The Sydney suburb of Waterloo is home to a dynamic, multicultural community and boasts a rich Indigenous, social and industrial history.
So, when it came time to design Sydney Metro’s Waterloo Station, architecture practice John McAslan + Partners (JMP), knew they wanted it to have a strong connection to place.
“Before starting the design, we made sure we stopped and looked at the suburb,” said Troy Uleman, Director of JMP. “We looked at this place, and we thought – what is it made of? What are its materials? How big are the buildings? What is the scale of the shop fronts and terraces?
“We broke down what are otherwise very large pieces of infrastructure into smaller elements, to make them more human in scale, and we used them to tell stories about the area.
“Through consultation with Indigenous advisors, Yerrabingin, we learnt the phrase ‘the past is in the earth and the future is in the sky’. That became the conceptual framework for our design, which takes passengers on a journey shaped by Waterloo’s layered heritage.”
This thoughtful approach has paid off, with Waterloo Station taking out an accolade at the recent Australian Good Design Awards, in the Build Environment category.
Meanwhile Indigenous artist Nicole Monks, mili mili and AG Public Art took out a Gold award for Build Environment Place Design at the ceremony, in recognition of Monks’ striking artwork at the station, Footprints on Gadigal Nura.
JMP collaborated with Maynard (wayfinding, signage, CCD), Aspect Studios (landscape), Robert Bird Group (structural engineering), and WSP (building services engineering) to bring the station to life.
The project was commissioned by John Holland Group for Sydney Metro, and the station opened in August 2024.
For the Good Design Awards, more than 80 international jurors assessed entries against three core criteria: Good Design, Design Innovation, and Design Impact. The theme for 2025 was “Design for Better”, highlighting the important role design plays in shaping a more balanced, inclusive and sustainable world.
The Good Design Awards jury praised the “simple and effective” Waterloo Station design, saying it acknowledges its social and historical context.
“The exceptional project has been beautifully designed and executed,” they said in a statement.
“With innovative inclusion of Connecting with Country principles, it’s a brilliant showcase of innovation and impact.”
Rachel Wye, Managing Director of Good Design Australia, said the standard of award winners in this year’s Australian Good Design Awards was the highest on record, with game-changing projects that push the envelope of good design, design innovation and design impact.
“These awards clearly demonstrate the transformational power of design to create a better and more sustainable future,” she said.
“The projects honoured this year show how thoughtful design can drive meaningful change – from the way we live and work to how we care for our planet.
“The Australian Good Design Awards are proud to recognise these world-class examples of design excellence, which not only enhance human experience, but also make a profound contribution to creating a more balanced and sustainable world.”
A sense of place
Waterloo Station unfolds over three levels. On platform level, the design nods to the ancient, rising to the present at street level – unified by a consistent palette of locally informed colours, textures and materials and the commissioned artworks by Monks.
The station’s distinctive southern box was the first new landmark structure in the station precinct. It features a striking aluminium facade perforated with an image derived from early maps of Waterloo’s historic marshlands.
Meanwhile passengers arriving on the platform 25 metres below ground are greeted by rust-coloured wall linings, perforated with abstract images of a fragment of a stone blade that was found at the site during archaeological excavation.
“I often like to think about somebody walking across this ancient landscape, and they get to the end of their journey and pat their pockets, saying ‘Where did I put my knife?’” said Uleman.
“But of course, it’s lost here in the landscape that used to be.”
The station also integrates three works by Indigenous artist Nicole Monks. These were developed with the Aboriginal community and are collectively titled Footprints on Gadigal Nura.
The public is greeted on the station’s concourse by the towering image of Roscoe, a young Indigenous dancer, and escalators carry commuters past a map of gold and silver footprints, which were cast from the feet of Community.
At the entrance to the station, writing on a lenticular wall reads “Footprints on Gadigal Nura”. This was developed in collaboration with Uncle Charles Madden and Aunty Joanne Timbery.
“There was a competition for the public art, with a shortlist of three that Sydney Metro put together,” Uleman said.
“There were three possible locations for artwork suggested, and Nicole occupied all of them. It was an amazing stretch within the budget to be able to do that as effectively as possible.
“It’s turned out tremendously well, with a really strong local and Aboriginal presence.”
Uleman said he’s delighted that JMP has been recognised for its hard work on the station.
“It’s excellent recognition of a job well done,” he said.
“The new Metro line is one of the most transformative pieces of infrastructure that Sydney has ever had, and each area is finding its feet in terms of how the people who live there use this infrastructure.
“It’s extraordinary, and I think it’s going to make a huge difference to Waterloo. It’s great to be part of that.”
