The new airport, whose design was won by Cox Architecture and ZHA in a successful competition bid seven years ago, and later developed by Woods Bagot, has opened with a capacity of ten million passengers annually.
Australia’s first new international airport in 50 years – the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) – has welcomed its first passengers on 25 October.
Australia’s first new international airport in 50 years – the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) – has welcomed its first passengers on 25 October.
The design of the airport, which was won by Cox Architecture and ZHA (formerly Zaha Hadid Architects) in an international competition seven years ago, draws on the light and landscape of Dharug Country and the Cumberland Plain, creating a terminal that the designers say “is distinctly Australian.”
The concept design was informed by insights from Murawin and Dharug Custodians from the outset, and then later developed and delivered by Woods Bagot working alongside Multiplex, who was awarded the project in June 2021, a media release from the three architects note.
The airport design has 5 Star Green Star rating, integrating energy efficiency and water recycling.
Image: Courtesy of Cox Architecture, ZHA and Woods Bagot
ZHA director and design lead Cristiano Ceccato commented, “Carol Vale at Murawin and the Dharug Custodians significantly guided our work from the early design stages. Their perspective offered a distinct way of seeing the world, which was equally ancient and contemporary, helping us create a project of place grounded in Country, amidst a broader population and culture that is ever-changing.”
Principal at Cox Architecture David Holm added, “Poetically, we set out to design an airport that could only ever be in this place … The ‘Great Australian Light’ is one of the defining qualities of the Australian experience and central to our design. You arrive under a verandah; a shaded place between outside and in.
“The ceiling filters daylight the way a eucalypt canopy does, and the Australian light does much of the wayfinding throughout the terminal. The palette … reflects what it is to be in Western Sydney including sandstones, timbers and earthy colours take their cue from the region.”
Principal at Cox Architecture David Holm said, “The ceiling filters daylight the way a eucalypt canopy does, and the Australian light does much of the wayfinding throughout the terminal.”
Woods Bagot principal and regional transport leader Neil Hill reflected that the most rewarding part of the project’s journey has been overseeing the terminal take shape.
“From the crest of the hill along the site’s serpentine access road, we curated the interior spaces emerge in line with the tender concept: a simple, horizontally layered base beneath a flowing roof that rises gently towards the sky,” he said.
The airport’s current capacity is 10 million passengers each year, however, the designers note that “over time, [WSI] is expected to become Australia’s primary gateway, to serve more than 80 million passengers annually.”
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