Designing Perth’s new Airport Line
For many visitors arriving in Perth, their first experience of Western Australia is a new 8.5 km Airport Line that connects the airport and the city’s eastern suburbs with the rest of the urban rail network.
GHD was the lead design consultant to Webuild-NRW Joint Venture for the new Forrestfield-Airport Link (now known as the Airport Line), which includes twin-bored tunnels under the Swan River, three new rail stations: Redcliffe, Airport Central and High Wycombe plus the creation of a grade-separated rail junction as well as rail-bus interchanges servicing suburbs in the adjacent areas.
We provided design coordination for the project and delivered the architecture, above and below ground structural engineering, building services, rail systems design, civil engineering and Building Information Modelling (BIM) for one of Western Australia’s biggest infrastructure projects. The BIM models reduced duplication, unexpected issues and clashes during design development. GHD also developed automated design processes for rail electrification systems and tracks.
Project Elements
20km of infrastructure for permanent way (wail formation, drainage, track systems) - concept and final design
120-year design life
1,700 new car parking bays
Three new rail stations - architecture and building services
All infrastructure at dive structures and inside the twin tunnels
Twin bored tunnels under the Swan River (8 km long and 6,170 mm in diameter)
Architecture services were provided by our integrated design studio GHDWoodhead and Weston Williamson + Partners.
The Redcliffe Station is designed to reflect the local heritage and future area precinct integration, aligning the station design to the plans for new development surrounding the station, according to the previously approved masterplan. There was a series of interactions with the local government to understand the intentions for the precinct and critical considerations were taken to integrate the station.
The Airport Central Station is a gateway to passengers arriving in Perth and needed to reflect a world-class standard. The prominent feature of the Airport Central Station design is the strikingly iconic roof shape with its dynamic and directional form which takes inspiration from the aircraft aerodynamic features providing a design statement and welcoming entrance to station users. Furthermore, the atrium was designed with ground to ceiling glass to create a sun-filled space with generous dimensions.
The High Wycombe station operates as an intermodal transport hub to feed the eastern suburbs and foothills. The character of the area inspired the design approach and construction materials selected for the station.
Daniel Maher, GHD's Airport Line Project Manager added
“Working on one of the largest infrastructure projects that WA has seen in decades has been an incredible journey. The work our GHD team and partners have done on this landmark project will serve the WA community for well over 100 years.”
The Redcliffe Station is designed to reflect the local heritage and future area precinct integration, aligning the station design to the plans for new development surrounding the station, according to the previously approved masterplan. There was a series of interactions with the local government to understand the intentions for the precinct and critical considerations were taken to integrate the station.
The Airport Central Station is a gateway to passengers arriving in Perth and needed to reflect a world-class standard. The prominent feature of the Airport Central Station design is the strikingly iconic roof shape with its dynamic and directional form which takes inspiration from the aircraft aerodynamic features providing a design statement and welcoming entrance to station users. Furthermore, the atrium was designed with ground to ceiling glass to create a sun-filled space with generous dimensions.
The High Wycombestation operates as an intermodal transport hub to feed the eastern suburbs and foothills. The character of the area inspired the design approach and construction materials selected for the station.
Daniel Maher, GHD's Airport Line Project Manager added
“Working on one of the largest infrastructure projects that WA has seen in decades has been an incredible journey. The work our GHD team and partners have done on this landmark project will serve the WA community for well over 100 years.”
Ricardo Kiperman, GHDWoodhead Studio Director WA says
“Working with Weston Williamson + Partners, this project allowed us to create highly visible stations that feature inspiring spaces to provide an attractive ‘whole of journey’ experience to maximise the utilisation of public transport. These landmark transport facilities will transform the local urban environment and become a catalyst for the future development of housing, jobs, and community services in the eastern suburbs of Perth.”
The integration of public transport infrastructure into the urban environment required close attention to design quality, both within the transit environment and across the station precincts. This has enabled the stations to become the catalyst for the future development of housing, jobs, and community services within higher density active urban precincts that will offer a range of living, employment, entertainment and recreation options.
Ricardo Kiperman, GHDWoodhead Studio Director WA says
“Working with Weston Williamson + Partners, this project allowed us to create highly visible stations that feature inspiring spaces to provide an attractive ‘whole of journey’ experience to maximise the utilisation of public transport. These landmark transport facilities will transform the local urban environment and become a catalyst for the future development of housing, jobs, and community services in the eastern suburbs of Perth.”
The integration of public transport infrastructure into the urban environment required close attention to design quality, both within the transit environment and across the station precincts. This has enabled the stations to become the catalyst for the future development of housing, jobs, and community services within higher density active urban precincts that will offer a range of living, employment, entertainment and recreation options.