The first design images for the terminal building at Sydney's new $5.3 billion airport have been released giving travellers a glimpse of what they can expect when it opens in six years.
The concept designs for Western Sydney International Airport's terminal by a team from London's Zaha Hadid Architects and Sydney's Cox Architecture have been credited for focusing on the "customer journey while paying tribute to the Western Sydney region and natural landscape".
An artist's impression of the interior of the new terminal at Badgerys Creek.Credit: Western Sydney Airport
A team from the two architectural firms has been selected from more than 40 entrants as the winners of the design contract for the terminal, construction of which is due to start in 2022.
The winning designs feature landscaped gardens within a giant public plaza, which will offer shopping, dining and entertainment. The terminal's interior will also have timber ceilings and vertical gardens.
Architects were required to have experience designing an airport of similar size and complexity to Western Sydney Airport within the last five years in order to be considered for the design project.
The release of the design images for the terminal comes ahead of the start of major earthworks early next year at the 1780-hectare airport site at Badgerys Creek, about 50 kilometres west of Sydney's CBD. In all, 23 million cubic metres of earth will be moved to construct the airport.
A concept design of the terminal's exterior.Credit: Western Sydney Airport
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the designs for the terminal showed the once-in-a-generation infrastructure project coming to life. "This is set to be the largest gateway to Australia and these designs are another step to making it a reality," he said.
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".
A design image of the interior of the new terminal at Western Sydney Airport.Credit: Western Sydney Airport
The final decision on selecting the winning designs was made by a panel of renowned Australian architects including Yvonne von Hartel, Peter Poulet and Kim Crestani.
While the terminal's exterior would compliment the landscape, Western Sydney Airport chief executive Graham Millett said its focus was on the customer journey within the terminal, which shone through in the winning design concepts.
While the airport will initially handle up to 10 million passengers annually, the terminal is being built for "modular expansion" to accommodate the long-term capacity of up 80 million passengers a year by the early 2060s.
Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge said construction of the airport would result in 11,000 direct and indirect jobs in western Sydney and, within five years of opening, was expected to support 28,000 full-time jobs in the region.
The airport, which will not have a curfew on flights, is due to open to passengers in 2026.