As we wrap up the celebrations of 2025, we have compiled a list of 12 exciting architecture projects set to open in 2026.
Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor, the 900-foot-long (274.32-meter) horizontal building (the photo above) spans Wilshire Boulevard and will house LACMA’s highly anticipated David Geffen Galleries, one of the most awaited buildings set to open in 2026.
Other notable projects include MAD’s Lucas Museum of Narrative Art (LMNA) in Los Angeles’ Exposition Park, which is designed to harmoniously blend architecture with the surrounding landscape; Atelier Kanal’s Kanal – a former Citroën car factory in central Brussels will be transformed into Europe’s largest museum of modern and contemporary art and architecture; Herzog & de Meuron’s Memphis Art Museum in Memphis, Tennessee – a new cultural campus for the Memphis Art Museum.
These remarkable buildings form our exclusive list of the most highly anticipated structures scheduled to open in 2026, promising to redefine the skyline and transform their communities.
Here are twelve buildings that we are excited to see debut in 2026, listed in no particular order:
David Geffen Galleries at LACMA; exterior view southeast toward Wilshire Boulevard with Tony Smith’s Smoke (1967) in foreground. Photography © Iwan Baan
LACMA David Geffen Galleries, Los Angeles, California, US by Peter Zumthor (opening April 2026)
The highly anticipated David Geffen Galleries at LACMA will open to the public in April 2026. The 274.32-meter, horizontal structure, which spans Wilshire Boulevard and was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor, will house the museum’s permanent collection. The building, which will include 110,000 square feet (10,219 square meters) of gallery space, 3.5 acres of new outdoor space, indoor and outdoor artist commissions, a theater, three restaurants and cafes, the LACMA store, and the W.M.
Keck Education Center, is the culmination of a two-decade campus transformation aimed at expanding gallery space at LACMA and improving the visitor experience.
The David Geffen Galleries will redefine the museum experience for visitors and provide a more comprehensive view of art and history by bringing together non-hierarchical presentations of art from all cultures and eras on a single, raised exhibition level. Every visit will feel different according on the time of day, season, and weather thanks to floor-to-ceiling glass panels along the soaring perimeter, which will let natural light into parts of the galleries and offer expansive vistas of the city.
Read more about the LACMA David Geffen Galleries by Peter Zumthor.
V&A East Museum by O’Donnell + Tuomey. Image © Niall Hodson
V&A East Museum, London, United Kingdom by O’Donnell + Tuomey (opening on 18 April 2026)
The V&A East Museum, opening on April 18, 2026, in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, is designed by Dublin and London-based architecture studio O’Donnell + Tuomey. Co-created with local communities, it will highlight the power of creativity through exhibitions, events, and creative commissions. A café by Jikoni, known for its “cooking without borders,” will enhance the experience.
This five-storey museum will connect various artistic fields, including art, design, fashion, music, and performance, and will be located near institutions like the London College of Fashion and the BBC. Supported by the Mayor of London, it serves as a sister site to the recently opened V&A East Storehouse, contributing to the dynamic cultural scene of east London.
Read more about the V&A East Museum by O’Donnell + Tuomey.
View of the Great Hall, Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, University of Oxford. Photograph © Hufton + Crow
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, the University of Oxford, UK by Hopkins Architects (opening April 2026)
Designed by Hopkins Architects, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre is a brand-new, top-notch arts and humanities facility in Oxford that offers a special blend of outstanding performance and research venues with academic teaching capabilities. Set to open in April 2026, the public program will begin in 25 – 26 April with the Open House Festival, which will feature free events and performances for people of all ages throughout the structure.
The Scottish Ensemble will perform at the opening of the brand-new 500-seat Sohmen Concert Hall. Under the Great Hall’s glass dome, audiences can witness the world premiere of 360 Vessels by composer Nico Muhly and artist Es Devlin, accompanied by the chamber choir Schola Cantorum. Artists Refik Anadol and Anna Ridler both showcase fresh AI-generated commissions.
Read more about the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities by Hopkins Architects.
Aerial view of Lucas Museum construction, July 2025, © 2025 JAKS Productions. Photography by Sand Hill Media/Eric Furie. All rights reserved
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Los Angeles, California, US by MAD (opening 22 September 2026)
Illustrated storytelling is the focus of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which will open on September 22, 2026. The museum was founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson. Its collection includes pieces by photographers Gordon Parks, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Dorothea Lange; comic art icons like Winsor McCay, Jack Kirby, Frank Frazetta, Alison Bechdel, Chris Ware, and Robert Crumb; and artists like Norman Rockwell, Kadir Nelson, Jessie Willcox Smith, N. C. Wyeth, Beatrix Potter, Judith F. Baca, Frida Kahlo, and Maxfield Parrish. The Lucas Archives, which include costumes, models, props, and concept art from Lucas’s filmmaking career, are also kept in the museum.
