National Architecture Awards

The National Architecture Awards recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements and excellence in architecture. Join us for the night-of-nights of the Australian architecture profession.

The 2013 National Awards will be held at the Opera House in Sydney on Thursday 7 November. More information will be available soon.

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The National Architecture Awards have been held annually since 1981. These awards are the most prestigious in the Australian design and construction industry, and have had a significant influence on trends in architectural design. The awards process is an opportunity for public and peer recognition of your work, and provides the Institute with a valuable mechanism to promote architects and architecture in Australia and internationally.

Entering the awards

Only members of the Australian Institute of Architects are eligible to enter the Architecture Awards, and A+ Members receive 10% discount on entries.

Members may enter the Architecture Awards via our online awards entry system.

For support and assistance with the use of this system please contact the Awards Team.

Go to the awards system.

Please note, entries in the 2013 awards program have closed.

Awards help

Please read the Awards Entry Handbook before you enter the Awards. It is your step-by-step guide to entering.

Entrants should also read through the Awards section of the Institute's Awards, Prizes and Honours Policy before submitting their entry.

Architects seeking to enter into Category 9: Sustainable Architecture should familiarise themselves with the Institute's Environment Policy.

If you have any further queries, please contact the local chapter in which your project is being entered. Those entering in the International category can contact the Events & Awards Team.

2013 key dates

Entries in the 2013 awards program have closed. For presentations, download the 2013 Awards Calendar.

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Policy changes to 2013 awards

Several policy changes have been implemented for the 2013 National Awards program.

Sustainability

Much has changed in the field of sustainable design since the introduction of the original Sustainable Architecture Award. While there is much greater awareness in the community regarding environmental sustainability and climate change, there is still little understanding of the significance and value of design in addressing these challenges.

Australian architects are among the international leaders in designing responsive, responsible and delightful works of architecture that 'do more with less'. The Sustainable Architecture Award is intended to support, encourage and celebrate this. While for many projects there is an understandable preoccupation with technical performance measured through rating tools, this award recognises the value of creative and intelligent thinking to achieve enduring and meaningful value through design.

The award will also recognise integrated design thinking not only for individual works of architecture but also in broader ecological contexts. The award criteria are open ended to allow the jury to recognise exemplary contributions to sustainable architecture.

The award will no longer be entered directly. Juries will consider all entries on the basis of the value they have delivered in each of the environmental, social and economic domains.

While no detailed performance data is required to be submitted, the jury may call for additional information from entrants.

The award has been elevated to a Named Award and will be referred to as the David Oppenheim Award for Sustainable Architecture at the National level.

Specific changes to this prize can be viewed in the entry handbook and policy.

Small Project Architecture

To recognise the contributions of small projects within Australian design the Small Project Architecture category has been elevated to a Named Award and will be recognised as the Nicholas Murcutt Small Project Architecture Award at a national level.

Enduring Architecture

The Enduring Architecture Award has been extended to allow buildings from 25 years old and over to be entered. The requirement that a building must be less than 50 years of age has been removed.

Heritage category supplement

The heritage category is for any built conservation project or study developed in accordance with the Australian ICOMOS Burra Charter, or any adaptive reuse of a heritage structure.

Allocations of projects by juries

There have been some modifications to the allocation of projects by juries. The policy states:

Juries may choose to consider projects in categories other than the category the project was originally entered in, subject to the following:

• the project must meet the entry requirements of the other category, as set out in 13.3.5 Award Categories
• where the project is deemed not to meet the entry requirements for a category in which it is entered, it may be removed from that category and considered in one other category, for which it does meet the entry requirements
• the project must not be considered in more categories than it was originally entered in, unless one or more of the other categories has five or less eligible entries
• the National Jury may not consider a Chapter winner in the COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture category in any other category at National level, unless it is also a winner at Chapter level in that other category

Past Awards

INSPIRE publication

INSPIRE is a yearly celebration in print of the Australian Institute of Architects’ National Architecture Award winners.

Each edition of INSPIRE features:

• forward-thinking designs in sustainability, urban design, heritage architecture and international architecture
• Australia’s best houses and new public buildings
• preliminary sketches and stunning photographs of each project highlighting design processes from start to finish

Purchase INSPIRE at Architext.com.au. (Institute members receive a 10% discount.)

Past winners

All Awards entrants and winners are featured in our online Awards gallery.

You can also download a list of winners of National Awards from 1981 to 2011, or see the list of winners from the 2012 Awards.

Peter Johnson architectural archive

The Peter Johnson Architectural Archive, held in the National Gallery of Australia Research Library, is the archive of entries to the Institutes Architecture Awards. Entry folders have been deposited annually since 1986 and some were collected prior to 1986. Additions to the collection are always welcome.

The Archive is a rapidly developing source of information for the study of contemporary Australian architecture. The Archive is available to the public for research. Arrangements must be made in advance through the National Gallery of Australia Research Library.

Details of the NGARL access policy and a reader’s ticket application form are available on the National Gallery website.

The Awards process

Entries close after a three- to four-month period when the judging in each state/territory begins. Selected buildings are visited by local jury members in accordance with the awards' conditions of entry. Selected projects of excellence then become the state finalists and/or award recipients.

In early July, all winning entries are forwarded to the National Office and the recipients of Chapter Awards come under the close scrutiny of the national jury. The national jury consists of five members: four prominent architects and one non-architect of national prominence.

In judging projects the overall quality of the work is considered. Issues include:

• how well the project meets its original intentions
• the client’s satisfaction with the project
• environmental performance and use of energy
• contribution to the advancement of architecture

The jury imposes strict criteria for each of the nine national categories, and applies these in the preliminary judging process and when it visits the short-listed projects across Australia. The cycle culminates in a celebratory national awards' dinner each year.

Awards jurors handbook

The Awards Jury Handbook is a guide for all jury members. Download your copy of the 2013 Awards Jurors Handbook.

Australian Achievement in Architecture Awards

The Australian Achievement in Architecture Awards recognise and honor the accomplishments of individuals who contribute to society through architecture and the built environment.

The Gold Medalist and subsequent Gold Medal talk will headline the awards night. Other awards announced on the evening include the National Presidents Prize, Leadership in Sustainability Prize, William J Mitchell International Area Committee Prize, Glenn Murcutt Student Prize, Neville Quarry Architectural Education Prize, Student Prize for the Advancement of Architecture, Emerging Architects Prize, and the announcement of the Dulux Study Tour winners.

This event is a wonderful opportunity for one of Australia’s great architectural minds to share their experiences and knowledge in a social setting.

The 2013 event was held at the critically acclaimed National Arboretum in Canberra. The details of the 2014 event will be announced soon and will be held in March 2014.

Corporate partners

The Institute is pleased to have Principal Corporate Partner BlueScope Steel and Supporting Corporate Partners Dulux, AWS and Diversified Exhibitions.

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