The New South Wales Chapter for the Australian Institute of Architects has announced the winners of the 2026 NSW Architecture Awards, recognising the people and projects demonstrating design excellence across the state.
Woods Bagot’s transformation of Central Station has received the top honour, the NSW Architecture Medallion, for its remarkable contribution to Syndey’s urban fabric. The jury lauded its “remarkable clarity and ambition” as an urban proposition, reconciling competing transport modes and the future commercial imperatives of adjoining precincts. Central Station was also awarded the Sulman Medal for Public Architecture, the highest accolade for the Public Architecture category.
Woods Bagot also received the award for Public Architecture for Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, developed from reference designs by Cox Architecture and Zaha Hadid Architects.
Finally, Macquarie University Engineering Innovation Building received a Commendation for Educational Architecture, and Woods Bagot graduate Noah Sunderland was awarded the Graduate Medal, celebrating emerging architectural talent.
Chair of juries Bill Tsakalos said this year’s winning projects demonstrated innovation and creativity, with architects reimagining familiar materials and systems while responding to climate, landscape, culture and context. Fifty-five projects were recognised in this year’s awards.
Central Station – NSW Architecture Medallion
The NSW Architecture Medallion is the highest state honour awarded to the most exemplary building project of the year in New South Wales.
As one of Sydney’s most significant projects of this century, the redevelopment transforms the 1906 Central Station, delivering a new entrance sequence and a 50-metre-span vaulted roof, as well as reconfigured circulation and pedestrian flows across the busy interchange.
The jury lauded the project for its “remarkable clarity and ambition” as an urban proposition.
“The project masterfully reconciles the competing demands of multiple transport modes, the surrounding urban fabric, and the future commercial imperatives of adjoining precincts,” the jury observed.
Woods Bagot Principal John Prentice added the redevelopment adds to a significant architectural legacy, preserving the past while futureproofing the stations for the next century.
“Central Station Metro is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to contribute to Central Station and share the legacy with New South Wales Government Architect Walter Vernon,” says Prentice. “This project has had many accolades, but this – the NSW Architecture Medallion – means the most.”
Central Station – Sulman Medal for Public Architecture
Named after English-trained architect Sir John Sulman, The Sulman Medal has been awarded annually by the AIA’s NSW Chapter since 1934 in recognition of the most exceptional public architecture in the state. Designed in collaboration with John McAslan and Partners, Central Station has received this prestigious named award for Public Architecture.
Prentice says that the Public Architecture category recognises projects of a civic, institutional, or community nature, acknowledging projects that contribute to the wellbeing, productivity, connectivity and functionality of their cities.
“With 11 billion people moving through the station per year, there are very few buildings that are more public,” says Prentice. “And its reception by users, locals and visitors alike, has been special to see.”
Public Architecture – Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport
Building on the competition and reference design by Zaha Hadid Architects and Cox Architecture, Woods Bagot’s design for Western Sydney International encapsulates the sense of place and qualities of the Western Sydney region for a compelling journey experience through the landside, terminal and airside transitions.
The design prioritises passenger comfort through the introduction of skylights, high-performing facades, biophilic materials and a sinuous timber ceiling, filtering sunlight into the terminals, earning it an award for Public Architecture.
Commendation – Macquarie University Engineering Innovation Building
The Education Architecture category designs that elevate the learning experience across schools, universities, and other educational institutions. As a striking centrepiece to the existing science and engineering campus, Woods Bagot’s design for Macquarie University Engineering Innovation Building received a Commendation for Educational Architecture
The building’s highly visible location and pedestrian through-links helps to elevate the role of education within the city. Incorporating glazed and powder-coated aluminium panels, the building’s facade consists of six different types of triangular panels, permitting light and exterior views into classrooms, while restrict daylight penetration in light-sensitive programmatic areas like the laboratories.
Noah Sunderland – Graduate Medal
Woods Bagot architectural graduate Noah Sunderland received the NSW Graduate Medal for his highly resolved and conceptually rich response in ‘Covering Ground’, a Masters of Architecture Thesis Project for the University of Sydney.
Sunderland said he is “deeply honoured” to have been shortlisted, selected and awarded the Graduate Medallion, and to be recognised by an audience of esteemed industry peers.
“The process, as much as the project itself, has been a profound personal lesson, reinforcing the importance of local Indigenous knowledge systems and the immense value of grounding design in community, culture, and Country,” says Sunderland.
“This recognition is a reflection of the generosity and support of so many people. I am incredibly grateful to my friends, family, course staff, and colleagues, whose guidance, encouragement, and belief have all, in some way, shaped both the project and this achievement.”
Recipients of Named Awards, Architecture Awards or Regional Prizes at Chapter level will now progress to the National Awards Program, held in October. View the full list of 2026 NSW Architecture Award winners on ArchitectureAU.
Media enquiries Isla Sutherland Content and Communications Manager (Australia & New Zealand)
03 Jul 26
01 Jul 26
22 Jun 26
18 Jun 26
16 Jun 26
15 Jun 26
12 Jun 26
05 Jun 26