News and updates

A major construction milestone is underway at Powerhouse Parramatta, with the framework for the Rooftop Pavilion now taking shape above the museum’s main structure.  Perched at the highest point of Building B, the Rooftop Pavilion will be a striking architectural feature and a flexible public space when the museum opens in late 2026. It will offer sweeping views of the Parramatta River and host a range of public programs and cultural events.  The Pavilion's steel structure has been carefully assembled by

In recent months, major milestones have been achieved, including the full installation of the exoskeleton and formation of all seven exhibition spaces. Here’s a closer look at what’s happening on site:Building A (west)Building A has reached its full height ‘topping out’ at 75 metres with concrete poured on the final floor in late May. All exoskeleton pieces encasing Building A. This marks the completion of over 1,300 precision installed pieces of steel carefully placed around both buildings. Work cont

Powerhouse Parramatta’s major exhibition spaces are now one step closer to completion with the application of a bespoke waterglass finish to exposed concrete surfaces throughout.  The waterglass finish—a specialist treatment used in major museums and galleries around the world—provides a refined, matte surface that is both durable and visually striking. It highlights the natural tones and textures of the concrete while protecting it from dust and stains, making it ideal for high-traffic public environ

A major structural milestone has been achieved at Powerhouse Parramatta with the completion of the Link Bridge, uniting the museum’s two main buildings above ground.  The Link Bridge is a key architectural feature of the new museum, physically connecting the eastern and western buildings to create a truly unified cultural campus. Suspended above the site’s central courtyard, the bridge will allow visitors to move seamlessly between exhibition spaces and public areas while enjoying unique views of the mu

Powerhouse Parramatta has reached another crucial milestone, with the project officially ‘topping out’ — reaching the highest point of construction on the new museum.   Powerhouse Parramatta is the largest cultural infrastructure project in Australia. Once complete, it will be the largest museum in the country, offering immersive 18,000sqm in exhibition spaces, a 600-seat theatre, learning studios, cafes and vibrant public spaces along the Parramatta River.   To date, more than 2,500 workers have co

The Powerhouse Parramatta construction site will be closed over Easter from Friday 18 April to Sunday 27 April 2025. Works will resume from Monday 28 April 2025. Should you need to contact the project team during this time, the 24/7 community information line is 1800 574 931. Please note the Project Inbox (powerhouse@lendlease. com) will be monitored intermittently.   ;

All eyes were on the Powerhouse Parramatta site on Thursday evening as the local community gathered for a special Community BBQ to celebrate construction progress on Australia’s newest cultural landmark.  Held at Parramatta’s David Frater Reserve, the event was an opportunity for residents to meet the Powerhouse team, learn more about the future Museum and enjoy a shared meal as the project edges closer to completion.  Guests were offered a vibrant Malaysian feast, celebrating the diverse culinary tradi

The project is progressing quickly, thanks to the commitment and teamwork of everyone involved. Here’s a closer look at what’s happening on site:Building A (west)On the river side of Building A, double trusses have now been installed and concrete has been poured for Levels 4 and 5. Work has started on the internal stairwell (Core 1), and installation of the lifts and façade panels across the building are progressing. Building B (east)Building B has reached a significant milestone with the lighting and po

Once complete, Powerhouse Parramatta will be the largest museum in New South Wales and will deliver a dynamic new space for arts and culture in Western Sydney.  Powerhouse Museum CEO, Lisa Havilah sat down with ABC News Mornings reporter Gemma Veness to discuss construction progress and what visitors can expect to experience once the Museum is opened.   ;

As part of a strategic partnership with The Daily Telegraph for the Future Western Sydney Summit on Friday 4 April, Powerhouse Parramatta offered an exclusive first look at what visitors can expect when the museum opens its doors.  The article outlines the museum’s ambitious design and immersive visitor experiences, including seven exhibition spaces, a rooftop garden with telescopes, and a 600-seat theatre. Visitors will also enjoy a 55-seat cinema, live cooking programs in the Vitocco Family Kitchen and

Lendlease has reached a key milestone in the construction of Powerhouse Parramatta with the installation of the first truss of three double trusses at the top of the western building.  Weighing an impressive 92 tonnes the first truss is part of a vertically stacked double truss system that will form a key component of the building’s framework.  On installation day, the truss was rolled into a vertical position and then lifted by Tower Crane 3 (or ‘Power Crane’) - the world’s largest capacity tower c

