The winner is drawn from direct-entry categories in the annual Victorian Architecture Awards program, and any project located within the urban growth boundary of the Melbourne metropolitan area is eligible for consideration for the prize which can be drawn from any category in the awards. The prize has been given to 30 individual projects in the 26 years since it was established (to 2023).
Named Award
In 2023 the prize became a named award, to be known as the Dimity Reed Melbourne Prize.[3][4][5] The naming of the award was made in recognition of Reed's urban and architectural contributions to the city and the architectural profession as a practitioner, academic and media commentator.[6]
From the conception of the prize a range of scales and project types have been awarded that significantly added to the civic and cultural identity of Melbourne's CBD. The first winner in 1997 was a small low budget eponymous laneway bar known simply as Meyers Place as it was located in Meyers Place, a narrow north–south lane running off Bourke Street in the east end of the city, in the same small building that the late night Waiters Club Restaurant was located in. The bar was meant to be untitled but informally used its laneway name as its moniker. It was designed, built, operated and owned by Six Degrees Architects, with a start up cost of around $30,000 in 1994 ($60,000 in 2022).
The project was created by the young office as a means of displaying their innovative skills not only as designers and builders, but also as urbanists, where architecture and design could stimulate city life and create new communities and activities in the city after hours.[7]"We wanted it to be difficult to find, with no sign, down a back lane." The bar was at the forefront of the developing word–of–mouth small laneway bar scene that spread through the back streets and lanes of Melbourne in the mid to late 1990s. These bars became a significant part of the cultural landscape of the city, providing interesting fit outs in out-of-the-way locations. The bar scene that followed provided not only a place to meet but also helped activate the evening economy of the city, a great change from the rustbelt recession years of the early 1990s when the city was empty at night. A review described the venue as such "..the bar's roller door, shagpile-carpeted walls and recycled timber interior was the mainspring of a recycled aesthetic which became a Melbourne signature. Cramped and casual, regulars would comment that it felt more like a party than a venue, especially at 2am after a few Melbourne Bitter longnecks."[8]
"Melbourne’s strength is the small bars and restaurants that don’t announce themselves. It’s the opposite of branding. Melbourne’s subtle, a city of discovery. Very early on we were saying ‘let’s not be obvious, let’s encourage Melbourne solutions’. One of the first little laneway bars was in Meyers Place, by Six Degrees Architects. They were the first recipients of the Melbourne Prize for projects that enhanced the real character of Melbourne because that’s exactly what they did. Discovering bars and cafes has become part of Melbourne’s experience, the harder to find, the more the desire.”[9]
The bar closed in June 2017 after the long held lease was not renewed.[10] The bar was relocated a block north to 24 Crossley Street, with most of the fit out making the move to new premises. Meyers Place 2.0 closed in March 2021, a year after the first Covid–19 pandemic lockdowns severely impacted Melbourne's hospitality scene.[11]
The 1998 prize was awarded to a very differently scaled project and budget for the $25m redevelopment of the former high end classical 1880s Georges Department Store at 162–168 Collins Street, Melbourne. The refurbishment was designed by architect Daryl Jackson with Conran Design Partnership from the UK. The building was restored and adaptively modified to include a range of retail concessions, restaurants, and a Conran Design Store.[13] A commendation was given to Peter Elliott with Curnow Freiverts Glover for State Government Offices at Treasury Place.
Observatory Gate Precinct by Peter Elliott, 2000 winner
2000 to 2009 awards
The 2000 prize was won by Peter Elliot for the Observatory Gate Precinct at Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne.[15] The project created a new entrance, outdoor plaza, amenities and visitor centre for the Botanic Garden incorporating the former Melbourne Observatory and Charles La Trobe's 'triangle sites' in the gardens and parklands. Gregory Burgess Architects was awarded a commendation for the Catholic Theological College in East Melbourne. This was the last year commendations were given, with only single or joint winners awarded from 2001.
The 2001 prize was won for the EQ Project at Hamer Hall by NMBW Architecture Studio, since demolished for the 2010 upgrade by Ashton Raggatt McDougall (ARM Architecture).[16]
The 2005 prize was awarded to NH Architecture for the QV mixed use 'urban village' and retail redevelopment between Swanston and Russell Streets in the Melbourne CBD.[18] The QV project created a series of new laneways and connections through the whole city block on which the project is sited "...the design was informed by the model of Melbourne’s laneways as the generator of the urban form".[19]
ARM Architecture again received the prize in 2006 for the Melbourne Central Shopping Centre redevelopment on Swanston Street and La Trobe Street. For the first time a joint winner was declared with The Urban Workshop (a commercial office project at 50 Lonsdale Street) also awarded the 2006 Melbourne Prize, designed by John Wardle Architects, Hassell and NH Architecture in joint venture.[20]
The 2007 Prize was awarded to the Sandridge Bridge Precinct Redevelopment over the Yarra River by City of Melbourne in association with Nadim Karam and Marcus O’Reilly.
