10 skyscrapers that will transform Sydney’s skyline by 2030

The area between Chippendale and Central Station, which is a bit of an underused hinterland at present, is set to undergo a radical transformation in the next few years, becoming Sydney’s very own ‘Silicon Valley'. This technology and innovation hub fit for the 21st-century will span more than 24 hectares of Sydney and feature a series of major towers overlooking Prince Alfred Park. One of the crown jewels of this new tech precinct will be a $2.5 billion twin-tower adjacent to Central Station at the junction of Lee Street and George Street. It’ll have 39 levels, offering in excess of 150,000 square metres of commercial space. As the centrepiece of Sydney’s new technology park, the building will feature cutting-edge design including a number of ecological advances that will allow Central Place to run 100 per cent on renewable energy.

Reaching a height of 180 metres, this striking tower will be the world’s tallest hybrid timber structure once completed. The $1 billion building, located next door to Central Station within the city's new technology precinct, will also feature numerous indoor gardens on every floor as well as planted outdoor terraces on the roof. It will have impeccable green credentials, with renewable energy production, natural ventilation technology and other innovations ensuring its carbon footprint is as tiny as possible.

This 232-metre tower at the Circular Quay end of Pitt Street will be one of the most dominant structures of Sydney’s future skyline. The $1 billion skyscraper will feature more than 60,000 square metres of retail and commercial office space. It will replace a nine-story building and eventually span three addresses. One of its most distinctive features will be its rooftop garden, set to be one of the highest green spaces in the city once complete.

Overlooking Hyde Park and its beautiful art deco war memorial, this pair of towers, connected via a 'sky bridge', will be one of the Sydney’s tallest residential buildings. Featuring 592 apartments spread across 80 storeys, the building’s footprint will in fact be spread across sites linking Liverpool, Castlereagh and Pitt Street addresses. It will also house a 158-room hotel, a large shopping mall and five levels of basement parking for both public and private use.

Rising from the site of the much-loved George Street Event Cinema, this sleek, 81-storey, $1 billion tower will be Sydney’s tallest residential building when complete. In addition to more than 51,000 square meters of residential space, there will also be a large retail presence in the tower, including a cinema to replace the multiplex that was a stalwart of George Street for decades. Given its central CBD location and the logistical challenges this creates, construction isn't expected to be done until 2028. 

This new world-class commercial and retail precinct will be formed by two towers, and will be directly connected to the Sydney Metro West. Comprising a 58-storey building above Hunter Street Station East and a 51-storey building above Hunter Street Station West, the development will support additional jobs and economic growth in Sydney CBD, with a direct link to the thousands of homes set to be built along the Sydney Metro West line. Exact details for what Hunter Street Commercial Tower East and Hunter Street Commercial Tower West will look like are still to be confirmed, as final plans for the area are subject to ongoing engagement, set to continue throughout 2024. 

Another major component of the CBD’s waterfront rejuvenation plan, this 58-storey residential development is located on the corner of George Street and Alfred Street and will feature 158 luxury apartments, as well as the Waldorf Astoria Sydney hotel, spread throughout a pair of towers. The development has technically been underway for more than four years, but has been stalled several times as ownership of the site has passed between different companies. Lendlease acquired the site in July 2022, and project is currently under construction and completion expected late 2026.

Over the past decade, Darling Square and Barangaroo have received billions of dollars of investment, transforming these once rundown and undervalued corners of Sydney into two of the city's top hospitality, retail and residential destinations. Connecting these two locations, a major redevelopment of Cockle Bay Wharf is the final phase of this multi-year facelift for the CBD’s western waterfront. At its heart will be a 40-storey tower overlooking Pyrmont Bridge, atop a 24,900 square meter complex of retail and hospitality spaces. All the existing buildings in the Cockle Bay Wharf area will be demolished to make way for this development (including, sadly, one of Sydney’s last remaining monorail stations).

One of the last major components of the multibillion-dollar redevelopment of Barangaroo, this trio of skyscrapers adjacent to the city’s tallest building, the Crown Tower, feature some of the ritziest private residences anywhere in Sydney. The complex comprises of a 30-storey tower with 162 residences, a 68-storey tower with 322 residences, and a 72-storey tower with 315 residences including the Penthouse (which is currently the most expensive residential property in Australia, having sold for $140 million in 2019. The towers boast stunning views over Sydney Harbour, Blackwattle Bay or Darling Harbour. The $4 billion development is already partly done, with some residences ready for move-in, while the two other residences are due to be completed by the end of this year.

Part of a multi-billion-dollar rejuvenation plan for Sydney’s CBD waterfront, this 200-metre tall, 50-storey tower overlooks the docks of Circular Quay and Bennelong Point. Its quirky design features five distinct glazed boxes, stacked at angles to maximise its picturesque location and capture the most natural light. Located at 50 Bridge Street, the huge development covers a footprint of two city blocks – approximately 11,000 square metres. While its towering facade has been designed to be a striking presence when viewed from afar, its base features an intimate network of shopping malls and laneways creating a new dining, retail and residential precinct in one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in the city. This one is already completed – it was done in 2022 – and houses some of our favourite eateries like Costi's Fish and Chips and Martinez.