Great engineering is often invisible — and nowhere is that truer than deep beneath Sydney, where the new Waterloo Station comes to life thanks to precise mechanical systems working behind the scenes. In this episode, we speak with Danielle Kwik, Associate Director at WSP and Transport Sector Lead, who helped lead the performance engineering that powers this landmark transport project.

Danielle shares the story behind Waterloo’s complex mechanical ventilation, smoke management, and containment systems, including tunnel exhaust fans the size of buses. She discusses how collaboration between engineers, architects, and specialists like Louvreclad enabled performance-driven design solutions that still met architectural intent. The result? A station that achieved a 6 Star Green Star sustainability rating while delivering safety, resilience, and world-class passenger experience.

Danielle also reflects on her engineering journey, leadership lessons and why the future of transport relies on curiosity, systems thinking and purpose-driven engineering.

We would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of these lands from where we record this podcast, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, we recognise and deeply appreciate the enduring connection these first nation people have with the land, waters and skies. Their knowledge has guided generations in adapting to and thriving within Australia’s diverse and often challenging climates. We honour their wisdom, resilience, and generosity in sharing their stories and understanding of country.

Drawing on her experience leading façade design coordination for Sydney Metro’s Waterloo Station, Marina Evangelista shares lessons from integrating performance louvres into one of Sydney’s most complex infrastructure projects, and reflects on how design storytelling and technical requirements can work together.

Enjoy