National Award for Enduring Architecture

The National Award for Enduring Architecture is an Australian architecture prize presented annually by the Australian Institute of Architects since 2003. The award recognises long lasting, innovative and culturally significant Australian architecture with usually more than 25 years passed since the completion of construction.

Background

The Award for Enduring Architecture recognises achievement for the design of buildings of outstanding merit, which remain important as high quality works of architecture when considered in the contemporary context. Nominations for the award can be made by AIA members, non-members and non-architects, but they must provide adequate material and information supporting a nomination for consideration of the jury. The Award also provides opportunity to recognise buildings that were not previously submitted into the annual awards programs.
The Award was initially called the National 25 Year Award when it was established in 2003. In 2007 the award name was changed to the '25 Year Award for Enduring Architecture' later becoming the 'National Award for Enduring Architecture' in 2011. The American Institute of Architects has awarded a 25 Year Award annually since 1969. The ACT Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects inaugurated the first '25 Year Award' for architecture in Australia in 1995.

State awards for enduring architecture

The Australian Institute of Architects national awards jury selects a national winner each year from a shortlist made of up to eight selected state and territory 'enduring architecture projects' from the AIA local chapter awards including;

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.

Inaugural award, Sydney Opera House, 2003

In November 2003 arguably Australia's most well known building, the Sydney Opera House, designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon was acknowledged with the inaugural National Award for Enduring Architecture shortly after the 30th anniversary of the building's official opening on 20 October 1973. This acknowledgement followed the awarding of the inaugural New South Wales Enduring Architecture Award to the Sydney Opera House in July 2003 at the New South Wales Chapter Awards.
The move to recognition followed a long period of reconciliation with Utzon and plans for new work and restoration of the Opera House. The award also assisted in the process for UNESCO World Heritage nomination, eventually confirmed in 2007.

List of National Award recipients

Distribution and location of awards

The average age of recognition of 23 projects awarded is 39.7 years since completion of construction or opening. Projects located in New South Wales have dominated the Award, with nine of the 23 awarded projects located there, five in Victoria, two in Canberra, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland, and one in Tasmania. No projects from South Australia have been nationally recognised.