Western Sydney International Airport

Distinctions

Discipline : Communication & Branding

Categories : Environmental Design / Signage, Wayfinding & Murals : Silver certification

Western Sydney International Airport is a major national investment that will shape how people travel to, from, and across Australia in the decades ahead. Located in the heart of Western Sydney, the airport will operate 24 hours a day and is designed to handle up to 10 million passengers annually in its first phase.

As a greenfield airport, Western Sydney International offers a unique opportunity to establish world-class standards from day one, rather than retrofitting them into legacy infrastructure. The wayfinding strategy was designed not only to meet immediate operational needs, but to scale and evolve alongside the airport.

Positioned atop the airport is a sign that reads “Western Sydney International Airport.” As a 24-hour airport, the sign needed to be equally legible by day and night. The client envisioned a freestanding sign with no backing but did not know how to achieve it. Entro advised on materials and technologies to make this possible. It reads as a dark silhouette against the bright sky by day and becomes illuminated at night. In both conditions, the sign remains clearly visible.

Central to this project is our ethos: wayfinding and signage are integrated with—and respectful of—the architecture, not applied to it. We responded to the architectural decisions, being intentional about where to blend in and where to stand out.

To achieve this, we studied the rhythm of the ceiling to inform both the form and placement of wayfinding elements. This led to the development of fluted feature posts that reference the timber ceiling, abstractly evoking the forms of roots and branches throughout the terminal. This creates a cohesion and design consistency throughout the airport. 

Preserving open sightlines was another key challenge. Signature limestone walls defined strict, large “no-mount” zones, requiring a strategic and integrated approach to information delivery. We devised a strategy, including an updatable poster system, to meet the extensive information requirements of an airport, yet with limited space to display it. We also introduced a dual Baggage Information Display system, allowing regulatory messaging and baggage information to be clearly presented without obstructing views or introducing unnecessary signage. This maintains the architectural openness and the beauty of the limestone, while meeting operational requirements.

When we joined the project, established wayfinding standards were in place but did not reflect best practices. We improved these standards with a refined pictogram system, a more legible and flexible typeface, and an updated colour palette. These changes, supported by a clear and robust information hierarchy and layout standards, create a cohesive visual identity aligned with international best practices, including accessibility.

This wayfinding strategy contributes to Western Sydney International becoming a major new gateway for the millions of people who will access and experience Australia in the decades to come.

• Creative Director: Loren Aytona Arena
• Project Director: Valerie Moss

The project in images