Six Degrees Architects also collected the award for a second time in 2008 with their redevelopment of The Vaults on the Yarra River beneath Federation Square for use as their own architecture offices and the adjacent licensed 'Riverland' bar. The site is now known as Federation Wharf. The 2008 Jury was Peter Crone (chair), Alfred deBruyne and Mel Dodd.
The Canada Hotel Redevelopment for student housing on Swanston Street and Pelham Street, Carlton designed by Hayball won the prize in 2009.[21]
Federation Square, 2003 winnerCanada Hotel Redevelopment, Carlton, 2009 winner
2010 to 2019 awards
The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre by joint venture architects, Woods Bagot and NH Architecture was awarded the 2010 Melbourne Prize in addition to the Victorian Architecture Medal, William Wardell Award for Public Architecture, Steel Architecture Award and the Award for Sustainable Architecture.
In 2013 the prize was awarded to BKK Architects/TCL Partnership for the Lonsdale Street Boulevard project, part of 'Revitalising Central Dandenong' in south east Melbourne, around 30 kilometres from the CBD. This was the first time the Melbourne Prize was awarded to a project in suburban Melbourne.[24] The jury was Tim Shannon (Chair); Ann Lau from Hayball and Alan Pert from the Melbourne School of Design.
In addition to the William Wardell Award for Public Architecture, the Dallas Brooks Community Primary School located 17 kilometres north of Melbourne CBD in the suburb of Dallas designed by McBride Charles Ryan took out the 2014 Melbourne Prize. For the second year in a row an outer suburban project won the prize.[25]
ARM Architecture won a third Melbourne Prize and a second for the same project for additional work at the Shrine of Remembrance, Galleries of Remembrance, with landscape architects Rush\Wright in 2015. The project also won the Victorian Architecture Medal. Amy Muir, Chair of Juries described it as robust and sympathetic in its approach to detailing and built execution, the Stage Two addition provides an exemplar, quality architectural intervention which received unanimous support as the winner of the 2015 Victorian Architecture Medal.[26]
In 2016 the prize was awarded to the Saltwater Community Centre in Point Cook, south–western Melbourne by Croxon Ramsay Architects for Wyndham City Council. The community centre lies around 30 kilometres to the south west of the CBD.[27] The project also won a Sustainable Architecture Award. The 2016 jury was Tim Jackson (chair, Jackson Clements Burrows Architects), Peter Williams (Williams Boag) and Anna Maskiell (Public Realm Lab).[28][29]
In 2017 the prize was jointly awarded to two projects; the 2016 NGV Architecture Commission: Haven’t you always wanted…? by M@ STUDIO Architects[30] and the Tanderrum Bridge by John Wardle Architects and NADAAA in collaboration. The jury was composed of James Staughton (Workshop Architecture), Alison Nunn (Alison Nunn Architect), Amy Muir (Muir Architects).[31]
New Academic Street, RMIT, 2018 (joint winner)
2018 Prize
Shortlisted nominees for the 2018 prize were; McAuley Community Services for Women by Hede Architects; Fitzroy North Library and Community Hub by Group GSA; New Academic Street, RMIT University (Bowen Street) by Lyons with NMBW Architecture Studio, Harrison and White, MvS Architects and Maddison Architects (Joint Winner) and; Nightingale 1 apartments[32] by Breathe (Joint Winner).
Later in 2018 New Academic Street was awarded the National AIA Award for Urban Design. The 2018 Melbourne Prize jury was Shelley Penn (Shelley Penn Architect, chair), Simon Knott (BKK Architects) and Tania Davidge (Openhaus). The New Academic Street project was also awarded the Victorian Architecture Medal.
2019 Prize
Shortlisted nominees for the 2019 prize were: Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal by Cox Architecture with landscape architects Aspect Studios; Parliament of Victoria Members’ Annexe (winner) by Peter Elliott Architecture and Urban Design; Private Women’s Club by Kerstin Thompson Architects; South Melbourne Primary School by Hayball, and The Club Stand at Flemington Racecourse[33] by Bates Smart.[34] The 2019 Melbourne Prize jury was Jane Williams (John Wardle Architects, chair), Alix Smith (Hassell), and Stefano Scalzo (Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority).