As both buildings advance rapidly, the Powerhouse Parramatta project continues to progress to deliver a world-class cultural institution for Western Sydney. Recent developments highlight the dedication and collaboration of all teams involved in bringing this transformative project to life. Building A (west)Building A is gearing up for the installation of the double trusses. The jump form structure around Core 1 has been removed, and the internal lifts and façade panels across the building are progressing. Buil

Wonderful news!Time Out Australia Magazine has recognised Powerhouse Parramatta as one of the top major developments to change Australia in 2025. Powerhouse Parramatta will be transformational for Western Sydney, with 18,000sqm of exhibition and public space providing increased access to the museum’s extraordinary collection and education programs. ;

As both buildings advance rapidly, the Powerhouse Parramatta project continues to progress to deliver a world-class cultural institution for Western Sydney. Recent developments highlight the dedication and collaboration of all teams involved in bringing this transformative project to life. Building A (west)Building A has completed the installation of its distinctive X-shaped exoskeleton pieces, now reaching the fourth level. Exhibition Spaces 3, 5 and 6 are taking shape, with services now being installed to

The Powerhouse Parramatta project teams recently hosted an exclusive with ABC News to celebrate the 'topping out' (reaching the highest point) of Building B / Eastern Building construction milestone. Powerhouse Museum Chief Executive Lisa Havilah and Infrastructure NSW Head of Projects Bruno Zinghini spoke with ABC reporter Sean Tarek Goodwin. See the news story below. ;

The Powerhouse Parramatta construction site will be closed over the holiday period from 21 December 2024 to 4 January 2025 (inclusive). Works will resume from Monday 6 January 2025.  Should you need to contact the project team during this time, the 24/7 community information line is 1800 574 931. Please note the Project Inbox (powerhouse@lendlease. com) will be monitored intermittently. ;

Powerhouse Parramatta project has reached new heights in 2024, including reaching the highest point (topping out) of the Eastern building! Throughout the year we’ve achieved several key milestones including: Formation of 6 out of 7 exhibition spaces Completion of 3 full levels of the steel exoskeleton on both buildings Installation of escalators, link bridges, and bespoke spiral staircases Placement of concrete and glass façade panels Completion of all 3 building cores.  Watch the video below to see

In November at the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Awards for Excellence, Lendlease's Female Apprentice Development and Peer Networking Program won the Scentre Group Award for Team Innovation! Developed to increase engagement and trade completion rates, and to build a robust network for future female tradespeople, Lendlease's program was designed by apprentices for apprentices. The program offers coaching and professional development typically reserved leaders, alongside access to a gr

The Powerhouse Parramatta construction site will be closed from Saturday 30 November through to Tuesday 3 December (inclusive), for the annual Building Unions Picnic. Site will resume construction on Wednesday 4 December 2024. Additionally, the footpath closure on Wilde Avenue bridge to enable construction activity on the eastern side of the site has concluded, and access was reinstated Thursday 28 November 2024. In early 2025, further footpath closure will be required for additional work, and will be notif

The exoskeleton steel installation is progressing on the third level of both buildings. Concrete, services, finishes and façade works continue across the site and are progressing well. Exoskeleton, floor trusses and secondary steel pieces continue to be preassembled at ground level before being lifted into place on the buildings, and large elements of structural steel continue to be delivered outside of standard construction hours due to the oversized nature of the steel. Building A (west)Installation of the

Powerhouse Parramatta is one of the most significant structural engineering and architecturally complex projects underway in Australia. Since work began in 2022 the project has faced many challenges, including post COVID-19 related construction issues and record inclement weather. Despite this, the project has reached several crucial milestones including completion of 2 out of the 3 cores and installation of over half of the 1,300 individual pieces of exoskeleton steel. Building B to the East is expected to r

Last week a tandem crane lift was undertaken for the first time on the Powerhouse Parramatta project. Using two or more cranes at the same time to lift a single load is a complex activity in the construction sector, requiring great skill, careful planning and methodology to ensure safety at all times. In this instance, it was required because the weight load of the overall lift at 69. 5 tonnes exceeded Tower Crane 2's lifting ability, and therefore Tower Crane 3 was recruited to share the load. Watch our del

