cost$80 million
Architectsfjcstudio, Shannon Foster and Jake Nash
Project managers
Infrastructure NSW, FDC Construction & Fitout
Website
The Cutaway project

The Cutaway is an entertainment precinct in Barangaroo, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The NSW Government describes it as an "arts, cultural and events space".

History

The Cutaway was built in 2015 and hosted the 2022 Biennale of Sydney. Subsequently, it was primarily used to film car commercials because of its poor acoustics.

An Indigenous cultural centre named Buruk was proposed by the NSW Government from 2019 to 2022 to be installed in the Cutaway but the plan was countered by a separate plan from former prime minister Paul Keating which prompted the NSW Government to halt development of their plan. Keating's proposal involved modelling the Cutaway similar to the Musée d'Orsay former railway station and now museum in Paris.

In October 2025, the Cutaway's renovation was 85% complete.

The NSW Government announced that they would redesign the Cutaway in February 2024 and that FJC Studios would be commissioned to work on the design. The project was slated to cost $80 million and the government cited the need for better acoustics in the Cutaway.

In February 2026, planning minister Paul Scully dismissed the complaints of residents and allowed the venue to be operational 24 hours a day.

By 16 April, the cost of the project had risen to $100 million. It was also announced that the Cutaway would open to private bookings to host events from 1 August 2026.

The consortium that operates ICC Sydney was appointed to operate the Cutaway.

Features

The Cutaway is built for all types of weather, has a capacity of 3,000 people, includes a commercial kitchen and is built to host events such as corporate events, gala dinners, markets and fashion shows. The Cutaway also has two mezzanine levels two gallery levels a First Nations education space for Indigenous art exhibitions, in addition to a green room and dressing rooms.

Richard Francis-Jones from fjcstudios said that the design for the Cutaway celebrates the natural environment rather than hiding it away. The Cutaway embraces Indigenous designs with spatial forms including rock shelters (Gunya) and the Port Jackson fig (Damun). Ceremonial markings on the floor are also visible as shadows when sun shines through the skylight. The Cutaway contains 13 timber trees up to 17 metres high that contain up to 115 individual pieces of timber, these trees have been designed to optimise acoustic performance and can weigh up to 950 kilograms. The Cutaway contains three skylights consisting of 98 custom panels that stretch for a total of 76 metres. Multiple levels are linked via a bronze spiral staircase.

The Cutaway has various features to improve acoustics such as two layers of glass separated by an air pocket to improve sound which is also intended to enhance natural light. The Cutaway will also be completely powered by renewable energy. The venue will use water from Sydney Harbour for cooling.

Notes

  1. 1 2 This consortium consists of Darling Harbour Live, Placemaking NSW and ICC Sydney.

References

  1. ↑ The Premier; Minister for the Arts; Minister for Jobs; Minister for Lands and Property; Minister for Planning and Public Spaces; Minister for Tourism (16 April 2026). "Sydney's Newest Cultural and Events Playground Unveiled: The Cutaway Ready to Welcome the World" (Ministerial media release). NSW Government. Archived from the original on 23 April 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Morris, Linda and Gorrey, Megan (16 April 2026). "First look inside the $100m revamp of Sydney's harbourside cavern". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  3. ↑ Morris, Linda and Rabe, Tom (19 December 2022). "How Keating proposal left Barangaroo Indigenous centre 'dead in the water'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  4. ↑ Morris, Linda (18 August 2022). "'Heartbroken': Government dumps promised Barangaroo cultural centre". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  5. ↑ Architecture News & Editorial Desk (27 October 2025). "Spectacular below-ground venue in Barangaroo set to recharge Sydney's vibrancy". Architecture & Design. Archived from the original on 24 April 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  6. ↑ Stubbs, Winnie (12 February 2024). "Sydney's huge event space the Cutaway is scoring a mega $80 million makeover". Time Out Sydney. Archived from the original on 23 April 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  7. ↑ Gorrey, Megan and Barwell, David (20 February 2026). "'Extremely disappointed': Minister defies residents' noise complaints to dump Barangaroo curfew". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  8. 1 2 "ICC Sydney Named as Operator of Premium Events Venue — The Cutaway". ICC Sydney. 16 April 2026. Archived from the original on 24 April 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  9. 1 2 Anand, Arshia (16 April 2026). "Sydney's New 10,000-Square-Metre Underground Arts Hub Features Giant Timber Trees And 14-Metre Sandstone Walls—And You Can Explore It For Free This May". Secret Sydney. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  10. ↑ Treasure, Avril (21 April 2026). "FIRST LOOK: Sydney's $100 million harbourfront cultural space is opening 24/7". Time Out Sydney. Archived from the original on 24 April 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.

Further reading