As 2024 comes to an end, the architectural world looks ahead to 2025, a year set to unveil transformative projects across the globe. From cultural landmarks in Asia, such as Sou Fujimoto's "Grand Ring" for Expo 2025 Osaka and MAD Architects' Hainan Science Museum in China, to dynamic urban developments like OMA's Harajuku Quest in Tokyo and David Chipperfield's Elbtower in Hamburg, these projects reflect a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and preserving cultural heritage.
In North America, Studio Gang's Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Brooklyn and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles highlight architecture's role in fostering community connections. Meanwhile, Europe anticipates Shigeru Ban's hybrid residential tower in Antwerp and Kengo Kuma's Visitor Center at Albania's Butrint National Park, showcasing the intersection of contemporary design and local context. As these projects take shape, they offer a glimpse into architecture's power to redefine spaces and inspire communities.
Read on to discover the projects we look forward to opening in 2025, in no particular order.
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The 21 Most Anticipated Projects of 2024Euro American Innovation City / Foster + Partners
Hangzhou, China
The Euro American Innovation City by Foster + Partners is a 346,450-square-meter mixed-use development in Hangzhou's Central Business District. Featuring two 200-meter office towers, four residential buildings, and a central public plaza, it integrates retail, an IT incubator, and shared amenities. Completion is expected by September 2025.
Fenix / MAD Architects
Rotterdam, Netherlands
The FENIX Museum of Migration, designed by MAD Architects, will open in 2025 in Rotterdam's City Harbor. Restoring a 1932 historic warehouse, the museum will explore global migration stories through art, photography, and history. Highlights of the construction include the Tornado, a dynamic rooftop structure symbolizing migrants' journeys, and installations like a maze of donated suitcases, and a photographic exhibit on migration themes.
Techo International Airport / Foster + Partners
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, designed by Foster + Partners, is set to redefine the region's aviation landscape. Inspired by local vernacular architecture, the terminal features airfoil-shaped piers, a 36-meter roof canopy supported by structural trees, and a focus on natural light and intuitive passenger flow. Emphasizing sustainability, the airport integrates greenery, energy-efficient systems, and a photovoltaic farm, aiming to be among the greenest airports globally.
30th Street Station Redevelopment / SOM
Philadelphia, United States
The $550 million redevelopment of Philadelphia's William H. Gray III 30th Street Station by SOM has officially begun construction and is slated for completion in 2025. This transformative project focuses on modernizing the historic 1933 Beaux-Arts station while creating a vibrant, transit-centric urban district. Key upgrades include enhanced pedestrian spaces, expanded retail, a Metropolitan Lounge, and renovated offices for Amtrak, all designed to preserve the building's architectural legacy while improving connectivity and accessibility for millions of travelers annually.
Rice University's New Arts Building / Diller Scofidio + Renfro
Houston, United States
Diller Scofidio + Renfro's Susan and Fayez Sarofim Hall at Rice University in Houston, Texas, is set for completion in fall 2025. Envisioned as a campus gateway, the 83,000-square-foot arts building will feature studios, exhibition spaces, and labs, designed with a flexible, expandable system to adapt over time. Paying tribute to Houston's art history, the structure integrates covered exterior spaces to foster creativity and collaboration.
Shanghai Opera House / Snøhetta
Shanghai, China
The Shanghai Grand Opera House by Snøhetta is set for completion in 2025, emerging as a major cultural landmark in the Expo Houtan neighborhood. Featuring a fan-shaped roof symbolizing dance and community, its design includes a spiraling staircase linking the ground to a rooftop plaza with panoramic river views. The Opera House boasts a 2,000-seat main auditorium, two smaller stages, and state-of-the-art acoustics, establishing it as a hub for classical, experimental, and community-focused performances.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi / Frank Gehry
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, first announced in 2006, is now set to open in 2025. Located on Saadiyat Island, the 320,000-square-foot museum will be the largest Guggenheim outpost, joining other cultural landmarks like Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi. Despite decades of delays due to financial challenges and the pandemic, the museum is envisioned as Gehry's "big, late masterpiece," cementing its role as a centerpiece of the island's cultural district.
