Western Sydney Airport

Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport is a once-in-a-generation infrastructure project that will connect the emerging social, cultural and economic hub of the Western Parkland City to the world.

In 2019, Western Sydney Airport Corporation ran an international design competition for the passenger terminal. The winning team, led by Zaha Hadid Architects in collaboration with COX Architecture, was appointed to develop the reference design for the main terminal and its immediate landside interface. The proposal envisioned a highly integrated, multi-modal transport hub that responded sensitively to its local context, drawing inspiration from the natural landscape of the Cumberland Plain and the cultural heritage of its Indigenous custodians.

The design centred on a generous public plaza animated by landscaped gardens, creating a civic space that blended retail, dining and leisure experiences. A strong human-centred design approach prioritised passenger comfort and ease of movement, with an emphasis on intuitive wayfinding, reduced walking distances, and minimised stress throughout the airport journey. Extensive use of timber ceilings and integrated vertical gardens introduced warmth, tactility and biophilic qualities to the terminal interior.

Atelier Ten was engaged as part of the competition team to contribute to the environmental design strategy. The practice played a key role in drawing in the Great Australian Light through the development of a high-performance ceiling and facade system. The building envelope was conceived to be resilient and adaptable, responding to changing climate conditions while allowing for future code compliance. Internally, the terminal was designed to offer a range of environmental conditions, empowering occupants to select spaces that best suited their comfort preferences. In parallel, Atelier Ten collaborated with the wider team to establish environmental and building performance guidelines to support future stages of airport expansion.