We’re ringing in the new year with a look at 15 landmark architecture projects scheduled for completion in 2026, including museums, performing arts venues and a face-shaped tower.
Photo by Maksim Sokolov
Sagrada Familia, Spain, by Antoni Gaudí
The most significant building set to be completed in 2026 is the Sagrada Familia, 100 years after the death of its architect Antoni Gaudí.
It officially became the world’s tallest church last year, with the addition of a cross to the tower of Jesus Christ.
The construction of the famous basilica has been long and complex, beginning in 1882 and halting during the Spanish civil war when many of Gaudí’s designs were lost. It sped up in recent years with help from the engineering firm Arup.
Find out more about the Sagrada Familia ›
Render courtesy of Snøhetta
Shanghai Grand Opera House, China, by Snøhetta
Buildings due to open in China this year include Shanghai Grand Opera House, for which Snøhetta unveiled its design in 2019.
Its defining feature will be its dramatic helical staircase, which is designed to resemble an unfolding fan that links the roof with a riverside plaza.
Find out more about Shanghai Grand Opera House ›
Render courtesy of Centre des Cultures et Spiritualités Ewés
Centre des Cultures et Spiritualités Ewés, Togo, by Kéré Architecture
Fans of Kéré Architecture can look forward to several of its projects opening in 2026, including this cultural centre in Togo.
The 7,000-square-metre complex will be dedicated to the heritage of the Ewé people and feature a series of low-lying structures, including temples and an open-air amphitheatre.
Kéré Architecture is also finally due to complete the Benin National Parliament, which had also featured on our list of buildings to look forward to in 2024 and 2025.
Find out more about Benin National Parliament ›
Photo by Iwan Baan
LACMA, USA, by Peter Zumthor
Another of the most highly anticipated openings of 2026 will be the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), following its redesign by Peter Zumthor.
The elongated concrete structure, which required the razing of four existing buildings on the site, has been in the works for more than 20 years.
Following a planning consultation in 2019, it received the support of movie star Brad Pitt, who described Zumthor as “master of light and shadow”.
Find out more about LACMA ›
Render by O’Donnell + Tuomey/Ninety90
V&A East Museum, UK, by O’Donnell + Tuomey
In London, O’Donnell + Tuomey will complete the five-storey V&A East Museum in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
The building, which will have an angular, multifaceted form, will be the second cultural venue created for the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) at the park, following the opening of the V&A East Storehouse in 2025.
Find out more about V&A East ›
Render courtesy of Foster + Partners
Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre Cairo, Egypt, by Foster + Partners
For Foster + Partners, 2026 will see the completion of Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre Cairo, a hospital that will prioritise connecting patients with nature.
“It brings together the latest research on biophilia and the positive impact of nature in clinical settings with our pioneering work on collaborative working environments that allow healthcare professionals to give the best care,” said head of studio Nigel Dancey.
Find out more about Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre Cairo ›
Render courtesy of OMA
Casa Wabi Mushroom Pavilion, Mexico, by OMA
One of the most unusual projects on this year’s list is the Casa Wabi Mushroom Pavilion, designed by OMA for the Casa Wabi artist’s retreat on the Mexican coast.
The otherworldly building will be used to cultivate fungi, and according to the studio, its curved form will provide an “optimized interior organization” to facilitate this.
OMA is also expected to wrap up work on its late-running extension to SANAA’s sculptural New Museum in New York, which will double the size of the contemporary art gallery.
Find out more about the Casa Wabi retreat ›
Render courtesy of MVRDV
Skanderbeg Building, Albania, by MVRDV
If the Casa Wabi Mushroom Pavilion wasn’t sufficiently unusual, this face-shaped tower in Tirana may prove to be.
It is being designed by MVRDV to evoke the country’s prominent historical figure Gjergj Kastrioti – a military commander known locally as Skanderbeg.
Elsewhere in the city, the studio will also complete work on Downtown One, which is set to become Albania’s new tallest building.
Find out more about Skanderbeg Building ›
Render courtesy of Studio Gang
Samuel H Scripps Theater Center, USA, by Studio Gang
Jeanne Gang’s studio will wrap up work on this open-air theatre for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in Upstate New York.
It will have a domed roof supported by a mass-timber structure and be accompanied by a series of pavilions with supporting facilities.
Find out more about Samuel H Scripps Theater Center ›
Render courtesy of Herzog & de Meuron
Grand Canal Museum Complex, China, by Herzog & de Meuron
Elsewhere in China, Herzog & de Meuron is expected to conclude work on the Grand Canal Museum Complex, which it unveiled in 2020.
Located in Hangzhou, the linear museum will be enveloped by a rippling glass facade that resembles water and celebrate the history of the world’s oldest and longest artificial river.
Find out more about Grand Canal Museum Complex ›
Photo by Paddy Chao
Danjiang Bridge, Taiwan, by Zaha Hadid Architects
One of Zaha Hadid Architects’ most exciting upcoming projects is Danjiang Bridge, which is set to be the world’s longest single-tower, cable-stayed bridge upon its completion.
The structure will reduce traffic congestion on small local roads by connecting highways on either side of the Tamsui River in Taiwan.
Find out more about Danjiang Bridge ›
Lucas Museum, USA, by MAD
Over 10 years since MAD first unveiled the design, the Lucas Museum will open its doors in California in 2026.
The spaceship-like building is distinguished by its rounded structure finished in panels of fibreglass-reinforced polymer (FRP), which were created with the help of robots.
Find out more about Lucas Museum ›
CityWave, Italy, by BIG
After topping out during Milan design week in 2025, BIG’s landmark CityWave Office will open this year. It will comprise two office buildings of differing heights, connected by a giant canopy.
The building forms part of CityLife, a development already home to skyscrapers by Zaha Hadid, Daniel Libeskind and Arata Isozaki.
Find out more about CityWave ›
Photo by Raquel Diniz
Olympia, UK, by Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC
For Heatherwick Studio, a major building opening this year will be its revamp of Olympia in London, which it is carrying out with SPPARC.
The studios will introduce a public plaza on the rooftops of the existing Victorian exhibition halls, as well as offices, hotels, a theatre and a live music venue.
Find out more about Olympia ›
Photo by Lizzie Crook
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, UAE, by Frank Gehry
Though its official opening date is yet to be disclosed, there is speculation that the long-awaited Guggenheim Abu Dhabi could finally reach completion on Saadiyat Island in 2026.
The project, which was the last major cultural building by the late architect Frank Gehry, was due to open in 2025, but construction works remained ongoing in December.
Its completion will follow the opening of other major cultural institutions on the island, including Jean Nouvel’s Louvre Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum by Foster + Partners.
Find out more about Guggenheim Abu Dhabi ›
