Summary:
- Sydney Airport appoints Grimshaw and Mott MacDonald as lead consultants for its T2-T3 terminal link project, part of a $6 billion investment.
- New long-term partnership model aims to improve delivery efficiency and innovation across Sydney’s infrastructure projects.
- The T2-T3 terminal link will support 72 million passengers by 2045, expanding terminal capacity and enhancing the passenger experience.
Sydney Airport has appointed global architecture practice Grimshaw and international engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald as the lead consultants for its T2-T3 terminal link project, a major multi-year investment forming a core part of the airport’s $6 billion capital works programme.
The appointment follows a global tender process to establish a panel of leading architectural and engineering firms to support the delivery of Sydney Airport’s infrastructure project pipeline over the next five years.
The new procurement framework marks a shift from project-by-project contracting to a long-term framework partnership model, designed to improve delivery efficiency, consistency, design excellence, and innovation across Sydney Airport’s infrastructure pipeline.
Grimshaw will lead architectural design for the T2-T3 terminal link, while Mott MacDonald will lead engineering. Both firms were selected following a rigorous technical and commercial evaluation process, demonstrating strong alignment with Sydney Airport’s ambition to deliver a more efficient, resilient, and world-class passenger experience.
“Our $6 billion capital programme is critical to maintaining an efficient, high-quality experience for airlines and passengers as we grow towards our Master Plan forecast of 72 million passengers a year by 2045,” said Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton. “By partnering with world-class firms like Grimshaw and Mott MacDonald we’re strengthening our ability to deliver major projects that support jobs, economic growth and Sydney’s role as Australia’s global gateway.”
The T2-T3 terminal link project is a central element of Sydney Airport’s preliminary draft Master Plan 2045, which forecasts growth to 72 million passengers annually by 2045. The project is designed to expand terminal capacity, improve airline efficiency, and deliver a more seamless passenger journey, including the introduction of up to 12 new swing gates to support both domestic and international operations.
The initial phase of the project will involve the development of early design plans, site surveys, and risk identification, all of which will help with upcoming approvals and planning processes. The move to long-term design partnerships is expected to enable faster decision-making, stronger integration across disciplines and a more consistent approach across Sydney Airport’s infrastructure portfolio.
“We would like to congratulate Grimshaw and Mott MacDonald on their appointment to the panel,” said Sydney Airport Group Executive, Planning and Delivery Paul Willis. “Establishing long-term partnerships with leading design and engineering firms gives us greater consistency across projects, improves coordination between disciplines, and helps us move faster from concept to delivery while maintaining the highest standards of safety, sustainability and design quality.”
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