PICTURES: Sydney’s new airport designs revealed

The designs for Sydney’s new airport have been unveiled!

An architectural team consisting of London-based Zaha Hadid Architects and Cox Architecture in Sydney was selected to design the terminal precinct at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.

“The brief was to design an airport that the people of Western Sydney can be proud of and provide a real sense of place with a focus on the customer journey and efficiencies for airlines,” Graham Millett, Western Sydney Airport CEO said.

“When passengers enter the terminal they will be immersed in a uniquely Western Sydney International experience with soaring timber ceilings and stunning vertical gardens designed to provide an inviting and relaxing start to their journey.

“The layout of the terminal, combining international and domestic operations under one roof, will come together with technology and outstanding customer service to give operators and their passengers a reliable, fun and stress-free airport experience.”

According to a release from Western Sydney Airport sustainability was another key criterion and the winning design stood out for its use of ‘passive design’, taking advantage of natural airflows, lighting and solar shading.

COX Project Director David Holm said the design took inspiration from “the unique local flora of Western Sydney and the Great Australian Light to create an unmistakable regional identity”.

Zaha Hadid Architects designed the new Beijing Daxing International Airport and the Navi Mumbai International Airport. Cox Architecture is designing the Victoria Cross Station in Sydney and Western Sydney’s new Sydney Coliseum Theatre.

The winning concept passed a range of value-for-money and technical reviews before the final decision was made by a panel of some of Australia’s most renowned architects including Yvonne von Hartel, Peter Poulet and Kim Crestani.

Western Sydney International is expected to cater for up to 10 million passengers per year on opening, growing in stages and over decades to eventually become the largest gateway to Australia at 82 million per year.

“Sydney remains Australia’s most iconic destination, it’s also the economic and cultural centre and a gateway to many of the nation’s outback, mountain and vineyard experiences,” Millett said.

“Western Sydney International means new slots to Australia’s premier city, enabled by unrestricted operations.

“The absence of a curfew and no movement caps will create the kind of flexibility that the aviation market has never seen before in Sydney.”

Western Sydney Airport has signed memoranda of understanding with Australia’s two biggest airlines, Qantas and Virgin Australia, which will see the airlines have input into the Airport’s design and operation.

“Building a greenfield airport in consultation with airlines means we can provide an optimal operating environment that is also customer centric,” Millett said.

“Reliability, flexibility and efficiency will be the hallmarks of what airlines will experience when they operate from Western Sydney International.”

Western Sydney International is on track to open in 2026.

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Nancy-Bird Walton western sydney airport