New South Wales Enduring Architecture Award
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The New South Wales Enduring Architecture Award is an architecture award presented annually by the New South Wales Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) since 2003. The award recognises existing buildings older than 25 years since construction. The average age of the 23 awarded projects to date is 44.5 years (between 2003—2025).
Background
Purpose
The award recognises significant, long lasting and innovative architecture with usually more than 25 years passed since the completion of construction. The Enduring Architecture Award recognises achievement for the design of buildings of outstanding merit, which have remained important as high quality works of architecture when considered in contemporary cultural, social, economic and environmental contexts.
Nomination process
Nominations for the award can be made by AIA members, non–members and non–architects, but must provide adequate material and information supporting the nomination for consideration of the jury. The nomination process is open to AIA members and public via a web portal during the awards submission window (between November and February).
Political agenda of Award
The Enduring Architecture Award has gained an important role in highlighting conservation efforts for highly valued buildings at risk of significant changes or even demolition. Both the Sirius Building public housing project in The Rocks and the MLC Building in North Sydney had both been at risk of alteration or demolition at the hands of their owners. The AIA has used the awards to raise public awareness of the plight of culturally significant buildings under threat, assisting in both cases to preserve the building and enhance heritage listing status.
National Awards
Recipients of the state–based award are then eligible for consideration for the National Award for Enduring Architecture presented later in the same year, as part of the Australian National Architecture Awards. Between 2003 and 2023 ten of the 21 National Awards were located in New South Wales.
Awards by year
2024 Award
In February 2024 it was announced the three person jury would be formed of Caroline Pidcock (Jury Chair), Paulo Macchia (Government Architect NSW) and Leone Lorrimer (GHD). In the run up to the Awards presentation, three buildings were announced as under consideration for the 2024 Award including; St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney by Michael Fox Architects, NSW State Projects, William Wardell and Cyril Wardell; The Glass House, Castlecrag by Bill and Ruth Lucas and St Johns Village, Glebe by Hely, Bell & Horne (winner of the 1964 Sir John Sulman Medal).
At the NSW Architecture Awards held on 28 June 2024, The Glass House, Castlecrag was presented with the 2024 Award. The Award was accepted by Peter Lucas, son of Ruth and Bill Lucas, and builder of the recent restoration of the house completed in 2023 with Cracknell & Lonergan Architects.
2025 Award
In January 2025 it was announced the three person jury would be formed of former NSW Premier, the Honorable Bob Carr (Jury Chair) with architects Helen Lochhead AO and Peter McGregor (McGregor Westlake Architecture).
At the 2025 NSW Architecture Awards, the inner city residential development known as Moore Park Gardens was presented with the award. The project was designed by AJC Architects and completed in 2000 on the former Tooths Brewery site between South Dowling Street and Bourke Streets, Redfern.
The jury citation described the project "...the site’s built form is both articulate and distinctive, with efficient planning and excellent apartment amenity that extends across towers, street edge blocks, maisonettes, and cross-overs. The robust and workmanlike material fabric shows few signs of age 25 years on, and the hundreds of residents that have maintained tenancy over this time demonstrate the ongoing success and relevance of the architecture, and the rich legacy it provides."
