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A New Cathedral for Sydney

April 2026

A New Cathedral for Sydney

Níall McLaughlin Architects has been appointed to design a new Catholic Cathedral in Sydney’s Waitara suburb, as the centrepiece of a new spiritual, civic and cultural precinct for the Diocese of Broken Bay, in New South Wales.

The Cathedral Precinct Project will establish an integrated centre of Catholic life in the region and is poised to become a distinctive local landmark and a spiritual focal point for the parishes of the Northern Beaches, Central Coast, and North Shore.

Key to the project vision is the creation of a lifelong journey for congregants: from Baptism through to early learning, primary, and secondary education – ensuring the Cathedral is a living centre that serves all ages of its community. 

The design highlights responsible, sustainable materials that complement the natural setting, in keeping with Pope Francis’s call to care for our common home.

Generous public spaces will embed the site within the neighbourhood and welcome the community – creating a place that prioritises people and permeability.  

The international competition was organised by the diocese and led by the Archbishop Anthony Randazzo DD JCL, for the Hornsby Cathedral Parish community and the entire Diocese of Broken Bay. 

 

Architecture as an Instruction-Based Art – Harvard University Exhibition

September 2024

Architecture as an Instruction-Based Art – Harvard University Exhibition

An exhibition has opened at the Druker Design Gallery at Harvard University titled ‘Architecture as an Instruction-Based Art’. The exhibition is a selection of drawings which are used to coordinate the process of construction, that is, drawings which reflect the nature of architecture as an “instruction-based” art. We selected a drawing from our International Rugby Experience project in Ireland that shows the complex co-ordination and layering of construction from ceiling to roof level. Here each bay of the sculptural ceiling transitions upwards from an expansive oculus aligned with the building axes, twisting through 20 degrees to accommodate eye-shaped north-facing skylights and bespoke solar shades at roof level.

The exhibition has been curated by the Farshid Moussavi and runs until the 15th October. More information can be found on the Harvard website here.