NSW Regional Architecture Awards
NSW Regional Architecture Awards
Celebrating design excellence
and its contribution to communities Across regional nsw
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The Institute’s Awards Program enables public and peer recognition of the innovative work of our members, and provides the Institute with a valuable mechanism to promote architects and architecture across Australia and internationally.
The NSW Regional Architecture Awards are the state’s first step on the National Awards pathway, providing a stage for the celebration of Architecture in the state’s regional communities. Open to projects located outside of Greater Sydney, the NSW Regional Architecture Awards recognise the specificities of the regions and the outstanding contribution of our members who live and work there.
The 2026 Regional Architecture Awards encompasses the programs previously known as the Newcastle Architecture Awards, and the Country Division Awards. Named Award winners from the Regional Architecture Awards will receive automatic shortlisting in the NSW State Architecture Awards in the same year.
KEY 2026 Dates
About the NSW Regional Architecture Awards program
The 2026 Regional Awards are an annual celebration of regional architecture. As our regions continue to grow and thrive, so do our awards, and 2026 sees a newly relaunched program which aims to continue this trajectory.
All projects located in NSW – but outside of Greater Sydney – are invited to submit via a single entry pool, where entries will be divided into geographic divisions which will each be served by a separate jury. Each division will have its own presentations to jury, its own shortlist, and its own site visits. Division juries will bestow commendations and awards, while a combined jury encompassing each region will elevate projects of exceptional merit to a Named Award.
The Regional Awards event will bring everyone together for a night to remember, and are set to be held in Coffs Harbour in February 2026.
2026 JURY
Are you interested in serving as a juror in the 2026 NSW Regional Architecture Awards? The NSW Chapter is now accepting expressions of interest until Tuesday 12 August, 2025. Register your interest now!
NATIONAL ENTRY CATEGORIES
Judging Criteria
Judging will be based on the following National core criteria. These are addressed within the project description text provided as part of your entry:
- Conceptual framework: Underlying principles: Values; Core ideas; Philosophy.
- Public and Cultural Benefits: The amenity and concepts contributing to the public domain.
- Relationship of Built Form to Context: Concepts engaged with new and pre-existing conditions.
- Program Resolution: Functional performance assessed against the brief.
- Integration of Allied Disciplines: Contribution of others, including engineers, landscape architects, artists and other specialists to the outcome.
- Cost/Value Outcome: The effectiveness of decisions related to financial issues.
- Sustainability: The benefit to the environment through design.
- Response to Client and User Needs: Additional benefits interpreted from the brief, serving the client or users and the community.
For the NSW Regional Architecture Awards, the Jury will also pay special attention to the regional context and constraints of the entries.
New Boarding House, Yanco Agricultural High School, SINSW | ARM Architecture | Photographer: Jeremy Weihrauch
Flotilla x Vecina | Derive Architecture & Design | Photographer: Alex McIntyre
Murrook | Derive Architecture & Design with Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council | Photographer: Brett Boardman
Window, window, window | PANOV—SCOTT | Photographer: Hamish McIntosh
House in the Dry | MRTN Architects | Photographer: Anthony Basheer
Cedar on Collins | Kennedy Associates Architects | Photographer: Brett Boardman
Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshore Community Building | King and Campbell | Photographer: David Toobey
NSW REGIONAL PRIZES
Womens Trauma Recovery Centre Shellharbour | Edmiston Jones | Photographer: Louise Wellington
About the NSW Regional Architecture Awards program
Awards and categories
Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
Projects in this category must be residential, generally falling within BCA Class 1a and must be new builds. Projects with up to two self-contained dwellings may be entered in this category.
Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
Projects must be residential, generally falling within BCA Class 1a, and must include renovations or alterations or additions to an existing building, whether or not the building was residential in nature in the first instance. Projects with up to two self-contained dwellings may be entered in this category.
Small Project Architecture
Projects in this category will be those considered to be ‘small’ in terms of area or budget as determined by the Jury. Projects are recognised that have been constrained by space or cost restrictions, but have achieved a level of invention, creativity and craftsmanship beyond these constraints. This category can accommodate projects which may be over-looked against larger scale projects in other categories or may be transient or experimental in nature, such as exhibition design, set design or installations. Projects of all functional types may be considered.
Residential Architecture – (Multiple Housing)
Projects in this category must be residential and comprise of, or include, two or more self-contained dwellings (whether or not the building includes uses for other purposes).
Urban Design
Projects in this category may be single buildings, groups of buildings or non-building projects, studies or masterplans, which are of public, civic or urban design in nature. Awarded projects must have enhanced the quality of the built environment or public domain or contribute to the wellbeing of the broader community.
Commercial Architecture
Projects in this category must be built primarily for commercial purposes, generally falling within BCA Classes 3b, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Interior Architecture
Projects in this category must be interior spaces and environments within a new building or the refurbishment of an existing building.
Public Architecture
Projects in this category must be predominantly of a public or institutional nature generally falling within BCA Class 9. It does not include projects falling within the definition of Educational Architecture or any BCA Class 9b building used primarily for educational purposes.
Educational Architecture
Projects in this category may be any preschool, primary, secondary or tertiary educational facility and/or joint research facilities in which an educational institution is a significant partner. Education projects may not be entered in the Public Architecture category.
Sustainable Architecture
This category recognises projects which excel as architecture, and also display innovation and excellence in terms of environmental sustainability.
Refer to Entry Handbook for requirements and more information.
Heritage
This 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.
Timber Award
This award is given in recognition of outstanding architectural work by a NSW Regional Division Architect. The use of timber must be integral to the success of the project, with a significant and/or ingenious use of timber being displayed in the design. All entries can be considered for this Award, no additional entry fee is required.
Vision Award
Projects can be built or unbuilt in NSW, interstate and overseas, not type specific, could be conceptual, could be consultancy/advice lead, could be community art-based, could involve ‘change leadership’, could be a masterplan, could be a building overseas.
The purpose of this award is to showcase the skills and capacity of NSW Regional Division Architects, ideally in community focussed endeavours but also to recognise projects that may not easily fit the main awards whilst still providing credibility to what we do as a broader organisation.
James Barnet Award
Highest Honour of the NSW Regional Division Architecture Awards. Only Regional Architects who have submissions in the NSW Regional Division Awards will be considered for the James Barnet Award. This award will be made, where appropriate, for outstanding work by a Regional member of the Institute, in any category.
Entry fees
| Chapter | Standard Entry Fee (incl. GST) |
|---|---|
| Regional Division | $220 |
*Winners of Regional Division Awards will be required to pay an additional State entry fee to be considered for the 2025 NSW State Awards.
Key dates
| Chapter | Entries open | Site Visits | Awards Presentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional Division 2025 Awards | Monday 29 April - Close Monday 22 July 2024 | Monday 12 August - Friday 23 August 2024 | Friday 15 November 2024 |
Contact us
NSW Chapter, Australian Institute of Architects
P: +61 (2) 9246 4055
E: nsw@architecture.com.au
