National Award for Enduring Architecture

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.^[1]

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.^[2] 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.

The average age of the 23 projects awarded between 2003 and 2025 is 40 years.

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;

• Sir Roy Grounds Award for Enduring Architecture (Australian Capital Territory, started 1995)
• New South Wales Enduring Architecture Award (started 2003)
• Maggie Edmond Enduring Architecture Award (Victoria, started 2003)
• Robin Gibson Award for Enduring Architecture (Queensland, started 2003)
• Jack Cheesman Award for Enduring Architecture (South Australia, started 2005)
• Tasmania Award for Enduring Architecture (started 2010)
• Northern Territory Enduring Architecture Award (started 2013)^[3]
• Richard Roach Jewell Award for Enduring Architecture (Western Australia, started 2015)

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.

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 (National 25 Year Award) 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.

In July 2026 three projects were shortlisted from state chapter awards for consideration of the national award: Adelaide High School by Edward B. Fitzgerald and John R. Brogan (SA), Clubbe Hall, Bowral by AJC Architects (NSW) and Dorney House at Fort Nelson, Hobart by J.H. Esmond Dorney (Tasmania).^[5]

The average age of recognition of 23 projects awarded (2003—2025) is 40 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 (Australian Capital Territory), Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland, and one in Tasmania. No projects from South Australia have been nationally recognised.

• Australian Institute of Architects
• Australian Institute of Architects Awards and Prizes
• Maggie Edmond Enduring Architecture Award
• New South Wales Enduring Architecture Award
• Northern Territory Enduring Architecture Award
• Jack Cheesman Award for Enduring Architecture
• Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture
• 25 Year Award (USA)