Sydney Metro by Architectus, Cox Architecture, GHD, Grimshaw, Hassell, Foster + Partners, John McAslan + Partners and Woods Bagot

Signalling a new era for public design, Sydney has welcomed six metro stations and new platforms at Central and Sydenham. While designed by different architectural teams, each station observes similar themes across the harbour city; layered connections to place, natural light, seamless functionality, subtle visual drama through art and materiality and an underlying sense of calm and order.

The deeply considered experience of Sydney’s new metro network is apparent even before entering the stations. The facade of Crows Nest, for instance, is a considered juxtaposition; precast beams nod to the legacy of the site and are woven with the lighter modulated brickwork and exposed Corten cladding, while lightweight DfMA louvre screens blend in for ventilation. Focusing on weaving large-scale infrastructure into the existing fabric, Woods Bagot – alongside GHD – reveal the power of infrastructure that addresses both historic and residential aspects of the site. The incorporation of heritage Victorian tiles into the verandah and a vibrant geometric installation by artist Esther Stewart, which features handmade coloured glazed tiles, reference the urban fabric of the suburb. Meanwhile, the Central station upgrade, also by Woods Bagot, alongside John McAslan + Partners and GHD, retains the Edwardian railway typology but injects a contemporary edge through warmth and tactility.

The deeply considered experience of Sydney’s new metro network is apparent even before entering the stations.

Barangaroo station, designed by Foster + Partners and Architectus, features more than 7000 sandstone panels that recall Sydney’s geology and the neighbouring Barangaroo Reserve. John McAslan + Partners’ design of Waterloo station encompasses sandstone from Waterloo, with a nuanced material palette dominated by hues from the area and artworks by local artist Nicole Monks depicting vistas of the area’s Indigenous identity. Beyond historic ties to place, connection permeates the new Sydney Metro in a more tangible sense. In addition to the perforated panelling that depicts the area’s banksia scrub, Victoria Cross Station in North Sydney by Cox Architecture is complemented by a public plaza, retail spaces and a 42-level commercial tower.

Similarly tactile and visually striking, the Sydenham upgrade by Hassell with GHD features five dramatic roof canopies, while at Gadigal station, more than 11,000 individual aluminium tube panels line the platform walls, a decision by Foster + Partners and Cox Architecture to ensure a seamless and noise-absorbing result.

Innovation and function lie at the core of the Sydney Metro.

Innovation and function lie at the core of the Sydney Metro. Grimshaw’s conception of Martin Place encourages intuitive movement; red detailing in the ceiling guides commuters towards the city centre, while blue detailing leads towards the harbour. With Australia’s first fully integrated station design – comprising the station itself and two new over-station towers by JPW and Tzannes – Grimshaw has created an entirely new experience for commuters. As well as integrating stunning art by Australian contemporary artists Mikala Dwyer and Douglas Annand, the space prioritises openness and light; the 40-metre-tall northern atrium allows natural light to penetrate the platform levels.

While embedded with distinct junctures of history, art, drama and innovation, each station feels approachable and calm. In this way, Australia’s biggest public transport project to date sets a new precedent for thoughtfully designed public infrastructure that moves beyond the idea of transport hubs being sterile and disconnected, but instead warm, inviting and human centred.

Architecture by Architectus, Cox Architecture, GHD, Grimshaw, Hassell, Foster + Partners, John McAslan + Partners and Woods Bagot.