The Australian Institute of Architects has announced the recipients of the 2025 National Prizes, honouring individuals and groups whose work has significantly advanced the architectural profession in Australia.
The awards, celebrating values of progressiveness, innovation, and integrity, were presented during a ceremony at the Australian Architecture Conference held at the Sydney Opera House on Friday, 2 May.
“This year’s National Prize winners exemplify a profound commitment to elevating architectural practice through leadership and proactive engagement with our sociocultural contexts,” said Jury Chair Jane Cassidy FRAIA.
“Their legacies stand as a testament to the advancement of the profession through innovation and integrity.”
The Institute’s highest honour, the Gold Medal, was awarded to Timothy Hill FRAIA, director of Partners Hill.
Hill was recognised for his influential architectural work and his extensive contributions to education, professional advocacy, and leadership discourse.
The jury cited his “unique combination of architectural poetics allied to a critical leadership discourse — a discourse that defines the larger territory in which architects can operate, all the while advocating for architecture’s greater purpose and value”.
The Government Architects Network of Australia (GANA) received the National President’s Prize for their exceptional leadership and dedication in shaping Australia’s built environment.
The jury highlighted GANA’s role in enhancing quality of life and setting standards for sustainable, resilient cities, noting that their advocacy and policy work “serves as an inspiration to architects and designers globally, and their legacy will continue to shape architecture for years to come”.
Other major prizes include:
- The Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender Equity Prize went to Nicole Kalms RAIA, Director of XYX Lab, for her evidence-based advocacy and research on gender equity in the built environment.
- The Leadership in Sustainability Prize was awarded to David Baggs LFRAIA, CEO of Global GreenTag International, for his pioneering work in sustainability and supply chain transparency.
- The Student Prize for the Advancement of Architecture recognised Nicole Mesquita-Mendes for her leadership and advocacy, particularly her work amplifying student wellbeing initiatives.
- The Bluescope Glenn Murcutt Student Prize was awarded to Rebecca Mallaby for “The Common Space,” a modular co-living project addressing Australia’s housing crisis with innovative, flexible design.
The National Prizes program highlights the enduring impact of architects and advocates who shape Australia’s built environment and professional culture.
