2025 Victorian Architecture Awards hail best in the business
Parliament House restoration works by FPPV Architecture were recognised at 2025 Victorian Architecture Awards. Picture: FPPV.
A cemetery depot, $90m Parliament House rescue mission and an innovative cancer treatment centre have been crowned among Victoria’s best architectural projects of 2025.
The state’s Architecture Awards handed out 40 gongs at a ceremony last night.
More than 380 submissions were made across 15 categories to the Australian Institute of Architects’ Victorian Chapter for this year’s competition.
FPPV Architecture received the Conservation Architecture Award for its 18-year long restoration of Parliament House in Spring St.
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The studio’s director Paul Viney said that in the beginning, he had to justify to the Victorian government’s Treasury department why the circa-1850s, heritage-listed site “should be restored and why it shouldn’t just be replaced in another location”.
At the time, FPPV produced concept plans that showed moving Parliament House to Spring St’s southern end would cost taxpayers an estimated $2bn.
Instead, Mr Viney and his team embarked on a $90m marathon effort to return the state’s seat of democracy to its former glory.
“We put nearly 1000 cubic metres of stone into the building,” Mr Viney said.
The Parliament House restoration works by FPPV Architecture took almost two decades to complete. Picture: FPPV.
Delivered as part of the Victorian government’s level crossing removal program, the new Glen Huntly Station designed by COX Architecture with Rush Wright Associates, received an Urban Design award. Picture: Peter Clarke.
The entire process involved more than 340 drawings, 13 separate stages and research into historic construction techniques.
Mr Viney said working on the restoration had given him a sense of pride.
“It is really is about delivering the restoration … for one of the most important Victorian-era architecture buildings in Australia,” he added.
Mr Viney credited the ex-Department of Premier and Cabinet Strategic Projects director Peter Lockett for his work in the decision-making process to restore Parliament House.
The Northern Memorial Park Depot, built to house Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust operations, won several awards. Picture: Peter Bennetts.
The 120 Collins St Revitalisation project in Melbourne’s CBD was commended in the Commercial Architecture category. Picture: Peter Bennetts.
A multi-award recipient in the competition was Glenroy’s Northern Memorial Park depot.
Commissioned by the Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust, it features training spaces for workers to practise grave-digging and working with mausoleums away from crying eyes.
Searle X Waldron Architects director and design lead Suzannah Waldron said a training wall with six crypts was created for this purpose.
“It’s a unique project, I would say in that it’s a very specific workplace for people who have quite challenging roles and dealing daily with grief and loss at a cemetery,” Ms Waldron said.
A quirky house known as ‘She Sells Sea Shells’ in Aireys Inlet, by Multiplicity’s design team, received two awards. Picture: Trevor Mein.
Searle X Waldron’s aimed to transform the typical “shed” idea of a traditional depot into a light-filled workplace that fostered wellbeing and connection.
The result was a two-storey timber building with a pleated and perforated screen that wraps around it, set near woody meadows, wetlands and future public space within the memorial park.
Between 80 to 100 employees are based at the depot which also incorporates a timber workshop, a horticulture space and work areas for stone masons, mechanics, metalwork and welding.
Alfred Hospital’s Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre was lauded in the Public Architecture category. Picture: John Gollings.
Another award winner was the $152.4m Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre at Alfred Hospital.
Designed by the Melbourne-based Lyons, it was named in honour of trucking magnate Lindsay Fox’s wife Paula who had the first of their six children at the hospital.
The Fox family were among the project’s philanthropic supporters.
Lyons director Hari Pliambas said the centre’s eye-catching patterned facade was inspired by the cellular structure of healthy skin, while features include gardens and a dedicated wellness centre with a gym and larger areas for yoga and group exercise.
Inside the cancer centre, which Lyons director Hari Pliambas described as adopting a “bench to bedside and back” model. Picture: Peter Bennetts.
The Lyons team aimed to re-imagine the traditional clinical model while creating a property suited to cancer treatment, clinical trials and partners like Monash University.
“From our very first conversation with Paula Fox — who articulated her deeply personal vision for the centre — through to the clinicians, researchers, and the wider Alfred Health team, there was a genuine collective commitment to creating something meaningful for future patients,” Mr Pliambas said.
Elsewhere, fashion label Decjuba’s Cremorne headquarters by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects received a Commercial Architecture commendation.
Architecture firm Hassell was commended in the same category for the revitalisation of 120 Collins St, one of Australia’s tallest office structures at 265m tall.
Fashion brand Decjuba’s headquarters was among the 17 projects commended in the awards. Picture: Peter Clarke.
2025 VICTORIAN ARCHITECTURE AWARD WINNERS
Victorian Medal
The Northern Memorial Park depot by Searle X Waldron Architects
Melbourne Prize
The Northern Memorial Park depot by Searle X Waldron Architects
Commercial architecture
The Sir Osborn McCutcheon Award for Commercial Architecture:
Melbourne Place, Kennedy Nolan
Architecture awards
116 Rokeby St, Carr
Everlane Cremorne, Fieldwork
Northern Memorial Park Depot, Searle x Waldron Architecture
The StandardX, Woods Bagot
Commendations
120 Collins St Revitalisation, Hassell
Decjuba HQ, Jackson Clements Burrows Architecture
Kosloff Architecture’s upgrade design for Pascoe Vale Primary School won the Henry Bastow Award for Educational Architecture. Picture: Derek Swalwell.
