Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design by Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University was the most awarded project at the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2021 Victorian Architecture Awards.  

The Victorian architecture award winners were selected from a shortlist of 117 entries across 14 categories. Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design won the Victorian Architecture Medal, as well as The Melbourne Prize, the COLORBOND Award for Steel Architecture and an Architecture Award in both the Sustainability and Educational Architecture categories.

Chair of Juries Rosemary Burne observed that all winning projects demonstrated responses to the wider issues of our time such as urban integration, placemaking, sustainability, universal access, health and wellbeing, and new technologies.

“We are delighted to take the opportunity during these difficult times to celebrate a rapidly evolving practice of architecture that seeks to better support the communities we serve,” Burne said.

“As our cities become denser and the nature of work changes, projects in the commercial category were consistently optimistic and future-focused, often with elements of fun, freshness and flexibility.

“Similarly, in the always highly competitive residential field, we saw architectural responses evolving to adapt to our ‘new normal’. Accessibility emerged as a real concern, as well as integration of sustainability-focussed technologies that have until recently been the preserve of larger building typologies.”

Commenting on the multi-award-winning Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design project, the Jury said that it provided an optimistic vision of the future and a powerful reminder of “the fundamental role of architects in creating humanist structures that last for generations”.

Victorian Chapter president Bill Krotiris said, “A key theme among this year’s award winners was excellence at the precinct-scale, underscoring that great architecture is about people and the creation of places that best enhance their daily lives.”

Carrum Station and Foreshore Precinct by COX Architecture won The Joseph Reed Award for Urban Design for what the Jury described as “an extraordinary offer of civic generosity, elevating the commuter experience through the gift of a panoramic Port Phillip Bay view”.

Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects won The Sir Osborn McCutcheon Award for Commercial Architecture for Collins Arch, which was also awarded a commendation in the Urban Design category.

Continuing the celebration of place-making, Springvale Community Hub by Lyons won The William Wardell Award for Public Architecture for a project the Jury says “embodies the spirit of public architecture” that “balances charming Australian irreverence with evident respect for the importance of representing people and place”.

Geelong College Junior School by John Wardle Architects won both the Regional Prize and The Henry Bastow Award for Educational Architecture.

Burwood Brickworks by NH Architecture – the world’s first Living Building Challenge (LBC) certified retail building – received The Allan and Beth Coldicutt Award for Sustainable Architecture along with commendations in both the Interior and Commercial award categories.

Studio Bright won The Harold Desbrowe-Annear Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) for 8 Yard House, which the Jury applauded for being “acutely attuned to the patterns of family activity, offering a multitude of functions and spatial moods that promote genuine interactivity”.

This year’s Victorian Emerging Architect Prize was jointly awarded to Jacqui Alexander and Ben Sheridan for demonstrating “the remarkable contributions emerging architects make to the culture of architecture in Australia”.

The Victorian award winners will now progress to the National Architecture Awards program.

2021 Victorian Architecture Awards Winners

Bates Smart Award for Architecture in Media

  • National Award | Architectural Drawings: Collecting in Australia | Miles Lewis
  • National Award | Architects After Architecture: Alternative Pathways for Practice | Rory Hyde, Harriet Harriss, Roberta Marcaccio
  • State Award | Inflection Journal Volume 7 Boundaries | Han Jiang, Louis O'Connor, Arinah Rizal

COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture

  • COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture (VIC) | Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design | Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University
  • Commendation | Divided House | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects

Commercial Architecture

  • The Sir Osborn McCutcheon Award for Commercial Architecture | Collins Arch | Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects
  • Architecture Award | Wangaratta Street | MAArchitects
  • Commendation | 35 Collins Street | Grimshaw
  • Commendation | Cannons House | NH Architecture
  • Commendation | Burwood Brickworks | NH Architecture

Educational Architecture

  • The Henry Bastow Award for Educational Architecture | Geelong College Junior School | John Wardle Architects
  • Architecture Award | Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design | Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University
  • Architecture Award | Penleigh Essendon Grammar School Music House | McBride Charles Ryan
  • Architecture Award | Research Primary School | Kennedy Nolan
  • Commendation | St Leonard's College Redevelopment | ARM Architecture
  • Commendation | Stawell Secondary College | Workshop Architecture