The Lucas Archives, which include costumes, models, props, and concept art from Lucas’s filmmaking career, are also kept in the museum. The museum, which is located in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, on an 11-acre campus with new green space and a 300,000-square-foot (27,870-square-metre) building with galleries, two theaters, a library, a restaurant, a café, a retail store, and community spaces, was designed by Ma Yansong of MAD with a landscape by Mia Lehrer of Studio-MLA and Stantec as executive architect.
Read more about the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art by MAD.
Kanal, Bart Grietens. Image is courtesy of Kanal
Kanal, Brussels, Belgium by Atelier Kanal, comprising noAarchitecten, EM2N and Sergison Bates architects (opening 28 November 2026)
A former Citroën car plant in the heart of Brussels will be transformed into Kanal, the largest modern and contemporary art development in Europe and the first museum of modern and contemporary art and architecture in Brussels. Set to open in November 2026, the building will house the public opening within the 40,000 square meter museum.
Designd by Atelier Kanal, which consists of Brussels-based noAarchitecten, Zurich-based firm EM2N, and London-based practice Sergison Bates architects, modern exhibition spaces, a live music and performance venue, a center dedicated to modern and contemporary architecture, a bookstore and library, a restaurant and rooftop bar, and expansive internal public areas accessible to all, and will all be included in Kanal’s renovation of the iconic 1930s structure.
Read more about Kanal by Atelier Kanal, noAarchitecten, EM2N, Sergison Bates architects.
Riverside evening. Memphis Art Museum, Memphis, Tennessee, US by Herzog & de Meuron. Image is courtesy of Herzog & de Meuron and Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
Memphis Art Museum, Memphis, Tennessee, US by Herzog & de Meuron (opening December 2026)
December 2026 will see the public opening of the Memphis Art Museum’s new cultural campus, which will be located along the Mississippi River bluff in downtown Memphis. With a collection of over 10,000 pieces ranging from ancient to modern art, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is currently Tennessee’s oldest and biggest art museum.
The new 122,000-square-foot (11,334-square-metre) museum, which was designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the Pritzker Prize-winning architecture firm and architect of Record Archimania, with landscape design by OLIN, will add 600% more art-filled free public space, including a 50,000-square-foot (4,645-square-metre) rooftop sculpture garden and a 10,000-square-foot (929-square-metre) community courtyard at street level.
With free public areas and a transparent glass façade that encourages people to interact with the artwork, the new Memphis Art Museum will prioritize accessibility and community through its design. Inspired by local natural tones, the structure, one of the first significant museums in the United States constructed from laminated timber, will honor Memphis’ heritage as the Hardwood Capital of the World.
Read more about Memphis Art Museum by Herzog & de Meuron.
KING Toronto complex, Toronto, Canada by BIG. Image © Hayes Davidson
KING Toronto, Toronto, Canada by BIG (opening in Fall 2026)
BIG has designed a new complex called KING Toronto, featuring eight penthouses at its top. Spanning 57,000 square meters, KING Toronto was initially unveiled in 2016 and received planning approval in September 2018. This striking complex, developed by Westbank and Allied Properties, seeks to transform the city’s skyline with its pixelated design.
Expected to be occupied in the fall of 2026, the KING Toronto complex, created by Bjarke Ingels Group, will include more than 500 apartment units along with various amenities, open plazas, and terraces. The building will consist of stacked units reaching heights of 15 and 17 stories, showcasing diverse apartment plans instead of the typical repetitive layouts.
Read more about KING Toronto by BIG.
Danjiang Bridge, Taipei, Taiwan by Zaha Hadid Architects. Image © MIR
Danjiang Bridge, Taipei, Taiwan by Zaha Hadid Architects (opening 12 May 2026)
Under construction since 2019, the 920-meter Danjiang Bridge in Taiwan will be the world’s longest single-mast, asymmetric cable-stayed structure, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. Spanning the mouth of the Tamsui River, which flows through Taipei, the Danjiang Bridge is a key component of the infrastructure upgrading program in northern Taiwan.
Expected to open on May 12, 2026, the new bridge will help reduce through-traffic on congested local roads by linking Highway 2 on the eastern side of the river with Highway 15, the West Coast Expressway (Route 61), and the Bali-Xindian Expressway (Route 64) on the western side.
