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The Sydney Metro Central Station Upgrade was a rare opportunity to rethink Australia’s busiest transit interchange as a safe, accessible and welcoming gateway to the city. Sydney Metro’s brief prioritised the customer experience and the creation of a sustainable, future-ready transport hub. In response, the station was reimagined as a high-performing infrastructure node and a democratic public space. The concept centred on the idea of the urban room – a generous, light-filled Northern Concourse that restores visual and physical connections across the station’s heritage fabric, unlocking sightlines obscured by decades of piecemeal modifications. From this idea, the project evolved as a series of interconnected spaces – above and below ground – united by clarity, scale and dignity.
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The Sydney Metro Central Upgrade has revitalised ageing infrastructure while benefiting the wider precinct by harnessing the potential of transport as a catalyst for urban regeneration. The new Central Walk has unlocked east-west movement and platform connections, and a new entrance to a light rail station simplifies transport connectivity. At the station's heart, the reimagined Northern Concourse has replaced a maze of cramped tunnels with a light, airy urban room that restores sightlines, re-establishes civic dialogue with the heritage terminal and provides intuitive, equitable access between all modes of transport. Connections to green spaces have been improved, and by opening pedestrian movement in all directions, Central is now a fitting gateway to the city and surrounding precincts.
The Sydney Central Station Upgrade achieved a 6 Star Green Star – Design & As Built rating and a ‘Leading’ ISCA score. Strategies include daylight and natural ventilation to reduce energy use, high-efficiency HVAC and LED lighting with smart controls and solar PV panels generating renewable energy. Water-saving measures include rainwater harvesting, groundwater reuse and efficient fixtures, reducing potable water use by 90%. Prefabricated steel, geopolymer concrete and reused sandstone lowered embodied carbon, and over 90% of construction waste was diverted. The station is part of Sydney Metro City Line, which won the NSW Architecture Medallion and Lloyd Rees Award for Urban Design in the 2025 NSW Architecture Awards, reflecting leadership in sustainable, innovative infrastructure.
The Sydney Central Station Upgrade transforms Australia’s busiest transport hub into a connected, intuitive and civic-focused space. Sydney Central's heritage Terminus Building, completed in 1906, had become increasingly difficult to navigate due to modifications over time. The upgrade addresses these issues, delivering on Sydney Metro's brief to prioritise the passenger experience and create an enduring, sustainable legacy. The upgrade includes two new underground Metro platforms, the Central Walk concourse and a new eastern entrance. In the reimagined Northern Concourse, a striking new ceiling soars over the dual-level space, sensitively intersecting with the restored Terminus Building and adjacent Central Electric Building to amplify the heritage architecture. This new urban room has created a new heart for the station and a memorable, welcoming gateway to the city. Delivered in a live environment using innovative construction techniques, the project demanded precise staging, stakeholder coordination and integration of new systems with existing heritage structures. The Northern Concourse's prefabricated roof system improved accuracy, reduced cost and was delivered ahead of programme.
The upgrade enhances what exists, preserving architectural and social heritage and giving the station a more coherent relationship with its urban context. Cultural identity is honoured through First Nations artwork and adaptive reuse of heritage structures, blending past and future.
“This upgrade marks the start of Central’s renewal, blending heritage with innovative design to create a world-class gateway for Sydney. The Northern Concourse feels simple and welcoming, enriching the city’s walking experience. Our collaborative design process respected heritage and exceeded expectations, setting a new benchmark for public infrastructure. This project showcases how great design can transform urban life and public transport for generations.”
John McAslan + Partners is a leading international architecture and design practice with studios in London, Edinburgh, Sydney and New York. The firm’s global portfolio spans sectors including transport infrastructure, culture, education, commercial, residential, mixed-use, heritage and landscape. With a focus on the public good, social impact projects include restoring Haiti’s Iron Market and supporting the British Housing Initiative. The practice has received over 200 awards for design excellence, including 30 RIBA awards, multiple Architectural Practice and World Architect of the Year titles, and three Europa Nostra Awards for heritage conservation. It has twice won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. Most recently, it received the Art Fund Museum of the Year and the RIAS Doolan Award for The Burrell Collection. In Australia, two stations designed by the practice are part of the Sydney Metro City Line awarded the prestigious 2025 NSW Architecture Medallion.
