2026 Australian Urban Design Awards Winners Revealed 

The winners of the Australian Urban Design Awards have been revealed, showcasing the very best of urban design projects, leaders and initiatives that are improving the performance of our cities and the quality of life for communities.

The 12 winners from across the country set a new standard for intelligent urban design. They show how we can better shape our cities and produce better outcomes for communities, creating places that lift the human spirit, acknowledge the past, anticipate the future and enable a more sustainable existence.

Since 1996, the Australian Urban Design Awards have showcased the best building projects and initiatives that foster and sustain Australia’s urban communities and the most exceptional thinkers and activists in urban design and city building. Urban design prioritises the quality of the public realm and is essential to the social, economic and cultural health of our cities and towns.

The Australian Urban Design Awards are co-convened by the Planning Institute of Australia, the Australian Institute of Architects and the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects – the peak bodies for what constitutes good urban design. The Australian Urban Design Awards unite the expertise of these three prominent institutes to champion the most intelligent innovators in urban design occurring across the country.

The intent and scope of the Australian Urban Design Awards is wide-ranging and attracts entries for initiatives, built projects, publications and individuals that are making a significant difference to the places, spaces, buildings and infrastructure of our cities and towns.

The 2026 Awards program attracted over 80 entries spanning the four categories newly established in 2025: Built Outcomes, Research & Advocacy, Strategic Design & Policy and Urban Design Champions which recognises exceptional individuals.

“Planning reform, housing supply and major transport projects have shaped our cities, and the Australian Urban Design Awards, in recent years. This year’s winners reflect a gentler approach to urban transformation: projects rooted in Indigenous and community leadership, ecological landscapes, and the creation of places for people to gather,” said Katherine Sundermann, Chair of the Steering Committee for the Australian Urban Design Awards.

“These projects reinforce a simple idea: urban transformation works best when it involves diverse people, responds to the specifics of place, and improves places over time.”

“I would like to thank our incredible jurors, including chairs of the Parliamentary Friends of Australian Urban Design, leading urban designers, government representatives and journalists, and the outgoing Steering Committee, whose work over the last three years has refreshed the Awards and returned them to their foundational purpose: promoting the value of urban design to professionals, decision-makers and the community alike.”

The winners underscore the fact that our cities are never finished. They are an enduring artefact, and every living city needs to anticipate future change. Cities must be capable of growth and renewal – and not just at the urban fringe. These projects anticipate ongoing urban change and look to the future. They intelligently predict future needs, which is extremely rare.

As our cities inevitably evolve, changes can often be confronting for communities. However, these awarded projects show us that change can be positive when it serves the public interest.

The Australian Urban Design Awards winners are chosen by three juries of industry experts, each a leader in their respective field. The 2026 jurors are:

Built Outcomes: 

• Matt Pullinger (Chair) | Director, Matthew Pullinger Architect

• Bill Tsakalos | City Architect and Director of Transformational Design, Blacktown City Council – Emily Wong | Editor, Landscape Architecture Australia

• Leigh Woolley | Director, Leigh Woolley Architect

Strategic Design & Policy and Research & Advocacy:  

• Anna Chauvel (Chair – Research & Advocacy) | Design and Place, Placemaking NSW – Benjamin Driver (Chair – Strategic Design & Policy) | Senior Lecturer, Urban Development and Design, UNSW

• Bridget Smyth | City Architect and Executive Manager of City Design and Public Art, City of Sydney

• Cameron Caldwell | Federal Member for Fadden, Liberal National Party of Queensland

Urban Design Champions: 

• Elizabeth Watson Brown (Chair) | Member for Ryan, Australian Greens

• Daniele Hromek | Director and Design Lead, Djinjama

• Jennie Officer | Director, Officer Woods Architects

• Ian Woodcock | Senior Lecturer in Urbanism, University of Sydney, School of Architecture, Design and Planning

• Tina Perinotto | Managing Editor, Fifth Estate

The Awards were announced on Tuesday 24 March at Parliament House in Canberra. The program convenors thank Principal Partner, Bondor Metecno, and supporting Partner Dulux for making this event possible.

More information: urbandesignawards.com.au