Announcing the inaugural Sydney Open Symposium

Announcing the first Sydney Open Symposium – taking our fascination with architecture and design to a new level.

Museums of History NSW announces the inaugural Sydney Open Symposium, to be held on Saturday 23 August. This event is a new addition to Museums of History NSW’s hugely popular annual Sydney Open program. Guests at the symposium will hear from leading industry experts and take a deep dive into key themes relating to architecture, design, history and heritage.

On the day, speakers will explore how the Sydney Metro Martin Place project seamlessly integrates a major interchange for Australia’s largest public transport development with Macquarie Bank’s new global headquarters, 1 Elizabeth.

On the traditional land of the Gadigal, Martin Place has always been a meeting place – originally around what was later named the Tank Stream, a freshwater tributary and a site of First Nations significance. In the 20th century, Martin Place was developed into a key commercial centre, as well as a focal point for people to commemorate, celebrate and congregate.

Annette Pitman, CEO, Museums of History NSW:

We are delighted to add a new layer to the already much-loved Sydney Open program.This symposium is a place for discussion, insights and understanding of the creative design and extraordinary construction required to deliver one of this city’s most ambitious infrastructure developments.

The Sydney Open Symposium, hosted by Macquarie Group, includes:

10 Million Hours – the morning keynote session, which delves into the culmination of more than 10 million hours of work by 10,000 people to deliver the Sydney Metro Martin Place project. Speakers with intimate knowledge of the project from Macquarie Group, JPW Architects and Sydney Metro will detail the complex ten-year project from concept to opening.

How to Be a City – an afternoon session where speakers will consider the city’s growth, emphasising the interplay between urban design, public space activation, and heritage conservation in shaping Sydney’s future.

Guest speakers include: Professor the Hon Bob Carr; Graham Jahn AM, Chief Planner/Executive Director of City Planning Development and Transport, Sydney; Hugh Lawson, Project Director for the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project; Matthew Morel, Director of JPW; Annette Pitman, CEO, Museums of History NSW, Jess Scully, former Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney and consultant to the World Bank; Michael Silman, Global Head of Corporate Real Estate, Macquarie Group; and Philip Thalis, principal of Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects.

Between the talks, guests can select a 30-minute expert-guided tour offering a behind-the-scenes look at the iconic Sydney precinct through its architecture, art or urban development.

Annette Pitman:

The Sydney Open Symposium is the beginning of a new era of collaboration for Museums of History NSW, focusing on working with property owners, academics, cultural organisations, the history sector and government, with many more partnerships to come.

Season Details

Venue: Sydney Open Symposium
Date: 23 Aug 2025

For more information click HERE

Photo Credit: Brett Boardman

Aussie Theatre