Recipients of the Award
| Year | Architect | Project | Location | Year Built | Years Since | Other AIA/RAIA Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | AJC Architects | Moore Park Gardens | 780 Bourke Street, Redfern | 2000 | 25 years | President's Award, 1999 (NSW) |
| 2024 | Bill and Ruth Lucas | The Glass House | 80 The Bulwark, Castlecrag | 1957 | 66 years | Heritage Architecture Award (Conservation), 2024 (NSW) Built Heritage Award (Small Scale), 2024, National Trust NSW Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage Architecture, 2024 Note: 2024 awards presented to Cracknell & Lonergan Architects for heritage work |
| 2023 | Hassell | Olympic Park Station | Sydney Olympic Park | 1998 | 25 years | Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture, 1998 Access Citation Award, 1998 |
| 2022 | Ken Woolley | Woolley House (now Woolley Hesketh House) | 34 Bullecourt Avenue, Mosman | 1962 | 60 years | National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2022 Wilkinson Award, 1962 |
| 2021 | Bates, Smart & McCutcheon | MLC Building | 105–153 Miller Street, North Sydney | 1957 | 64 years | |
| 2020 | Richard Leplastrier | Palm Garden House | Bilgola Beach | 1984 | 36 years | National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2020 |
| 2019 | Edward Raht | 350 George Street | 350 George Street, Sydney | 1895 | 124 years | |
| 2018 | Tao Gofers, NSW Department of Housing with Alexander and Lloyd Architects | Sirius Building | 38–70 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney | 1980 | 38 years | |
| 2017 | Aaron M Bolot | 17 Wylde Street Apartments | 17 Wylde Street, Potts Point | 1951 | 66 years | National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2017 |
| 2016 | John James & Associates | Reader’s Digest Building | Waterloo Street, Surry Hills | 1967 | 49 years | National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2016 |
| 2015 | Hugh Buhrich | Buhrich House II | 375 Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag | 1972 | 43 years | |
| 2014 | Ian McKay and Philip Cox Architects in Association | Tocal College (CB Alexander Campus) | 815 Tocal Road, Paterson | 1963 | 51 years | Blacket Prize, 1964 National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2014 |
| 2013 | Peddle Thorp & Walker | AMP Building | 33 Alfred Street, Sydney | 1962 | 51 years | |
| 2012 | Harry Seidler | Australia Square | 264 George Street, Sydney | 1967 | 45 years | National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2012 Sir John Sulman Medal, 1967 RAIA Civic Design Award, for a work of outstanding environmental design, 1967 |
| 2011 | Glenn Murcutt | Magney House | Bingie Point | 1980 | 31 years | Robin Boyd Award, 1985 National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2011 |
| 2010 | Harry Seidler | Glen Street Offices | 2 Glen Street, Milsons Point | 1973 | 37 years | RAIA Interior Design Award (Penthouse apartment), 1991 RAIA Award, 1991 Sir John Sulman Medal, 1981 RAIA Award, 1974 |
| 2009 | Bruce Rickard | Curry House 2 | Bayview, Sydney | 1982 | 27 years | Merit Award, 1983 |
| 2008 | Vivian Fraser in Association with NSW Government Architect (Ian Thomson) | Wharf Theatre | Walsh Bay | 1985 | 23 years | National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2008 President's Award for Recycled Buildings, 1985 (National Awards) |
| 2007 | E.H. Farmer (NSW Government Architect) and Andrew Andersons (Design Architect) | First Extension to the Art Gallery of New South Wales (Captain Cook Wing) | Art Gallery of NSW | 1972 | 35 years | Sir John Sulman Medal, 1975 City of Sydney Architectural Award, 1973 |
| 2006 | Peter Hall (Hall Todd & Littlemore) | Concert Hall & Opera Theatre of the Sydney Opera House | Sydney | 1973 | 33 years | National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2003 |
| 2005 | J.W. Thomson (NSW Government Architect) David Turner (Project Architect) Allen Jack+Cottier (Documentation) Bruce Mackenzie (Landscape Architect) | Kuring-gai College of Advanced Education (now Lindfield Learning Village) | 100 Eton Road, Lindfield | 1972 | 35 years | RAIA Merit Award, 1972 Sir John Sulman Medal, 1978 |
| 2004 | Glenn Murcutt | Kempsey Farmhouse | Kempsey | 1974 | 30 years | Blacket Prize, 1977 National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2004 |
| 2003 | Jørn Utzon | Sydney Opera House | Sydney | 1973 | 30 years | National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2003 Utzon awarded the 1973 Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal, the year of building opening RAIA Merit Award, 1974 RAIA Civic Design Award, 1980 RAIA Commemorative Sir John Sulman Medal, Jørn Utzon, Sydney Opera House, 1992 NSW Architecture Medallion, 2023 (Renewal by Ashton Raggatt McDougall) Greenway Award for Heritage, 2023 (NSW) John Verge Award for Interior Architecture, 2023 (NSW) Emil Sodersten Award for Interior Architecture, 2023 Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage, 2023 |
Gallery
- 2003 Award, Sydney Opera House, opened 1973
- 2006 Award, Sydney Opera House interiors, opened 1973
- 2007 Award, Art Gallery of NSW (Captain Cook Wing), opened 1972
- 2008 Award, Wharf Theatre, opened 1985
- 2010 Award, Seidler Offices, Milsons Point, built 1973
- 2012 Award, Australia Square, Sydney, built 1968
- 2013 Award, AMP Building, Circular Quay, built 1962
- 2014 Award, Tocal College, Hunter Valley, built 1963
- 2018 Award, Sirius Public Housing, The Rocks, Sydney, built 1980
- 2021 Award, MLC Building, North Sydney, built 1957
- 2023 Award, Sydney Olympic Park Station, opened 1998
- 2024 Award, The Glass House, built 1957