superstudio 2026
Super Studio 2026 is officially back!
Australia’s premier national student design competition is your chance to team up, think big, and push past the boundaries of standard university briefs.
Open to SONA members of all year levels, this fast-paced conceptual challenge gives you the absolute licence to explore bold, highly creative ideas and get your work directly in front of industry leaders.
Who: Architecture students nationwide.
What: A high-energy, collaborative design challenge.
When: Thursday 23 July – Thursday 30 July 2026
Start talking to your peers and pulling your teams together. You won’t want to miss this one. #SuperStudio2026
SuperStudio connects students with industry professionals, providing mentorship and exposure to real-world architectural practices. Participants will present their proposals to regional judging panels, with winners advancing to the national competition for a chance to win $3000 cash plus state-level prizes!
2026 Key Dates
Thursday, 23 July | Reading of the Brief (Virtual)
Thursday, 30 July | Online submission due & local chapter presentations
Thursday, 6 August | National shortlist presentations & winner announcement
Eligibility & Teams
Super Studio is open to all SONA members (check SONA eligibility) from all year levels. Students can enter in teams of up to 3. Not a SONA member Join now!
How to Enter
It’s easy! Follow the 3 simple steps below:
Team Up: Find up to three (3) SONA mates and create a memorable team name.
Sign Up: Everyone on your team needs to register individually through this event link. Don’t forget to enter your team name!
Pick Your Mentor Sessions: As a team, choose one face-to-face and one virtual mentoring session. Make sure all team members register for the exact same sessions.
Once those steps are done, you’re all set! There are also a series of design talks throughout the week to help guide you through. Just remember to submit your team entry using the Submission form before your presentations on Thursday, 30 July 2026.
If you don’t have a team and would like one, please join the COMMUNITY FORUM and connect with like-minded SONA students. Join the forum here!
prizes
National level prize:
- Cash prize of $3000!
- Work published in Architecture Australia Magazine
- Work published on DePict website
State level prize (One team in each state):
- Exclusive office immersion experiences with a local practice
- Progression to the national level of judging ($3000 prize)
- Architectural stationary voucher
- 2027 SONA membership
- Work published on DePict website
Runners-up (Up to 2 teams in each state)
- Exclusive office immersion experiences with a local practice
- Architectural stationery voucher
- 2027 SONA membership
- Work published on DePict website
Whats on
SuperStudio takes place over one week, kicking off with the brief reveal on Thursday, 23 July 2026! Super Studio Includes optional activities like mentoring and design day presentations to help spark creativity. Each state and territory hosts their presentation day on Thursday, 30 July 2026. Plan your SuperStudio week to get the most out of the experience.
key dates 2026
- Reading of the brief (Virtual) | Thursday, 23 July | 5.30pm AEST
- Last chance to register | Friday, 24 July | 12:00 noon AEST
- Design Day Talk (Virtual) | Friday, 24 July | TBC Time
- Face-to-face mentoring | Monday, 27 July | Check your local times
- Virtual Mentoring | Tuesday, 28 July | 5:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
- Online Submission due | Thursday, 30 July | 10:00 am AEST
- Presentation Day | Thursday 30 July | from 5.30pm (local time)
- National winner announcement (Virtual) | Thursday, 6 August | 12pm AEST (TBC)
SuperStudio 2026 is proudly sponsored by Alspec
Australian owned and operated, Alspec is the market leader in the design and distribution of innovative aluminium systems to the architectural, residential, industrial and home-improvement markets. Continuous investment in research and development ensures the latest technologies and design principles are applied in their extensive range of aluminium systems and products.
Super Studio 2025 – National Presentations and Winners Announced
For one week over August, student members of the Australian Institute of Architects participated in the 2025 Super Studio national conceptual design competition and the winners are revealed. False Idols by Luke Pendergast, Zachary Tregenza, and Jacob Tripp (team name Effort) was revealed as the National Super Studio winner on Friday, 15 August after the state winners presented to the jury.
Watch the live presentations and read the chapter winning citations here.
Super Studio is a national design competition open to SONA members from all year levels. As a conceptual design competition, Super Studio gives students license to explore highly creative responses to a design brief.
Super Studio connects students with industry professionals, providing mentorship and exposure to real-world architectural practices. Participants will present their proposals to regional judging panels, with winners advancing to the national competition for a chance to win $3000 cash plus state-level prizes!
