Zaha Hadid Architects and Cox Architecture have unveiled the design of an airport in Sydney that is modelled on traditional Australian architecture and natural landscapes.
Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, named after a famous Australian pilot, has been designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and Cox Architecture for a rural 1,780-hectare site in the city's new Western Parkland City region.
It is hoped to support the planned expansion of west Sydney over the coming decades, and is expected to become "the largest international gateway to Australia by 2060".
Visually, Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport will be designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and Cox Architecture to have "an unmistakable regional identity".
This includes an overhanging flat roof that evokes verandas found in traditional Australian architecture, as well as landscaping and undulating wooden ceilings inside that nod to the surrounding Australian bushland.
"We are honoured to have been selected for this amazing project. The design is an evolution of Australian architecture past, present and future," said Cristiano Ceccato, project director at Zaha Hadid Architects.
"It draws inspiration from both traditional architectural features such as the veranda, as well as the natural beauty of the surrounding bushland."
The design was selected ahead of a shortlisted teams including Foster + Partners, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and Gensler.
It is expected to be built in four stages, the first of which will be completed by 2026 and will be capable of handling 10 million passengers a year.
While being "sensitive to its local context", the two studio's proposal was also selected for its ambition to be energy-efficient.
This will include developing the design to maximise natural light, ventilation and water recycling.
Zaha Hadid Architects was founded in 1980 by the late Zaha Hadid. Today it is headed by Patrik Schumacher, who is one of the speakers at Dezeen Day.
Its design of the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport with Cox Architecture follows the recent completion of its giant starfish-shaped airport in Beijing – one of the largest airports in the world.
Recent projects by Australian studio Cox Architecture includes a university health centre that is designed to reduce anxiety in patients.