Australia’s first new major airport in more than half a century has arrived, admittedly not with the kind of flash and spectacle one might expect, but with quiet confidence, refined design, and a sense of purpose grounded in place. Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport “WSI” isn’t just a new gateway for Sydney. It’s also a bold example of contemporary airport architecture, shaped by landscape, light, and local culture.
For those of us who spend a good chunk of our lives passing through airports, WSI lands as a breath of fresh air. The first impression is one of openness. The horizontal architecture, designed in collaboration by COX Architecture and Zaha Hadid Architects, stretches out with a serenity, echoing the vastness of the Cumberland Plain around it. From the landside forecourt to the arrivals hall, there’s a visual language here that immediately signals space, calm, and ease.
The interior feels expansive without being impersonal. All eyes will naturally turn upward, as the clear centrepiece to the building is a sculptural, wave-like ceiling formed from nearly 190km of suspended aluminium battens, catching and filtering light in a way that’s both calming and ever-shifting. It’s a nod to the way “sunlight plays across eucalyptus bark”, one of many subtle references to the natural world. Even at first glance, there’s a warmth that’s often missing in contemporary terminals.
The use of natural materials softens the industrial core of the space. Sandstone from nearby Gosford, tactile timber elements, and organic forms give the terminal a human scale. It’s modern, yes, but it doesn’t feel clinical.
Instead of being architecture first, the terminal also has been designed with passenger experience in mind. Passenger flow should effortless, with wide sightlines, intuitive circulation, and a layout that removes the friction of the journey. Self-service check-in kiosks – built locally in Blacktown – are airline-agnostic, cutting queuing time.
Swing gates allow a single gate lounge to switch from domestic to international operations in just 30 minutes, creating built-in flexibility that reflects the future-facing thinking behind the entire project. And beneath the floors, there’s also a 5km automated baggage handling system handling luggage at speeds of two metres per second.
Technology aside, what I really like is the spirit of the place. This isn’t an anonymous box dropped into the landscape. Hearing about the design story, it’s clear the terminal is architecture that belongs to its surroundings – and its people. The design was developed in close collaboration with Dharug Custodians and First Nations consultant Murrawin, embedding local stories and cultural identity throughout the public realm.
That authenticity feels important. From the forecourt to the gates, the experience is layered with cues that connect passengers to Country, to community, and to Western Sydney’s richly diverse character.
This isn’t a terminal that wears its green thinking on its sleeve, but the achievements are substantial. A five-star Green Star rating. Nearly 9,000 solar panels on the roof. A rainwater harvesting system embedded in the terminal’s structural columns. Locally fabricated, low-carbon aluminium ceilings. A concrete batching plant built on site to minimise emissions during construction. Even the decision to source furniture and fittings from nearby family-run manufacturers speaks to a sense of environmental and economic responsibility often talked about, but rarely delivered with this level of commitment.
From a personal perspective, I really like it. It’s exactly the sort of space I’d want to arrive into after a long-haul flight: airy, uplifting, and intuitive. The openness helps you breathe, the natural light resets your rhythm, and there’s a feeling of clarity that stays with you. It doesn’t shout – but it doesn’t need to. It’s thoughtful design, executed well.
It’s also a project that champions local talent. More than $500 million has been invested in Western Sydney businesses since construction began in 2017. From sandstone suppliers to lounge furniture fabricators and the apprentices who now oversee sections of the build, this is a terminal that has grown from its community – and now stands ready to serve it. When operations begin in earnest, with Qantas and others expected to drive major traffic through the site, the airport will not only move people – but generate tens of thousands of jobs in the process.
As I do every year, I ask on your kind support to keep things going. If you are able to donate – whatever amount – it all gets funnelled back in to the site, to keep the site full of content. And I thank you personally for your kind support.
Images courtesy of Trevor Mein, Multiplex, Brett Boardman
