All imagery supplied by Sydney Airport
Sydney Airport
T1 Security
Screening Upgrade
T1 Security
Screening Upgrade
Sydney Airport
T1 Security
Screening Upgrade
Client:
Sydney Airport
Location:
Sydney, New South Wales
Status:
Completion expected late 2025
Contact Person:
Robert Ousey
Our Aviation design team has completely reimagined the existing Security Screening & Emigration Hall at T1 in Sydney, transforming it from a clinical, process-driven environment to a calming space that enhances the passenger experience.
The project is the culmination of eight years of work by Sydney Airport and Architectus to upgrade security spaces and equipment across the airport.
Australia-wide security enhancements
In 2018 the Aviation and Maritime Services division of Australia’s Department of Home Affairs mandated enhancements to passenger and checked baggage security screening processes across all Australian airports to improve threat detection.
The following year, Architectus completed an airport-wide feasibility study to upgrade the security checkpoints at Sydney Airport, including a ‘Kit-of-Parts’ for the Smart Security Lanes, which has since been rolled out across T1, T2 & T3.
Design principles for the project
Our design principles for the project focused on reducing passenger stress and anxiety, allowing people to concentrate on the process to improve throughput. Ultimately, we wanted to make security screening a pleasure instead of a chore.
We improved the acoustics of the space by adding absorbing surfaces to reduce reverberation and by incorporating dampening materials below the hard surfaces of the lane to mitigate sharp impact noise from the trays.
In addition, warmer, indirect lighting on ceiling and wall surfaces leads to a more relaxed ‘hospitality’ feel, with the feature lighting ribbon highlighting areas of activity and guiding passengers intuitively through the process.
Across the board, we applied high-quality materials to the area, shifting the narrative around screening so people see it as a more positive, valued experience.
Staged works
Early works to support the project were completed in 2023, when the roof was extended and existing infrastructure relocated.
The main works package is a complete refurbishment of the extended hall, with new security screening equipment, relocated Emigration Line & new associated infrastructure.
A single, consolidated space
The existing hall is at the intersection of several different buildings. With this new project, our team has carved out a single consolidated space with a vaulted ceiling. This space then flows towards duty-free retail and meticulously detailed bookend walls at the sides.
The kit-of-parts approach has been applied to the 15 new security screening lanes, topped by lighting ribbons designed to smoothly guide passengers through the screening process.
The team are on track to complete the overhaul of the Sydney Airport T1 Security Screening and Emigration Hall by the end of 2025.
MoreLess
Client:
Sydney Airport
Location:
Sydney, New South Wales
Status:
Completion expected late 2025
Contact Person:
Robert Ousey