Educational architecture
The Henry Bastow Award for Educational Architecture: Pascoe Vale Primary School, Kosloff Architecture
Architecture award
Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence, ARM Architecture
Commendations
Kangan Institute Health and Community Centre of Excellence, Architectus
Woodleigh Regenerative Futures Studio, Mcildowie Partners with Joost Bakker
Maryborough’s Central Goldfield Art Gallery received a heritage architecture award. Picture: John Gollings.
Heritage architecture
The John George Knight Award for Heritage
Central Goldfields Art Gallery, Nervegna Reed Architecture
Architecture Award for Creative Adaptation
Gunn Ridge House, Kennedy Nolan
Architecture Award for Conservation
Parliament House Stone Restoration Works, FPPV Architecture
Commendation for Conservation
Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, Lovell Chen
The Eva and Marc Besen Centre, an addition to the TarraWarra Museum of Art in Healesville, showcases hundreds of Australian artworks and a performance space. Picture: Leo Showell.
Interior architecture
The Marion Mahony Award for Interior Architecture
Melbourne Place, Kennedy Nolan
Architecture Awards:
Eva and Marc Besen Centre, Kerstin Thompson Architects
she sells sea shells, Multiplicity
Domain, Flack Studio
Commendation
Hume Council Chamber, Architecture Associates
The late Marc and Eva Besen at the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Australia’s first privately-funded public museum, which they founded in 2000. Mr Besen was fashion retailer Sussan’s managing director and the pair were famous philanthropists. Picture: Richard Cisar-Wright.
Public architecture
The William Wardell Award for Public Architecture
Eva and Marc Besen Centre. Kerstin Thompson Architects
Architecture Awards
Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre, Lyons
Truganina Community Centre, Jasmax (Canvas Projects)
Commendations
Dendy Beach Pavilion and Brighton Life Saving Club, Jackson Clements Burrows Architects
St Mary’s Coptic Church, Studio Bright
A private residence, Gunn Ridge House won two awards. Picture: Derek Swalwell
Residential architecture – houses (alterations and additions)
The John and Phyllis Murphy Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
Dunstan, SSdh
Architecture Awards
Carlton Cottage, Lovell Burton Architecture
Gunn Ridge House, Kennedy Nolan
Commendation
A Light Addition, Office MI-JI
The Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence in Shepparton is an educational, sporting and public gathering space. Picture: Peter Bennetts.
Residential architecture – houses (new)
The Harold Desbrowe Annear Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
Hedge and Arbour House, Studio Bright
Architecture Awards
Otway Beach House, Kerstin Thompson Architects
she sells sea shells, Multiplicity
Terrace House, Rob Kennon Architects
Commendations
Fishharven, Neil Architecture
Shady Creek Farm House, MRTN Architects
Stumpy Gully House, Adam Markowitz Design with Stavrias Architecture
Residential architecture – multiple housing
The Best Overend Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
Nightingale Preston, Breathe Architecture
Architecture Awards
Newburgh Light House, Splinter Society Architecture
Shiel St North Melbourne, Community Housing Project, Clare Cousins Architects
Commendation
The Paddock, CROSBY architects
A Fitzroy hotel, The StandardX, was another Commercial Architecture award recipient. Picture: Trevor Mein.
Small project architecture
The Kevin Borland Award for Small Project Architecture
Grace Darling Hotel Parklet, Kerry Kounnapis Architecture Practice
Architecture Award
Geelong Laneways: Malop Arcade, NMBW Architecture Studio with ASPECT Studios
Commendation
Wangun Amphitheatre, Equity Office
Urban design
The Joseph Reed Award for Urban Design
Glen Huntly Station, COX Architecture with Rush Wright Associates
Architecture Award
Dendy Beach Pavillion and Brighton Life Saving Club, Jackson Clements Burrows
Commendation
Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence, ARM Architecture
A staircase at the Northern Memorial Park Depot was designed as a spot for employees to gather. Picture: Peter Bennetts.
Enduring architecture
Maggie Edmond Enduring Architecture Award
Nicholas Building, Harry Norris
COLORBOND award for steel architecture
Casuarina Pavilion, Greenaway Architects (GA)
Commendation
Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence, ARM Architecture
Dimity Reed Melbourne prize
Northern Memorial Park Depot, Searle x Waldron Architecture
EmAGN project award
Dunstan, SSdH
Regional prize
Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence, ARM Architecture
The 120 Collins St Revitalisation added gardens, hospitality spaces, end-of-trip facilities and a sky terrace above a glass atrium to the office building. Picture: Peter Bennetts.
Sustainable architecture
The Allan and Beth Coldicutt Award for Sustainable Architecture
The Paddock, CROSBY architects
Architecture Award
Woodleigh Regenerative Futures Studio, Mcildowie Partners with Joost Bakker
Commendation
Northern Memorial Park Depot, Searle x Waldron Architecture
A Russell St hotel, Melbourne Place, won The Sir Osborn McCutcheon Award for Commercial Architecture, plus the The Marion Mahony Award for Interior Architecture. Picture: Derek Swalwell.
Emerging architect prize
Stephanie Kitingan, Jacqueline OBrien, James Flaherty, Placement
Bates Smart architecture in media
State Award
March Studio: Making Architecture, Material & Process, Dr Fleur Watson
National Award
Gromboyd, Maria Larkins
Advocacy Award
When Robin Boys Went to Japan, NMBW Architecture Studio and Robin Boyd Foundation
with CIBI
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