The Australian Institute of Architects has revealed the shortlisted projects of the 2026 New South Wales Architecture Awards.
Comprised of over 120 entrants across 13 categories, the shortlist highlights the value of design-led thinking, ensuring good design principles are embedded in the planning and delivery of projects across the state.
Jury chair Bill Tsakalos described the awards as “a vital glimpse into the future of our profession.”
“They reveal how shifts in thinking, approach, and values are continually reshaping architecture, acting as a barometer for emerging priorities and recalibrating expectations of what design can achieve,” he said.
“The awards influence practitioners, constructors, and clients alike, communicating evolving standards, aspirations, and responsibilities while reflecting contemporary concerns around culture, environmental stewardship, and changing ways of living.”
The shortlist is:
Public Architecture
Campbelltown Station Commuter Car Park – Hill Thalis Architecture and Urban Projects
Central Station – Woods Bagot in collaboration with John McAslan and Partners
Crows Nest Metro Station – Woods Bagot
First Steps Count Child and Community Centre – Austin McFarland
Gilgandra Library and Community Hub – Dunn Hillam Architecture and Urban Design
Mark Taylor Oval Pavilion – Archer Office
New Sydney Fish Market – 3XN in association with BVN and Aspect Studios
Pier Pavilion – Besley and Spresser
Western Sydney International (Nancy‑Bird Walton) Airport – Cox Architecture, Zaha Hadid Architects and Woods Bagot
Willowdale Sports Pavilion – Sam Crawford Architects with Lymesmith
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Educational Architecture
Eungai Creek Campus – AJC Architects
Green Square Public School and Community Spaces – BVN
Macquarie University – Engineering Innovation Building – Woods Bagot
Oakhill College Hilltop Precinct (Commons and Innovation Hub) – BVN
St Bede’s Catholic College – SHAC
UNSW Health Translation Hub – Architectus
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Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
Coogee House III – Tribe Studio
Cowrie Hole – Curious Practice
EA House – Bokey Grant
Enclave House – Bohane Campo
Exeter House – Luke Moloney Architecture
Garden Courtyard House – Grove Architects
Gerroa House – Scale Architecture
Gingkin – Incidental Architecture
Holocene House – Cplusc Architects and Builders
House of Shadows – Atelier Marks Gaal
Norton Street – Plus Minus Design
OK House – Stephen Collier Architect
Queenscliff House – Chenchow Little
Saddleback Mountain House – Casey Brown Architecture
Sapling – Anderson Architecture
Swansea Heads House – Anthrosite
Swirling Waters – Peter Stutchbury Architecture
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Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
Clay House – Muci
Darlinghurst House – Anthony Gill Architects
Denj Lane – Carter Williamson Architects
Fort House – Curious Practice
House Gretchen – Lintel Studio for Architecture
House in Rosebery – Architect George
Kyoto House – Breakspear Architects
Lilyfield House – Tribe Studio
Playhouse – Carter Williamson Architects
Rainbow House – Virginia Kerridge Architect
Rows End – Retallack Thompson
Surrey 112 – Smart Design Studio
The Corner Shop House – Downie North
Tree House – ASA (Alexander Symes Architect)
Wilsons Cottage – Casey Brown Architecture
Zulaikha Laurence ‘Tree Change House’ – Studio ZAWA
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Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
Boronia – Turner
Cowper Street Housing – JPW
Crossroads – Mackenize Pronk Architects and Make Projects
Egan Street 2020 – Kieran McInerney Architect
Goonellabah Houses – Pearson Architecture
Habilis – Collins and Turner
Lacebark – Smart Design Studio
Newmarket South – Bates Smart, SJB and Neeson Murcutt Neille
Norton Street – Plus Minus Design
Surry Hills Village – SJB
The Cambridge – Architectus