Lucas Museum / MAD Architects
Los Angeles, United States
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, designed by MAD Architects and set to open in 2025, is taking shape in Los Angeles's Exposition Park. Founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the museum will celebrate visual storytelling across diverse media. Inspired by the park's trees, the organic, five-story building features galleries, theaters, and community spaces, surrounded by 11 acres of gardens designed by Studio-MLA.
Editor's Note: The expected completion date for this building has been updated to 2026.
Indy Eleven Stadium / Populous
Indianapolis, United States
The Indy Eleven Stadium, designed by Populous, is set to open in Indianapolis in 2025 as part of the transformative Eleven Park development. The 20,000-seat stadium will feature fan-centric amenities, including pitch-level seating, party suites, and a taproom with terrace views. Beyond soccer, the project includes a public plaza, a 4,000-seat music venue, and connections to downtown, creating a vibrant community hub in the city's southwest quadrant.
Visitor Center at Butrint / Kengo Kuma & Associates
Albania
Kengo Kuma & Associates' Visitor Center for Butrint National Park in Albania is set to open next year, enhancing access to this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Positioned strategically between mountain paths and wetlands, the center offers panoramic views of the Vivari Channel and Lake Butrint. Designed to strengthen connections with local communities, the project includes two hubs: a "mountain gate" for natural exploration and an "archaeological site gate" featuring public spaces and a plaza for cultural engagement.
Asiat-Darse Bridge / Sumayya Vally
Belgium
Sumayya Vally's Asiat-Darse pedestrian bridge in Vilvoorde, Belgium, will honor the legacy of Paul Panda Farnana, a key figure in the city's history and the first Congolese graduate in Belgium. Inspired by the Congo River's fleets of canoes, the bridge features boat-shaped seed beds, designed to spread plants and symbolizing migration and growth. Set to be completed by December 2025, it will serve as both a meeting point and an active monument connecting past and future narratives of migration.
Powerhouse Parramatta Museum / Moreau Kusunoki and Genton
Parramatta, Australia
Set to open in early 2025, Powerhouse Parramatta will become Sydney's largest museum, located on the south bank of the Parramatta River. Designed by Moreau Kusunoki and Genton, the museum reimagines the visitor experience, encouraging exploration and personal discovery through its seven flexible, column-free presentation spaces. Emphasizing openness and connection, the design integrates tactile materials, serene reflection areas, and river views, creating a versatile cultural landmark in Western Sydney.
Anji Culture and Art Center / MAD Architects
Anji, China
MAD Architects' Anji Culture and Art Center in Zhejiang Province, China, features six venues, including a Grand Theater, Conference Center, and Sports Center. Inspired by the region's bamboo and tea heritage, the design incorporates overlapping roofs shaped like bamboo leaves. Positioned between urban and natural landscapes, the center creates a connection with its surroundings, offering open courtyards, a central corridor with mountain views, and a performance stage.
Grand Ring for Expo 2025 / Sou Fujimoto
Osaka, Japan
Sou Fujimoto's "Grand Ring" for Expo 2025 Osaka is a 2-kilometer timber structure on Yumeshima Island. Spanning 60,000 square meters with a 615-meter inner diameter, it combines traditional Japanese wooden techniques with modern engineering. Completed in August 2024, the ring reflects the Expo's theme, "Designing Future Society for Our Lives," and serves as a centerpiece for the upcoming event's master plan focused on sustainability and innovation.
Shirley Chisholm Recreational Center / Studio Gang
New York City, United States
The Studio Gang-designed Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, is set to open in 2025. Honoring Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman in Congress, the center will serve as a community hub with a gymnasium, pool, walking track, media lab, and teaching kitchen. It aims to inspire future generations and promote equity through opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses.