By reducing traffic by 30 per cent on the existing Guandu Bridge, located 5 kilometers upriver, the Danjiang Bridge will significantly improve the traffic network on Taiwan’s northern coast. Additionally, it will enhance accessibility throughout the region, providing better connections to the Port of Taipei and Taoyuan International Airport.
Read more about Danjiang Bridge by Zaha Hadid Architects.
Shanghai Grand Opera House, Shanghai, China by Snøhetta. Image © Brick Visuals
Shanghai Grand Opera House, Shanghai, China by Snøhetta (anticipated opening in 2026)
The new Shanghai Grand Opera House is set to open to the public in 2026. Designed by the renowned Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta, this 146,786-square-meter building features a sculptural staircase that connects to the roof, aimed at attracting a younger audience for experimental performances. The ground floor will include a spacious public area, with a grand spiral staircase intended to serve as a vibrant pathway.
The focal point of the opera house is its main auditorium, which seats 2,000 and boasts cutting-edge technical features and exceptional acoustics. For smaller performances, there is a second stage with 1,200 seats, providing a more intimate atmosphere. Additionally, the third stage, accommodating 1,000 seats, offers a flexible staging and seating configuration designed for avant-garde and innovative productions, further appealing to the younger generation of opera-lovers.
Read more about Shanghai Grand Opera House by Snøhetta.
Center for Contemporary Arts in Tashkent (CCA). View of the main courtyard. Render © Studio KO. Courtesy of the Uzebkistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF)
The Center for Contemporary Arts (CCA) Tashkent, Uzbeskistan by Studio KO (opening March 2026)
Scheduled to open in March 2026, the Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent (CCA), initiated by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF). Under the leadership of ACDF Chairperson Gayane Umerova, the CCA aims to foster a vibrant interdisciplinary platform for cultural production and artistic exchange in Uzbekistan.
Located in a renovated 1912 industrial building that once served as a diesel station and tram depot, the CCA is the first permanent institution dedicated to contemporary art in Central Asia. The center is designed by the acclaimed architecture firm Studio KO, positioning itself as a hub for contemporary art, research, and community engagement in the historic city of Tashkent. The Center will mark a transformative moment for contemporary culture in Central Asia with the introduction of its inaugural exhibition, titled Hikmah, and first-year program.
Read more about the Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent by Studio KO.
The Centre Pompidou Francilien – Fabrique de l’art, Massy, France. Image © PCA-STREAM
The Centre Pompidou Francilien – Fabrique de l’art, Massy, France by PCA-STREAM Philippe Chiambaretta Architecte (opening autumn 2026)
The Centre Pompidou is embarking on a groundbreaking initiative to create a state-of-the-art space that will redefine the preservation of its remarkable collection. Designed by Paris-based architecture firm PCA-STREAM Philippe Chiambaretta Architecte, this 28,600-square-metre expansive venue is designed to embrace innovation in conservation and restoration while prioritizing accessibility for a diverse audience. By championing inclusivity and fostering collaboration, the Centre aims to engage a broad spectrum of visitors through vibrant multidisciplinary programs that resonate with local communities.
Scheduled to open in autumn 2026 in Massy, the Centre Pompidou’s future Ile-de-France centre is made possible through strategic partnerships with the Ile-de-France Region, Essonne department, Paris-Saclay agglomeration community, and the town of Massy, alongside vital support from the State. This ambitious project underscores the Centre’s unwavering commitment to enriching cultural engagement and delivering its extraordinary resources to audiences at regional, national, and international levels.
Read more about the Centre Pompidou Francilien – Fabrique de l’art by PCA-STREAM.
New terminal at the Amerigo Vespucci Airport, Florence. Photography by Rafael Vinoly Architects
New International Terminal at Florence Airport, Florence, Italy by Rafael Vinoly Architects (first phase opening 2026)
The new international terminal at Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci in Florence boldly integrates a 19-acre vineyard on its roof, enabling it to efficiently accommodate over 5.9 million passengers annually. Designed by US studio Rafael Viñoly Architects, this design prioritizes sustainability, targeting LEED Platinum certification, and establishes a seamless connection to the city through an innovative light rail system. The runway has been strategically reoriented and lengthened to enhance operability for modern aircraft. The airport terminal will be constructed in two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by 2026 and the second phase by 2035.
The terminal’s layout confidently places a central “Piazza” at the heart of Arrivals and Departures, streamlining passenger flow and navigation. This assertive design not only elevates the travel experience but also creates a striking landmark that embodies Florence’s dedication to innovation and sustainability.
Read more about the New International Terminal at Florence Airport by Rafael Vinoly Architects.
Top image in the article: Aerial view of LACMA buildings, including David Geffen Galleries in context of Miracle Mile. Photography © Iwan Baan.