This month the Lendlease team at Powerhouse Parramatta partnered with Regional Industry Education Partnership (RIEP) to deliver the third Build the Museum program.  Nineteen Year 10 students from Parramatta High School and Arthur Phillip High School engaged with presentations on the design and construction of Powerhouse Parramatta, before taking a guided off-site tour to see progress on the building.   The budding engineers, architects and builders were tasked with recreating Powerhouse Parramatta using a

In August, the Lendlease team at Powerhouse Parramatta hosted a site tour for National Association of Women in Construction (AU) (NAWIC) members. The tour was led by an all women group of senior project, site and graduate engineers, who each shared a variety of unique project highlights along with their experience working on such a significant project. Powerhouse Parramatta is one of 21 NSW Government projects participating in a pilot program designed to increase the number of women on site. The pilot involve

The exoskeleton steel installation is complete on the second level of Building B, and nearing completion on the second level of Building A. Concrete, services, finishes and façade works continue across the site and are progressing well. Exoskeleton, floor trusses and secondary steel pieces continue to be preassembled at ground level before being lifted into place on the buildings, and large elements of structural steel continue to be delivered outside of standard construction hours due to the oversized natu

Powerhouse Parramatta is one of the most significant structural engineering and architecturally complex projects underway in the world.   Lendlease are managing the construction of the project and regularly undertake rigorous preparations for high-risk work to ensure the safety of everyone on site.   A recent example of this is the installation of the second set of escalators on site that will take visitors between Levels 1 and 2 in Building A.   Detailed planning and methodology sessions have been under

Powerhouse Parramatta’s one-of-a-kind, green spiral staircase on Level 3 of Building B, connected to the cinema, was installed this month.   Delivered to site as one oversized piece, it measures 4 metres wide and 5. 5 metres high. To install the staircase, it was rigged up on the ground, before being carefully craned 50 metres in the air by Tower Crane 2 – also known as ‘Cranosaurus Rex’ - and welded into place.  The Powerhouse Parramatta 55-seat cinema has been designed to host film and speaker pro

The Powerhouse Parramatta team united to celebrate and acknowledge the culture of our First Nations people across two significant weeks; National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week. In May, via a site-wide prestart and toolbox talk, Lendlease delivered an important message about this year’s National Reconciliation Week theme, ‘Now More Than Ever’, reminding everyone that the fight for justice and the rights of our First Nations people must continue. Delivered by Lendlease’s First Nations Site Manage

The facades of Powerhouse Parramatta balance form and function. Behind the steel lattice structure of the exoskeleton, over 14,000sqm of glass façade will be installed - that's the equivalent of over 55 tennis courts. The museum's glazed windows will ensure exhibition spaces are separated from the light. The northern elevations of the eastern and western buildings feature glazed elements which provide ample access to natural sunlight in pedestrian areas. Learn more about the construction features. ;

Progress continues at the Powerhouse Parramatta construction site: Exoskeleton steel installation is progressing on the second level of both buildings.  Concrete slabs on the second level of both buildings are now complete.  Installation of precast concrete and glass façade panels continue.   General concreting works continue across the site.    Core 1 is progressing and is scheduled for completion later this year.   ;

In May, the Lendlease Project Team partnered with Regional Industry Education Partnership (RIEP) to deliver the second Build the Museum program.  This program invited 23 local high school students from Model Farms High School to attend the project office, learn about the Powerhouse Parramatta project and the varying roles within the project team to provide inspiration for future career pathways.  The students were taken on an external site tour to witness the scale of the project in person and hear from th

A significant milestone was reached in May as the first bridge link between the two buildings was successfully installed. Over the coming months further links will be installed to form a glazed two-storey bridge, anchoring the building to the city grid. ;

Last month Lendlease successfully delivered their third Breaking Ground program. The program specifically targets First Nations women, providing them with a platform to explore career pathways and opportunities available to them in the construction industry.  Together with partner organisations, NASCA and Productivity Bootcamp, we supported 7 young First Nations female secondary students to gain valuable trade skills along with experience and exposure to real construction projects. Participants had the oppo

