Sydney’s new Central Station Metro has been named the 2025 Supreme Award for Structural Engineering Excellence winner by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), cementing Australia’s position among the world’s leaders in infrastructure innovation and sustainable design.
The prestigious award was announced on 14 November 2025 at the IStructE’s annual Structural Awards, held in London.
Now in its 56th year, the event celebrates the most remarkable achievements in structural engineering from around the globe.
In a fiercely competitive year, the Central Station Metro project stood out for its exemplary design and execution.
The collaborative team of Aurecon and GHD Joint Venture (AGJV) was recognised for “their exemplary and thoughtful structural planning and technical leadership of this major project”.
A landmark in Sydney’s expanding underground metro network, the development integrates a new station and pedestrian tunnels directly beneath Australia’s busiest rail terminal.
The station forms part of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest line — a $21 billion project designed to reshape mobility across the city by 2030.
What set the project apart, according to the judges, was the way engineering design influenced the wider outcome.
“The structural design shaped the overall outcome, improving accessibility, reducing embodied carbon, and enhancing sightlines, safety, and wayfinding,” they said.
The innovative top-down construction method, together with a complete reimagining of the original reference design, offered a practical demonstration of how structural engineering can lead to high-impact infrastructure from below ground and upwards.
Judges particularly praised the Central Station Metro for the ambition of the design and complexity of the work undertaken, noting that it exemplified both technical rigour and leadership in sustainable planning.
Professor John Orr, chair of the judging panel and chartered member of the Institution, praised the Australian team for their ingenuity and execution.
“In an incredibly high-calibre playing field, Sydney’s Central Station Metro clinched a very well-deserved victory.”
Orr said the judging panel was particularly impressed by how the engineers refined and enhanced the original design, introducing an innovative top-down construction sequence to meet tight program requirements.
He noted that by thoughtfully addressing reusability and demountability, the project exemplified intelligent problem-solving that delivers lasting value in construction.
Orr added: “Yet again, this year’s awards also recognised a wealth of other inspiring projects, all characterised by their intelligent use of materials, circular design principles, and low-carbon construction.
“Our judging framework, focused on key attributes, highlights how structural engineers are driving innovation towards a safer, more sustainable built environment.”
In addition to the Supreme Award, 10 other projects were honoured from a shortlist of 34.
These included works known for their pioneering use of materials, community benefit, and environmental integration.
The 2025 winners featured some of the industry’s best-known names alongside up-and-coming practices.
Among them were Curtins, Structure Workshop, Latéral, Fast + Epp Structural Engineers, schlaich bergermann partner (sbp), Arcplus Institute of Shanghai Architectural Design & Research Co., Ltd, Atelier One, Arup, Webb Yates Engineers, and R.V. Anderson Associates.
Each winner represented a different aspect of structural engineering excellence — from resilience in seismic zones to resource-efficient building techniques and regenerative urban redevelopment.
Sustainability remained central across all categories, with judges placing particular emphasis on reducing embodied carbon and supporting circular economy principles in design and construction.
The recognition of Sydney’s Central Station Metro follows a strong showing for Australian projects in international engineering awards in recent years, which reflect the country’s growing reputation for designing adaptable, low-carbon urban infrastructure.
