Waterloo Metro Station

John McAslan + Partners

Client: John Holland Group for Sydney Metro

Waterloo Metro Station is part of Australia's biggest public transport project, Sydney Metro, a network of new stations and transport precincts revolutionising connectivity across wider Sydney.

Waterloo is an inner-city suburb 3 kilometres south of the Sydney CBD. Home to a diverse, multicultural community, it was a marshland and Indigenous food bowl for millenia prior to colonial industrialisation. Today, historic factories, warehouses, workers' cottages and terrace housing sit alongside contemporary residential towers and commercial premises. The new station is a catalyst for urban renewal and the foundation for a new mixed-use precinct. Importantly, it benefits the community by making public transport accessible, safe and enjoyable to use. Indigenous advisor Yerrabingin's phrase ‘the past is in the earth and the future is in the sky’ became the conceptual framework for the design, conceived as a layered journey that reflects Waterloo's rich ecological, Indigenous, industrial and social history. At precinct level, the architecture sensitively integrates into the existing urban context. Scale and materials draw on the vernacular, respecting the existing industrial and residential streetscapes. Variations in form and texture visually break down the new infrastructure to a human scale that mediates between activated streets and the integrated development above. Central to the plan is a landscaped plaza, set to become Waterloo's new civic heart and supporting easy movement into and around the site. Connections to a bus interchange are clear, legible and level, and there is generous, integrated bike storage. Internally, the station's three levels reflect Waterloo's layered heritage, rising from ancient on platform level to modern at street level and unified by locally inspired colours, textures and art. Wall cladding echoes the sandstone the station sits deep within. In contrast, perforated panels feature the endemic banksia plant, and on platform level, an abstracted image of a stone tool fragment unearthed during excavation, symbolically falling into the earth. Three embedded artworks by Indigenous artist Nicole Monks were created with the local community. In the entrance, a lenticular artwork reads 'Footprints on Gadigal Nura' and welcomes people to the space. Lining the escalators, the second artwork is a sparkling map made of cast footprints of local Aboriginal community members. The third artwork is the towering image of local Indigenous dancer Roscoe, smiling across the concourse as the station's landmark feature and signalling a bright future. Passenger numbers and movement are handled seamlessly whilst back-of-house and technical functions are out of sight. The station's simple plan uses open sightlines and the asymmetrical positioning of lifts and escalators to support intuitive wayfinding, aided by a row of light panels that includes a skylight delivering natural light deep into the station. Ease of navigation, uplifting art and an overarching sense of light and air deliver a great public transport experience. The station's design is innovative for its seamless integration of architecture, engineering and art. An accessible, inviting and connected local hub, it serves as the gateway to Waterloo and delivers a civic legacy for locals and the wider city alike.