2025 Key Dates
Thursday, 31 July | Reading of the Brief (Virtual)
Thursday, 7 August | Online submission due & local chapter presentations
Friday, 8 August | National shortlist announced
Friday, 15 August | National shortlist presentations & winner announcement
Eligibility & Teams
Super Studio is open to all SONA members (check SONA eligibility) from all year levels. Students can enter in teams of up to 3. Not a SONA member Join now!
How to Enter
It’s easy! Follow the 3 simple steps below:
Team Up: Find up to three (3) SONA mates and create a memorable team name.
Sign Up: Everyone on your team needs to register individually through this event link. Don’t forget to enter your team name!
Pick Your Mentor Sessions: As a team, choose one face-to-face and one virtual mentoring session. Make sure all team members register for the exact same sessions.
Once those steps are done, you’re all set! There are also a series of design talks throughout the week to help guide you through. Just remember to submit your team entry using the form below before your presentations on Thursday, August 7, 2025.
If you don’t have a team and would like one, please join the COMMUNITY FORUM and connect with like-minded SONA students. Join the forum here!
Super Studio has officially started! Read the 2024 Super Studio brief here
Super Studio is a national design competition open to SONA members from all year levels. As a conceptual design competition, Super Studio gives students license to explore highly creative responses to a design brief.
Super Studio connects students with industry professionals, providing mentorship and exposure to real-world architectural practices. Participants will present their proposals to regional judging panels, with winners advancing to the national competition for a chance to win $3000 cash plus state-level prizes!
Key Dates
31 July Reading of the brief
7 August Online submission due & presentations
8 August National shortlist announced
12 August National short list presentations & winner announcement
Whats on
Super Studio takes place over one week, kicking off with the brief reveal on 31 July 2024! Super Studio Includes optional activities like mentoring and design day presentations to help spark creativity. Each state and territory hosts their presentation day on 7 August. Plan your Super Studio week to get the most out of the experience.
prizes
National level prize:
- Cash prize of $3000!
- Work published in Architecture Australia Magazine (TBC)
State level prize:
- Exclusive office immersion experiences with a local practice – check details in your state or territory
- Progression to the national level of judging ($3000 prize)
- Architectural stationary voucher
- 2026 SONA membership
Runners-up (2 teams in each state)
- Exclusive office immersion experiences with a local practice – check details in your state or territory
- Architectural stationery voucher
- 2026 SONA membership
key dates
- Reading of the brief (Virtual) | Thursday 31 July | 5.30pm AEST
- Last chance to register | Friday 1 August | 12:00 noon AEST
- Design Day Talk | Friday 1 August | TBC Time
- Face to face mentoring | Monday 4 August | 5.30pm (local time)
- Design Day Talk | Tuesday 5 August, 5.30pm, AEST
- Virtual Mentoring | Wednesday 6 August | TBC Time
- Online Submission due | Thursday 7 August | 9:00 am AEST
- Presentation day | Thursday 7 August | from 5.30pm (local time)
- National winner announcement (Virtual) | Friday 15 August | 5.30pm AEST
about super studio
Super Studio will be back again in 2025 stay stuned!
Super Studio is a national design competition open to SONA members from all year levels. As a conceptual design competition, Super Studio gives students license to explore highly creative responses to a design brief.
Super Studio connects students with industry professionals, providing mentorship and exposure to real-world architectural practices. Participants will present their proposals to regional judging panels, with winners advancing to the national competition to win a cash prize!
Be part of a fun and supportive environment where you can flex your creative muscles and apply your theoretical knowledge, plus,
- Receive valuable feedback from industry experts
- Meet other students from different universities
- Share your work and thinking, all finalists will be published in the Institute national E-newsletter & SONA website.
- All participants will be considered to be included in the special Super Studio edition of de-PICT
- Prizes to be won on a state and national level
- Bragging rights of winning or placing in a national student competition!
Check out Super Studio in Queensland in 2022.
Video credit: Werror photography
See what students thought about participating in Super Studio
Video credit: Werror photography
SONA COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Review the Terms and Conditions for SONA competitions here
Super studio partner
Super Studio 2026 is sponsored by Alspec.
Australian owned and operated, Alspec is the market leader in the design and distribution of innovative aluminium systems to the architectural, residential, industrial and home-improvement markets. Continuous investment in research and development ensures the latest technologies and design principles are applied in their extensive range of aluminium systems and products.
contact us
Please contact SONA with any queries:
[email protected]
Phone: 03 8620 3910