Beneath Sydney’s Barangaroo headland, The Cutaway has become one of Australia’s most striking civic interiors. Designed by FJC Studio with lighting design by Steensen Varming, the vast subterranean space transforms raw sandstone into an immersive architectural experience shaped by texture, scale and light.

A defining feature of the project is the continuous sandstone wall that extends through the length of the venue and wraps around the entry sequence. Rising approximately 15 metres high, the wall anchors the interior and gives the space a powerful sense of scale and connection to the natural landscape beneath Barangaroo.

Jadecross supported the project by supplying Coolon Aria X RGBW, with approximately 100 metres of linear lighting integrated discreetly along the slab edge to create a continuous grazing effect across the sandstone face.

The lighting has been carefully considered to enhance the materiality of the excavated stone rather than compete with it. As the light moves across the textured surface, the wall reveals depth, shadow and natural variation that changes throughout the space. The result is subtle and atmospheric, allowing the architecture itself to remain the focus.

Because The Cutaway has been conceived as a flexible multiuse venue that will also evolve into a gallery environment, adaptability was central to the lighting strategy. The RGBW capability of the Aria X system allows the space to shift effortlessly between restrained architectural illumination and immersive event based scenes, supporting exhibitions, performances and public activations.

The success of the installation comes from its restraint. The luminaires remain largely unseen, while the sandstone becomes the focus of the experience.

Photography by Images for Business.