Waterloo Metro Quarter – Social Housing – Bates Smart
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Commercial Architecture
15 Khartoum Rd, M Park – Choi Studio
25 Hours Hotel The Olympia – Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects
33 Alfred Street – JPW
42 Honeysuckle Drive – Bates Smart
Baaka Culture Centre – Kaunitz Yeung Architecture
Lyf Bondi Junction – Bates Smart
New Sydney Fish Market – 3XN in association with BVN and Aspect Studios
Parkline Place – Foster and Partners with Cox Architecture
Surry Hills Village – SJB and Studio Prineas
The Lands by Capella – Hassell in collaboration with Purcell Architecture
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Heritage
33 Alfred Street – JPW
Entertainment Hall White Bay – Dunn Hillam Architecture and Urban Design with Placemaking NSW
GSDA Dwelling No.1 Recovery – Hector Abrahams Architects
Old Bega Hospital – Design 5 Architects
Sydney Harbour Bridge Northern Access Cycleway – Collins and Turner with Design 5 Architects, Aspect Studios and Eckersley O’Callaghan
The Lands by Capella – Hassell in collaboration with Purcell Architecture
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Interior Architecture
Brise Soleil – Carter Williamson Architects
CBRE Sydney – Bates Smart
GPT HQ – BVN
State Library NSW Public Areas – Andrew Andersons and Cullen Feng
Surrey 112 – Smart Design Studio
Swansea Heads House – Anthrosite
The Corner Shop House – Downie North
The Lands by Capella – Hassell in collaboration with Purcell Architecture
Wollemi Capital – Ciliberto Architects
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Urban Design
Gilgandra Library and Community Hub – Dunn Hillam Architecture and Urban Design
New Sydney Fish Market – 3XN in association with BVN and Aspect Studios
Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 – Cox Architecture
Surry Hills Village – SJB, Studio Prineas and Aspect Studios
Sydney Harbour Bridge Northern Access Cycleway – Collins and Turner with Aspect Studios, Eckersley O’Callaghan and Design 5 Architects
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Small Project Architecture
Broken Workshop – Atelier Luke
Carpe Diem Pavilion – Collins and Turner
Gladstone Park Amenities – Benn and Penna Architects
Magenta Outhouse – Atelier Marks Gaal
Optus O Pavilion – Architectus
Permanent Camping Orange – Casey Brown Architecture
Perry Park Pavilion – Scale Architecture
The Southern Lookout – AJC Architects
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Sustainable Architecture
33 Alfred Street – JPW
Campbelltown Station Commuter Car Park – Hill Thalis Architecture and Urban Projects
Cowper Street Housing – JPW
Crossroads – Mackenize Pronk Architects and Make Projects
Eungai Creek Campus – AJC Architects
Field Rooms – MAPA Art and Architecture
First Steps Count Child and Community Centre – Austin McFarland
Gerroa House – Scale Architecture
Gilgandra Library and Community Hub – Dunn Hillam Architecture and Urban Design
Gingkin – Incidental Architecture
Greybox – Welsh and Major
Sapling – Anderson Architecture
Tree House – ASA (Alexander Symes Architect)
Zulaikha Laurence ‘Tree Change House’ – Studio ZAWA
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Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture
Baaka Culture Centre – Kaunitz Yeung Architecture
Casa Dos – Lippmann Partnership
Galuwa Recreation Centre – AJC Architects
Greybox – Welsh and Major
Gunnedah Hospital Redevelopment – Arch
House Gretchen – Lintel Studio for Architecture
Lune de Sang Sheds 3 and 4 – Choi Studio
Mark Taylor Oval Pavilion – Archer Office
Putty Passiv – Anderson Architecture
Willowdale Sports Pavilion – Sam Crawford Architects with Lymesmith
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EMAGN Project Award
Alcheringa – Ironbark Architecture
Clay House – Muci
Pier Pavilion – Besley and Spresser
Sapling – Anderson Architecture
Tree House – ASA (Alexander Symes Architect)
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