Enduring Architecture

  • Enduring Architecture Award | Olympic Swimming Pool | Kevin Borland, John and Phyllis Murphy and Peter McIntyre, with engineer Bill Irwin

Heritage Architecture

  • The John George Knight Award for Heritage | Bendigo Former Mining Exchange | Williams Boag Architects
  • Architecture Award | Church on Napier | Kerstin Thompson Architects and James Stockwell Architects
  • Commendation | d'Estaville | NTF Architecture
  • Commendation | Hawthorn House | Kennedy Nolan

Interior Architecture

  • The Marion Mahony Award for Interior Architecture | Divided House | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects
  • Architecture Award | ACMI Renewal | BKK Architects and Razorfish
  • Architecture Award | Olderfleet | Grimshaw with Carr
  • Commendation | Burwood Brickworks | NH Architecture, in partnership with Russell & George on the interior design
  • Commendation | Eastbourne | Eastop Architects
  • Commendation | Monash University Building 28 | Kennedy Nolan

Melbourne Prize

  • Melbourne Prize | Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design | Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University

Public Architecture 

  • The William Wardell Award for Public Architecture | Springvale Community Hub | Lyons
  • Architecture Award | Carrum Station and Foreshore Precinct | COX Architecture with Rush Wright Associates
  • Commendation | Nunawading Community Hub | fjmt
  • Commendation | Prahran Square | Lyons

Regional Prize

  • Regional Prize | Geelong College Junior School | John Wardle Architects

Residential Architecture - Houses (Alterations and Additions)

  • The John and Phyllis Murphy Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions) | Elwood Bungalow | Rob Kennon Architects
  • Architecture Award | Fitzroy Bridge House | Matt Gibson Architecture & Design
  • Architecture Award | Milkbar House | Kennedy Nolan
  • Architecture Award | Vivarium | Architecture architecture
  • Commendation | Northcote Terrace | Lovell Burton Architecture

Residential Architecture - Houses (New)

  • The Harold Desbrowe-Annear Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) | 8 Yard House | Studio Bright
  • Architecture Award | Divided House | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects
  • Commendation | Garden House | Austin Maynard Architects
  • Commendation | Kyneton House | Edition Office
  • Commendation | Limestone House | John Wardle Architects

Residential Architecture - Multiple Housing

  • The Best Overend Award for Residential Architecture - Multiple Housing | Project 100, Trinity College Student Accommodation | Hayball
  • Architecture Award | La Trobe University Student Accommodation | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects
  • Architecture Award | Leith Park Independent Living | MGS Architects
  • Architecture Award | The Lothian | Kennedy Nolan
  • Commendation | 122 Roseneath St | Fieldwork
  • Commendation | Rushall Park Independent Living | MGS Architects

Small Project Architecture

  • The Kevin Borland Award for Small Project Architecture | NGV Triennial 2020 Outdoor Pavilions | BoardGrove Architects
  • Architecture Award | Jackalope Pavilion | March Studio
  • Commendation | Conservatory Adaptation | Architecture Associates

Sustainable Architecture

  • The Allan and Beth Coldicutt Award for Sustainable Architecture | Burwood Brickworks | NH Architecture, in partnership with Russell & George on the interior design and Wurundjeri-willam artist Mandy Nicholson for the ceiling mural and façade artwork
  • Architecture Award | Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design | Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University
  • Commendation | Ona Coffee | Breathe
  • Commendation | PICAC Narre Warren | FMSA Architecture

Urban Design

  • The Joseph Reed Award for Urban Design | Carrum Station and Foreshore Precinct | COX Architecture with Rush Wright Associates
  • Architecture Award | Springvale Community Hub | Lyons with Rush Wright Associates
  • Commendation | Collins Arch | Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects
  • Commendation | Prahran Square | Lyons

Victorian Architecture Medal

  • Victorian Architecture Medal | Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design | Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University