Editor's Note: The expected completion date for this building has been updated to 2026.
Commercial and Cultural Center in Harajuku / OMA / Shohei Shigematsu
Tokyo, Japan
The Harajuku Quest, designed by Shohei Shigematsu and OMA New York, is a new commercial and cultural hub in Tokyo's Harajuku district, planned for completion in 2025. Bridging Omotesando's vibrant retail streets and Oku-Harajuku's intimate, creative neighborhood, the building's sculptural façade adapts to both contexts. Part of NTT's "With Harajuku" development, it aims to connect the two areas, fostering a seamless flow of people and activities.
Prestige Liberty Towers / OMA / Iyad Alsaka
Mumbai, India
OMA's Prestige Liberty Towers in Mumbai's historic textile mill district features two towers (200m and 290m) and a five-story retail podium with offices, shops, and a rooftop garden. Mixing modern design with views of the Arabian Sea, the project is set to finish in 2025.
Tallest Tower in Hamburg / David Chipperfield Architects
Hamburg, Germany
David Chipperfield Architects' Elbtower in Hamburg will rise 230 meters as the city's tallest building. Located on the Hafencity riverfront, it serves as a counterpart to the Elbphilharmonie and integrates offices, retail, a hotel, and public spaces. With completion planned for 2025, the tower's tapering glass façade, featuring solar-shading panels and kinetic lighting by Studio Other Spaces, will create a striking presence on the skyline.
Letter-Shaped Apartment Buildings in Mannheim / MVRDV
Mannheim, Germany
MVRDV has unveiled "O," a 15-story residential building in Mannheim's Franklin Mitte, part of a master plan transforming the area. The building, shaped like the letter O, features 120 apartments, commercial spaces, and a central public terrace accessible via a stairway. With its vibrant blue brick and colorful glass façade, the tower stands out while integrating with smaller low-rise structures and public plazas. Planned for completion in 2025, "O" will join three other letter-shaped towers spelling "HOME," creating a unique identity for the neighborhood.
Sheikh Zayed National Museum / Foster + Partners
Abu Dhabi, UAE
The Zayed National Museum, designed as a tribute to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, will be the centerpiece of Saadiyat Island's Cultural District. Featuring galleries within a landscaped mound and solar towers for natural ventilation, it combines sustainability with Arabic design. Set to open in 2025, the museum also includes a central lobby with suspended pod-shaped galleries, reflecting Sheikh Zayed's legacy and love of nature.
Hybrid Residential Tower / Shigeru Ban
Belgium
Shigeru Ban's latest project in Antwerp's Nieuw Zuid district features a 25-story hybrid residential tower with 295 units, combining wood, concrete, and steel for ecological efficiency. The design incorporates Ban's signature wood facades and a 6,000 m² Japanese-inspired courtyard by landscape architect Bas Smets, creating a green environment. Set to be completed by December 2025, the project prioritizes sustainable living and relaxation.
Hainan Science Museum / MAD Architects
Hainan, China
The Hainan Science Museum by MAD Architects is nearing completion on the west coast of Haikou City, Hainan Province. Designed to harmonize with its wetland surroundings, the biomorphic structure spans 46,000 square meters and features fluid shapes resembling an "updraft." Incorporating sustainable materials, its curtain wall adapts to Hainan's tropical climate. With accessible gardens and sunken plazas, the museum combines public interaction with exhibitions tailored for all age groups.
Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art / BIG
Suzhou, China
The Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by BIG, ARTS Group, and Front Inc., spans 60,000 square meters and reimagines Suzhou's classical garden heritage. Its 12 pavilions, connected by ribbon-like walkways extending into Jinji Lake, blend architecture with nature. Featuring sloping roofs, curved glass facades, and warm-toned stainless steel, the museum integrates galleries, a theater, and public spaces, with completion slated for 2025.
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