Joint report calls for renewed creative and place-making ambition for Metro West after the City and South West Metro stations win the state’s top architecture award.

Today, at Parramatta Square overlooking the city’s future Metro West station site, business and civic leaders have come together to launch a powerful new vision for Sydney’s next transformative infrastructure project.

Beauty and Budget: Ensuring Metro West Delivers Great Stations for Sydney, a joint report by the Committee for Sydney and Business Western Sydney, argues that world-class design for the Metro West line is both achievable and essential — even within tight budgets. 

The report was launched by Eamon Waterford, CEO of the Committee for Sydney, David Borger Executive Director of Business Western Sydney and Martin Zaiter, Lord Mayor of Parramatta, with strong support from many leaders in Sydney’s design and urban planning community.

With the success of Sydney Metro, the city’s residents have seen how beautifully designed, frequent metro services can revitalise local centres, create civic pride and transform the way we move around. Last Friday night, the Central, Barangaroo, Gadigal, Victoria Cross, Martin Place, Waterloo, Sydenham and Crows Nest Metro stations were hailed as “legacy making” and “redefining civic experience in Sydney” – with those involved in their creation winning the state’s top architecture award, the 2025 NSW Architecture Medallion.

Recent comment from the NSW Government has indicated a desire to constrain station costs on the Metro West project — prompting questions about Western Sydney commuters might have to settle for reductions in design and user experience.

In early April, the Committee for Sydney and Business Western Sydney convened a workshop with a group of 39 leading Australian experts in engineering, architecture, infrastructure finance, urban planning and art curation. Their consensus: Metro West should not and does not need to be a second-class project. With tighter technical specifications and creative design, there is an opportunity to deliver stations that local residents and visitors fall in love with.

Committee for Sydney CEO Eamon Waterford said: “Great design doesn’t require marble, sandstone or trying to mimic the Sistine Chapel. Iconic interiors can be achieved – with less cost – through local community input, creative design choices, artworks and quality finishings. Budget discipline matters, but so does design ambition for Western Sydney. They can go hand in hand.”

“For a relatively modest investment, we could run a public competition — even involve students — to create artworks that celebrate the rich cultural fabric of the Inner West and Western Sydney.” 

“The last round of Metro stations were spectacular and we owe that same level of beauty and character to the stations on Metro West. It’s about embedding pride and identity into the very stations people use every day.”

David Borger, Executive Director of Business Western Sydney said: “Metro West is central to Sydney’s future. We’re encouraging the NSW Government to work within its budget but still seize the chance to deliver stations that are not just functional, but beautiful, lasting, and a true tribute to this city and its people. This is our moment to create something truly special — a legacy that Sydney can be proud of.”

“Parramatta, in particular, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create something truly different — a precinct that’s lively by day and buzzing into the night. Think multicultural sweet shops, small bars, outdoor galleries and immersive art spilling onto the street. Let’s build Western Sydney’s own Times Square.”

“We’re bringing the Metro to Parramatta. Now let’s bring in the fun.”

Lord Mayor of Parramatta, Martin Zaiter said: “If the government is truly committed to Parramatta as the economic and cultural heart of Western Sydney, then we deserve a Metro West station—and precinct—that reflects that ambition.”

“I’m proud to be here today endorsing this report. Our City’s vision is clear: Metro West will become Sydney’s primary east-west public transport spine, connecting Parramatta to Fairfield and Western Sydney Airport. This is a city-shaping project that embodies the bold, visionary, and global future of Parramatta. It deserves stations that are exceptional and built to last.”

Key insights from the report: 

• Smaller can still be beautiful. Engineering experts agree: the largest costs for metro stations come from things like footprint size and technical specs, not finishes or artwork. The biggest savings can come from smarter early-stage planning — such as more compact station footprints where feasible, with room for future growth.
• Public art builds pride. Art installations, despite often being the first item on the chopping block, typically represent a tiny fraction of overall costs. Yet they add prestige, draw crowds, and build connection. Communities that feel trusted with quality infrastructure take better care of it, with less vandalism and lower long-term maintenance costs.
• Social and cultural value must count. Metro West’s long-term benefits go well beyond transport. Current funding models don’t properly account for intangible social value — like cultural inclusion, accessibility, or local pride. This leads to underinvestment in areas where design can have transformative effects on how people live, work and connect.
• A commercial opportunity not to be missed. Stations should be more than transit points. As the report notes, they’re high-traffic, high-visibility places that can host retail, food, events and cultural attractions. From Tokyo to London, Rome and Melbourne’s Southern Cross, the best cities embrace their stations as destinations. Metro West can do the same — and generate long-term income for reinvestment.

Key recommendations: 

• Rethink and optimise the footprint size of stations to reduce construction costs
• Use gradated station designs, with capacity for future expansion where needed
• Prioritise ambitious above-ground station concepts in key centres like Parramatta, Olympic Park and Pyrmont
• Refine engineering specifications, including steel and concrete use, to control material costs
• Establish a Metro West Public Art Fund and commission local artworks through public competitions to create an ‘art line’ across the city
• Activate station interiors and plazas with temporary and permanent food, retail and cultural pop-ups. 

A shared commitment to Western Sydney’s future: 

Business Western Sydney and the Committee for Sydney are proud champions of Metro West. Since 2018, both organisations have worked together to advocate for this once-in-a-generation investment in the future of our city.

Together, the two organisations have successfully pushed for key transport projects like the Parramatta Light Rail and published research to help ensure taxpayer dollars deliver lasting value for our communities. With Beauty and Budget, we believe Metro West can be built to a world-class standard — beautifully, smartly and affordably.