The London firm Zaha Hadid Architects and Sydney-based Cox Architecture have together won the competition for the new Western Sydney Airport (WSA) in Parkland City, part of the coastal metropolis’s western expansion. It is to be named after the Australian aviation pioneer Nancy Bird Walton.

Forty projects were submitted for the purpose, including proposals by Foster + Partners, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, and Gensler.

The international airport will go up in four phases, the first one to be completed in 2026 for use by 10 million passengers a year. By 2060 it should be the main international gateway into Australia.

Inspiration for the design came from Australian architectural tradition. The cantilevering flat roof is flat, like the surrounding natural landscape, while the timber ceilings inside undulate.

Energy-efficient and modular, the project seeks to optimize natural light and ventilation, and includes a water recycling system.