Across this year’s Australian Institute of Architects’ 2026 Western Australian Architecture Awards, the jury pointed to acts of repair, civic generosity and a doing more with less approach as defining themes.
Lyons with Silver Thomas Hanley and Haworth Tompkins received the prestigious George Temple Poole Award for ECU City, an ambitious relocation of Edith Cowan University’s School of Business and Law and Cybersecurity, Arts and Humanities faculties, the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and the West Australian Screen Academy into the Perth CBD. The project involved creating a vertical campus with strong visual and physical links to the public realm.
The jury applauded the project for resolving complex programmatic, spatial and technical requirements through skilful planning and sectional strategy, resulting in an “outstanding work of architecture.”
Jury chair Peter Hobbs said acts of repair emerged as a recurring theme among winners.
“Abandoned or underused sites are revitalised into vibrant social hubs for the local community, largely within the existing heritage fabric. Similarly, commercial projects had a strong sense of civic generosity through urban revitalisation; civic insertions that welcome the local community with dedicated public access,” he said.
Hobbs added that a theme of doing more with less was also observed, with architects responding to post-COVID cost increases and current cost of living pressures, managing to stretch budgets and wring every cent of value out of each design decision.”
The full list of winning and commended projects are as follows:
George Temple Poole Award
ECU City – Lyons with Silver Thomas Hanley and Haworth Tompkins
Public Architecture
Commendations
Special Needs Dental Clinic – SPH Architecture and Interiors
St John WA Coolamon Centre – Plus Studio
Educational Architecture
The Hillson Beasley Award
ECU City – Lyons with Silver Thomas Hanley and Haworth Tompkins
Awards
Duncraig Senior High School Rebuild – With Architecture Studio
Manjali Studio School – Lyons
University of Notre Dame Australia Fremantle Campus Library and Student Hub – Hames Sharley
Commendation
Angli Schools House – Hassell
Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
The Marshall Clifton Award
Eric Street – Officer Woods Architects
Awards
Cottesloe House – Vokes and Peters with Sam Carter
Eton – Vittino Ashe Architects
Lathlain House – Silva and Mustard
Commendation
Wildwood Barn – Bare Architects
Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
The Peter Overman Award
Mount Lawley Addition – Ross McAndrew Architect
Award
Clifton House – Matthew Crawford Architects
Commendation
Oakover – Amass Architects
Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
Awards
Eric Street – Officer Woods Architects
White Street – Hartree and Associates Architects
Commendations
Common Ground East Perth – Gresley Abas
Elysian Subiaco – MJA studio
Commercial Architecture
The Ross Chisholm and Gil Nicol Award
Marri Pavilions – Rezen Studio
Award
Enex 100 Redevelopment – Woods Bagot
Nine The Esplanade – REX and Hassell
Commendations
Baillie Hill – Benson Bailey Studio
One Midland Square – Hassell
Heritage
Margaret Pitt Morison Award
Prendiville Group HQ – Spaceagency Architects
Award
Baillie Hill – Benson Bailey Studio
Interior Architecture
The Julius Elischer Award
ECU City – Lyons with Silver Thomas Hanley and Haworth Tompkins
Award
University of Notre Dame Australia Fremantle Campus Library and Student Hub – Hames Sharley
Commendation
Baillie Hill – Benson Bailey Studio
Urban Design
The John Septimus Roe Award
ECU City – Lyons with Silver Thomas Hanley and Haworth Tompkins
Award
Baillie Hill – Benson Bailey Studio
Small Project Architecture
The Iwan Iwanoff Award
St Thomas More Columbarium – Simon Pendal Architect
Awards
South Beach Public Facilities – Bernard Seeber Architects
Stillwater House – Rezen Studio
Commendations
Gibbon Crossing and Parkland Heart, Perth Zoo – Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects with Hassell
House for All – Officer Woods Architects
Lake Joondalup Bird Viewing Structure and Footpath – Yellagonga Regional Park – Sphere Architects
Sustainable Architecture
The Wallace Greenham Award
Hinderwell House – MDC Architects
Award
Eric Street – Officer Woods Architects
Commendation
Eton – Vittino Ashe Architects
Enduring Architecture
The Richard Roach Jewell Award
UWA Conservatorium of Music – Forbes and Fitzhardinge, with partner in charge Anthony Brand
Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture
Marri Pavilions – Rezen Studio
Commendation
Gibbon Crossing and Parkland Heart, Perth Zoo – Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects with Hassell
People’s Choice Award
Lathlain House – Silva and Mustard
The Brian Kidd Enabling Architecture Prize
South Beach Public Facilities – Bernard Seeber Architects
Commendation
Special Needs Dental Clinic – SPH Architecture and Interiors
Mondoluce Award for Lighting
Magic Carpet House – House Hartree and Associates Architects
Lighting Award
Garde Hotel – Matthew Crawford Architects and Meyer Shircore Architects and Foolscap Studio
Commendation
Eton – Vittino Ashe Architects