Which performing arts venue in Sydney, a World Heritage Site, has a distinctive sail-like design?

The performing arts venue in Sydney with a distinctive sail-like design is the Sydney Opera House. Its sculptural roof shells make it one of the world’s most recognisable modern buildings and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The building stands on Bennelong Point beside Sydney Harbour. Danish architect Jørn Utzon won the international design competition in 1957 with a proposal based on interlocking concrete shells. The roof’s curved forms were eventually engineered as sections of spheres and covered with more than a million white and matte cream ceramic tiles.

Construction began in 1959, and the Opera House was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973. Its complex contains several venues, including the Concert Hall, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Drama Theatre and Utzon Room, hosting opera, orchestral music, theatre, dance and contemporary performances.

The Sydney Opera House became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. It is often confused with the nearby Sydney Harbour Bridge, but the bridge is a separate landmark and does not have the Opera House’s sail-like roof design.