2025 Victorian Architecture Awards hail best in the business

A project to restore Parliament House and a cemetery depot are among the 2025 Victorian Architecture Awards winners.

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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Originally published as 2025 Victorian Architecture Awards hail best in the business