Architecture

The 2025 Victorian Architecture Award Winners Revealed

We look forward to the Victorian Architecture Awards every year, where the very best projects in local design are recognised and celebrated.

The 2025 winners have been revealed, showcasing exciting diversity across the 15 categories, including some very special houses.

See the standout winning entries below!

Written
by
Amelia Barnes

Hedge and Arbour House by Studio Bright – The Harold Desbrowe Annear Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Rory Gardiner

Hedge and Arbour House by Studio Bright – The Harold Desbrowe Annear Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Rory Gardiner

Hedge and Arbour House by Studio Bright – The Harold Desbrowe Annear Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Rory Gardiner

Otway Beach House by Kerstin Thompson Architects – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Sharyn Cairns

Stumpy Gully House by Adam Markowitz Design with Stavrias Architecture — Commendation for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Pier Carthew

Stumpy Gully House by Adam Markowitz Design with Stavrias Architecture — Commendation for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Pier Carthew

Domain by Flack Studio – Commendation for Interior Architecture. Photo – Anson Smart

Domain by Flack Studio – Commendation for Interior Architecture. Photo – Anson Smart

Domain by Flack Studio – Commendation for Interior Architecture. Photo – Anson Smart

Carlton Cottage by Lovell Burton Architecture – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions). Photo – Rory Gardiner

Carlton Cottage by Lovell Burton Architecture – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions). Photo – Rory Gardiner

Carlton Cottage by Lovell Burton Architecture – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions). Photo – Rory Gardiner

Dunstan by SSdH – The John and Phyllis Murphy Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions). Photo – Pier Carthew

Dunstan by SSdH – The John and Phyllis Murphy Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions). Photo – Pier Carthew

Dunstan by SSdH – The John and Phyllis Murphy Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions). Photo – Pier Carthew

she sells sea shells by multiplicity – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) and Interior Architecture. Photo – Trevor Mein

she sells sea shells by multiplicity – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) and Interior Architecture. Photo – Trevor Mein

Melbourne Place by Kennedy Nolan – The Marion Mahony Award for Interior Architecture. Photo –Derek Swalwell

Melbourne Place by Kennedy Nolan – The Marion Mahony Award for Interior Architecture. Photo –Derek Swalwell

Melbourne Place by Kennedy Nolan – The Marion Mahony Award for Interior Architecture. Photo –Derek Swalwell

Gunn Ridge House by Kennedy Nolan – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions). Photo – Derek Swalwell

Terrace House by Rob Kennon Architects – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Derek Swalwell

Terrace House by Rob Kennon Architects – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Derek Swalwell

Fishharven by Neil Architecture – Commendation for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Tom Blachford

Fishharven by Neil Architecture – Commendation for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Tom Blachford

Fishharven by Neil Architecture – Commendation for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Tom Blachford

Fishharven by Neil Architecture – Commendation for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Photo – Tom Blachford

Newburgh Light House by Splinter Society Architecture – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing. Photo – Timothy Kaye

Newburgh Light House by Splinter Society Architecture – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing. Photo – Timothy Kaye

A Light Addition by Office MI–JI – Commendation for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions). Photo – Derek Swalwell

Nightingale Preston by Breathe Architecture – The Best Overend Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing. Photo – Derek Swalwell

Nightingale Preston by Breathe Architecture – The Best Overend Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing. Photo – Derek Swalwell

Shiel Street North Melbourne by Community Housing Project and Clare Cousins Architects – Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing. Photo – Tess Kelly

Writer
Amelia Barnes
27th of June 2025

The winners of the 2025 Victorian Architecture Awards, hosted by the Australian Institute of Architects – Victorian Chapter, were announced last night.

A total of 19 Named Awards, 21 Architecture Awards, and 17 Commendations were presented across 15 categories from over 350 entries.

A theme among this year’s awards were projects highlighting the transformative power of architecture in shaping communities, including the Northern Memorial Park Depot by Searle x Waldron Architecture awarded the prestigious Victorian Architecture Medal.

In the Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions) category, Dunstan by SSdH took out top honours. Set within Preston’s Newlands Housing Estate, this home embodies the garden city aspirations of the original development, while acknowledging the reality of our changing suburbs.

The Named Award in Residential Architecture – Houses (New) was given to Hedge and Arbour House by Studio Bright — described by the jury as a project that deftly reconciles the tension between domestic suburbia and the wild terrain of its bushland reserve below.

Nightingale Preston by Breathe Architecture won the Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing category, recognising ​the project as an elevated benchmark for apartment living that prioritises the fundamentals while establishing a lively neighbourhood.

In the Interior Architecture category, Melbourne Place by Kennedy Nolan was awarded top honours for its richly layered and meticulously crafted interior, that confidently redefines the experience of a contemporary hotel.

Winners of the Named and Architecture Awards will now progress to be considered for the National Architecture Awards.

Winners of the 2025 Victorian Architecture Awards

Interior Architecture
Melbourne Place by Kennedy Nolan – The Marion Mahony Award for Interior Architecture
Eva and Marc Besen Centre by Kerstin Thompson Architects – Architecture Award
she sells sea shells by multiplicity – Architecture Award
Domain by Flack Studio – Commendation
Hume Council Chamber by Architecture Associates – Commendation

Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
Dunstan by SSdH – The John and Phyllis Murphy Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
Carlton Cottage by Lovell Burton Architecture – Architecture Award
Gunn Ridge House by Kennedy Nolan – Architecture Award
A Light Addition by Office MI–JI – Commendation

Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
Hedge and Arbour House by Studio Bright – The Harold Desbrowe Annear Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
Otway Beach House by Kerstin Thompson Architects – Architecture Award
she sells sea shells by multiplicity – Architecture Award
Terrace House by Rob Kennon Architects – Architecture Award
Fishharven by Neil Architecture – Commendation
Shady Creek Farm House by MRTN Architects – Commendation
Stumpy Gully House by Adam Markowitz Design with Stavrias Architecture – Commendation

Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
Nightingale Preston by Breathe Architecture – The Best Overend Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
Newburgh Light House by Splinter Society Architecture – Architecture Award
Shiel Street North Melbourne by Community Housing Project and Clare Cousins Architects – Architecture Award
The Paddock by CROSBY architects – Commendation

View the winners of the remaining categories Commercial Architecture, Educational Architecture, Heritage Architecture, Public Architecture, Small Project Architecture, Urban Design, Enduring Architecture, COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture, Dimity Reed Melbourne Prize, EmAGN Project Award, Regional Prize, Sustainable Architecture, Emerging Architect Prize, and the Bates Smart Architecture in Media here

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