Join us on a guided tour to explore the newly completed transformation of the Cutaway in Barangaroo, Sydney’s new arts, cultural and events space. Proudly sponsored by HESS TIMBER, a member of HASSLACHER group.
The design was created through deep collaboration between fjcstudio and First Nations Knowledge Keepers and creatives, led by Bangawarra, Shannon Foster and Jake Nash, the transformation of the Cutaway evolved from its earliest stages through Country. The project reimagines the original straight-edged sandstone cutting and subterranean structure, a remnant of significant intervention into the headland, into a welcoming and inclusive space that reveals the memories of Saltwater Country. Natural forms soften the site’s rigid geometry, reshaping the sharp edges of the excavation into an environment that evokes the curved form of the giba-gunya, or rock shelter, and reconnects the space to its cultural and environmental context.
At the heart of the transformation are the sculptural timber ‘trees’, inspired by the Damun, or Port Jackson fig, and the sheltered spaces beneath its canopy. The parallel ribs also draw from Saltwater ceremonial markings and the fish skeleton body art of Dr Foster’s grandfather, animating the floor with shifting shadows while connecting the space to local ecosystems that have sustained community for millennia. These elements carry both symbolic and functional roles, concealing technical infrastructure such as rigging and lighting, while their timber construction enhances acoustic performance through integrated acoustic absorption. Each 16-metre-high structure is assembled from up to 150 timber components ranging from 7kg to 950kg, transforming what was once a cavernous and reverberant shell into a warm and immersive environment.
The project also presented a significant technical challenge, converting a space with a 15-second reverberation time into an acoustically refined venue with a two-second reverberation time. Through the integration of perforated plywood, insulation and carefully engineered timber forms, the Cutaway now balances technical performance with cultural and spatial meaning. The result is a space deeply connected to Country, drawing on the shelter of sandstone caves, the significance of knowledge trees and the layered histories of the site to create an enduring expression of place, memory and cultural continuity.
Photographer: Tom Ferguson