An immersive cultural bush landscape at Sydney Airport, embodying Indigenous culture, design, and native species, has won the 2024 AILA NSW Landscape Architecture Award for Infrastructure.

The prestigious accolade highlights the project's innovative approach to Indigenous engagement and development, transforming the airport into an unexpected tourist attraction in NSW.

The revitalised 9500sqm public space at Terminal 1, featuring 12,500 native plants, provides a tranquil haven for over 40 million annual passengers and 300,000 airport employees, offering a serene escape from the nearby tarmacs and terminals.

The Hassel-led project was co-designed with Jiwah, a First Nations cultural landscape and design company, and First Nations-owned Imbue Studios, which oversaw construction. The Indigenous-led not-for-profit group Wildflower Gardens for Good managed the installation and ongoing maintenance of the naturally-designed planting areas, enhanced by the Gujaga Foundation's embedded cultural language and interpretational elements throughout the site.

The new centralised plaza delivers an ecologically rich landscape while balancing the challenges of a transport interchange, circulation, and aviation operations. Environmental, community, and social benefits have blossomed since the forecourt's completion in late 2022.

Wildflower co-CEO Roman Deguchi highlighted the project's uniqueness in allowing Indigenous knowledge and talent to shine at each stage.

"What this project has created for Wildflower is an opportunity for our people to become Custodians once again, and you can see the benefit of that as this green space continues to flourish," he said.

"The unique proposition of this project from design, install, and care allowed Indigenous knowledge and talent to shine, while creating opportunities for our young people to be involved in high-profile, beautifully designed collaborative projects that open doors to real reconciliation."

The project challenges the conventional approach of a Connection with Country process, with a three-tiered First Nations approach putting social value at the forefront of the design. This included First Nations organisations co-designing, delivering, and providing ongoing care for the site.

Hassel principal Jason Cuffe emphasised that the co-design, delivery, and ongoing care by First Nations organisations ensured visitors to Sydney had a memorable experience underpinned by and celebrating Country.

"Passengers are greeted with a place that is not only defined by the tones and textures of the surrounding landscape, but also the culture that has cared for this Country for thousands of years," he said.

"It provides an ecologically rich planting palette that supports insects and pollinators, like bees and butterflies, transforming the transport interchange into a space defined by landscape and culture."

The project won the 2024 AILA NSW Landscape Architecture Award for Infrastructure, with the jury commending Hassel for involving First Nations firms throughout all stages of the project and continuing to be Custodians of the site.

"This led to an immersive landscape experience for visitors to the airport, reducing urban heat in a highly urbanised precinct," they said.

"Committing to ongoing maintenance managed by Wildflower is also commended, ensuring the project is maintained with a level of care that has seen the planted areas flourish. The project sets an achievable benchmark for others, demonstrating how to design with Country and care for Country in a highly visited public space."

Sydney Airport specialist design manager Lisa Airth expressed that the International Forecourt had exceeded expectations and would continue to do so.

"Every year, millions of people will walk through the forecourt area, and in the short time it has been open, we've already seen tourists flock to the area to get their first fabulous photo in Sydney," she said.

"This is a genuine exemplar of a First Nations design and delivery method, showing how major collaborative projects like this can be led by Country, while ensuring a perpetual connection to Country."