The City of Boroondara has officially opened nominations for the 2025 Urban Design Awards, inviting entries that exemplify excellence in urban development and contribute to the city’s vibrant communities and neighbourhoods.
Held every two years, the Urban Design Awards celebrate new projects that enhance Boroondara’s distinctive streetscapes, reflecting the city’s commitment to thoughtful and sustainable design.
This year’s awards will be judged by an independent panel of leading design and architecture experts from both industry and academia.
The jury includes Liam Wallis, Founder and Managing Director of HIP v HYPE; Markus Jung, Course Director of the Master of Architecture and Urban Design at Swinburne University of Technology; and Katherine Sundermann, Principal at MGS Architects and Joint President of the Urban Design Forum Australia.
Mayor of Boroondara, Councillor Sophie Torney, expressed strong support for the program, encouraging developers, homeowners, and architects to participate.
“The Urban Design Awards represent Boroondara’s commitment to celebrating and supporting thoughtful, sustainable urban development in suburbs with a wide variety of architectural styles going back more than 150 years.
“These awards highlight the importance of designing buildings and spaces that do not just fit with, but enhance the local environments and streetscapes they are built in.
“Previous award winners represent design excellence, blending modern materials and design principles with the green and leafy streets that make Boroondara such a desirable place to call home.”
Nominations are open from 14 April to 9 June 2025, with winners to be announced at a special event in August.
The event will feature keynote speaker Jill Garner (AM), the Victorian Government Architect, whose career spans significant projects and advocacy for exemplary design in Victoria.
Projects completed in the past five years that have not previously been nominated are eligible across several categories: Residential (including alterations, single dwellings, townhouses, and multi-residential), Commercial, Civic, and a Student category for unbuilt design concepts associated with Boroondara.
Entries will be evaluated against the Boroondara Design Excellence Guide, focusing on principles such as context sensitivity, sustainable architecture, building quality, support for local ecology, and the creation of liveable, vibrant places.
The Urban Design Awards aim to promote outstanding architecture and urban design, increase community awareness of the benefits of quality design, and advocate for sustainability at the heart of future development in Boroondara.
The city encourages broad participation, including self-nominations from design professionals, clients, owners, community groups, and residents, with a particular emphasis on diverse and inclusive representation.
For more information or to submit a nomination, visit the City of Boroondara’s Urban Design Awards webpage.