The 2020 Melbourne Prize jury of three was chaired by Reno Rizzo (Inarc Architects) with Madeline Sewall (Breathe Architecture) and Minnie Cade (John Wardle Architects).[35] The 2020 shortlist included the Carlton Learning Precinct COLA by Law Architects, Monash University Ian Potter Centre for Performing Arts by Peter Elliott Architecture and Urban Design and State Library Victoria Redevelopment by Architectus and Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects. The State Library Victoria Redevelopment[36] by Architectus and Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects was presented the 2020 award in July.[37]
2021 Prize
The 2021 jury of three was chaired by Andrew Maynard (Austin Maynard Architects) with Sarah Bryant (Bryant Alsop Architects) and Sarah Zahradnik (NH Architecture). The 2021 shortlist considered for the award included the ACMI Renewal by BKK Architects and Razorfish; Carrum Station and Foreshore Precinct by Cox Architecture; Collins Arch by Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects; Docklands Primary School by Cox Architecture; Jackalope Pavilion by March Studio; Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design by Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University; Olderfleet also by Grimshaw; Prahran Square by Lyons and Springvale Community Hub also by Lyons.[38] The 2021 prize was awarded to the Woodside Building for Technology and Design by Grimshaw Architects in collaboration with Monash University and was the most awarded project of the year also winning the Victorian Architecture Medal, Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture and an award for Sustainability and Educational Architecture categories.
2022 Prize
The 2022 jury of three was chaired by Michael Roper (Architecture architecture) with jurors Nicholas Braun (Sibling Architecture) and Rhonda Mitchell (Woods Bagot). The shortlist for the prize included; Collingwood Yards by Fieldwork, Kia Arena by NH Architecture with RWA Sports Architecture. Queen and Collins by KTA and BVN, Rebuild La Mama by Meg White and Cottee Parker Architects, Victorian Pride Centre by Brearley Architects and Urbanists and Grant Amon Architects and Wesley Place, 130 Lonsdale Street by Lovell Chen with Cox Architecture. [39]
The 2022 prize was awarded to KTA (Kerstin Thompson Architects) and BVN for Queen and Collins in Melbourne's CBD. The jury report said “...there was just one [project] that we kept returning to, Queen & Collins, a richly layered urban space carved from a cluster of neo-gothic icons. What could ordinarily have been just another corporate lobby is now something else entirely. Light, space, colour and texture have been masterfully orchestrated to create a surprising new space for Melbourne.”[40]Kerstin Thompson Architects are credited with the design of the ground plane and podium and BVN for the commercial workplace areas. Queen and Collins later won the AIA National Award for Commercial Architecture.[41]
2023 Prize
The 2023 jury of four was chaired by Kim Bridgland RAIA (Edition Office) with jurors Greta Stoutjesdijk RAIA (Candelapas Associates), Ilana Kister RAIA (Kister Architects) and Graduate Juror, Storm Bell, Affiliate RAIA, (BKK Architects).[42] The shortlisted projects for the prize were Darebin Intercultural Centre by Sibling Architecture; the Melbourne Holocaust Museum by Kerstin Thompson Architects (KTA); Nightingale Village[43] in Brunswick, developed by a multi architect team including Hayball, Breathe, Architecture architecture, Austin Maynard Architects, Clare Cousins Architects, Kennedy Nolan, Openwork and Andy Fergus; University of Melbourne Student Precinct in Carlton by Lyons with Koning Eizenberg Architecture, NMBW Architecture Studio, Greenaway Architects, Architects EAT, Aspect Studios and Glas Urban; Victorian Family Violence Memorial[44][45] in St Andrews Reserve, Melbourne by Muir[46] and Openwork; Wurun Senior Campus secondary school project[47] in Fitzroy North by GHD Woodhead and Grimshaw.[48] In describing the award process the jury citation noted "The projects that we have highlighted through shortlisting and in the awarding of the 2023 Melbourne Prize were those seen through the lens of community, narrative and city building, and within the lens of a city being an organic entity needing care and nourishment in order for growth and evolution to occur."[49]
The 2023 winner announced on 16 June 2023, Nightingale Village a six apartment building precinct designed by six different architecture studios, was also the recipient of the Allan and Beth Coldicutt Award for Sustainable Architecture and Urban Design and Residential Architecture awards in the Multiple Housing categories.[50] The jury described Nightingale Village as “a powerful catalyst to build community, prioritise social, economic and environmental sustainability. This project is not a group of standalone residential developments, like many through inner Melbourne, but an entwined shared environment that will change the way developers and architects visualise and contribute to our environment today and for generations to come”. The Nightingale Village presentation to the jury for the AIA Melbourne Prize as part of the Victorian Architecture Awards can be viewed on YouTube.[51]
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