Progress continues at the Powerhouse Parramatta construction site:Core 3 of Building B (eastern building) is now completeThe second level of exhibition space in Building B is progressing with several large concrete pours occurring over the last few weeksThe exoskeleton steel structure is progressing on Building B, with recent works completed on the ground level adjacent to Wilde AvenueInstallation of precast concrete panels and concreting works continue across the site. ;

NSW Minister for the Arts, John Graham MLC, Powerhouse chief executive Lisa Havilah and ING Australia CEO Melanie Evans recently took a tour to the Powerhouse Parramatta construction site. The tour coincided with the Powerhouse’s announcement of a $4 million investment in the future of Powerhouse Parramatta by ING Australia. This partnership will establish ING as the museum’s Community and Wellbeing Partner, supporting Western Sydney communities through the formation of the ING Pavilion and the ING Commu

Progress continues at the Powerhouse Parramatta construction site including:5 black truss beams have been installed on Building A (western building)Core 2 of Building B (eastern building) is now complete, with the jump form dismantled end of 2023First escalator installed in Building A. ;

The Powerhouse Parramatta construction site will be closed over the holiday period from Friday 22 December 2023 to Tuesday 2 January 2024 (inclusive). Works will resume in stages from Wednesday 3 January 2024.  Should you need to contact the project team during this time, the 24/7 community information line is 1800 574 931. Please note the Project Inbox (powerhouse@lendlease. com) will be monitored intermittently. ;

Progress continues at the Powerhouse Parramatta construction site including:28 ‘A’ exoskeleton pieces (or over 70%) have been installed9 truss pieces have been installed on Building BPrecast concrete panels have commenced installationConcrete works on site continue. ;

The Powerhouse Parramatta construction site will be closed for Builder's Picnic Day from end of day Friday 1 December 2023 and will re-open Wednesday 6 December 2023. During this time no works will be carried out.   ;

Progress continues at the Powerhouse Parramatta construction site including:19 ‘A’ exoskeleton pieces have been installedLarge pieces of structural steel continue to be delivered outside of standard construction hoursA construction compound has been built next to Parramatta RiverConcrete works on site continue. ;

The Powerhouse Parramatta project team recently welcomed ABC News to the construction site. The event was timed to coincide with an impending construction milestone: the first truss piece of the distinctive ‘exoskeleton’ being lifted and lowered into place in Exhibition Space 1 – Australia’s largest column-free exhibition space at over 2,000sqm, featuring an epic 8-metre-high ceiling. Guest attendees included the Minister for Lands and Property, the Hon. Steve Kamper, Member for Parramatta Donna Davis

School engagement is a core component in our projects in the Projects NSW division as we give back to the community. In Lendlease’s long running tradition, the Powerhouse Parramatta construction team were pleased to announce the winners of the project’s Name the Crane competition [this week] in a ceremony held on site with the student winners, their parents/carers and teachers. Local students were asked to enter a competition to suggest names for the project’s three tower cranes. The winning students wi

Progress continues at the Powerhouse Parramatta construction site including:Commencing installation of ‘A’ pieces of the museum’s exoskeleton on Building B (eastern building)Continuing installation of exoskeleton base nodes across the siteCompletion of major structural concreting works for Building A (western building). Completion of Dirrabarri Lane hoarding and site accommodation works. ;

Progress continues at the Powerhouse Parramatta construction site, with major pieces of work completed in the last quarter. Our June Construction Update will keep you informed on the progress of important milestones. ;

The world’s heaviest capacity tower crane has begun lifting pieces of Powerhouse Parramatta’s massive steel exoskeleton into place, marking a major milestone in the project. The exoskeleton will be made up of more than 1,300 individual pieces of steel, ranging up to 20 metres in height and giving a unique look to what is the biggest cultural infrastructure build since the Sydney Opera House. The design ensures the 18,000 square metres of museum space will be free of columns to create extraordinary exhibi

Our April Construction Update will keep you informed on the progress of important milestones. ;

The project’s largest concrete slab has been poured and the first of 12,000 tonnes of structural steel has been installed in a major milestone for the construction of Powerhouse Parramatta. More than $200 million in contracts have been awarded to NSW businesses by construction partner Lendlease, with $75 million in contracts from the Powerhouse Parramatta project awarded to local businesses to date. Lendlease have also committed to 70 per cent of the construction workforce to be Western Sydney locals, inclu

Out of hour steel deliveries will arrive to site over the year from approximately 30 January 2023. ;