Launched in 1995, the UDIA Victoria Awards program was established by the development industry to recognise excellence and innovation across the state. Receiving an Award is both a highly valued acknowledgement of outstanding work and a significant honour. The program is unapologetically rigorous, spanning eight months from launch through to the completion of judging. We take our responsibility in administering the Awards seriously. Judges conduct in-person project site visits and leadership interviews, and carefully review all written submissions. This robust process recognises the considerable effort of entrants and ensures a thorough, transparent, and credible assessment across all categories.
Project Awards
Project Awards celebrate outstanding achievement in urban development, recognising projects that set a benchmark for quality, innovation and delivery.
Recognition
Every Project Award category winner will receive a trophy, certificate and digital winner badges which may be used across marketing and promotional collateral to showcase their award status. Project Award winners and finalists will gain profile and recognition for their development achievements and be featured across UDIA Victoria communications including website content, e-newsletters and social media channels.
At the judges’ discretion, a limited number of commendations may be awarded. Commendation recipients will receive a certificate in recognition of their project’s merit.
Receiving a UDIA Victoria Project Award signifies industry endorsed excellence and represents a highly respected benchmark for quality, innovation and delivery in urban development.
Affordable Housing Award
This award celebrates the delivery of affordable housing across Victoria, recognising developments that achieve accessibility and affordability at the point of delivery while embedding a long-term, whole of life approach to sustained affordability. Entries should demonstrate how thoughtful design, operational efficiencies, innovative delivery models and sustainable practices reduce ongoing living costs, enhance liveability and support diverse, inclusive communities.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain a financial membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer, or the organisation that commissioned and/or funded the project
- Projects must be at practical completion at the time of entry
- Eligible projects may include subdivisions, medium-density or high-density residential developments
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Affordable Housing category
Judging Criteria
- Initial affordability and accessibility at point of delivery
- Long-term affordability through design, operational efficiencies and sustainability measures that reduce ongoing costs
- Design quality, functionality and liveability
- Environmental sustainability and resilience
- Social impact and contribution to inclusive communities
- Innovation in delivery, funding, partnerships or tenure models
Completion Requirement
- • Must be at practical completion
Boutique Development Award
This award recognises small-scale residential developments of three storeys or less including townhouses, terraces or similar product that demonstrate excellence in design, integration and liveability within existing neighbourhoods. It celebrates high quality, functional housing outcomes that is respectful to local character.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain a financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer
- Consist only of townhouses, terraces or similar product
- Must be three storeys or less in height
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Boutique Development category
Judging Criteria
- Architectural quality and neighbourhood integration
- Completion and presentation quality
- Innovation and best practice in design, sustainability and construction
Completion Requirement
- Must be at practical completion
- Must ensure judges are able to walk through a completed dwelling during the site visit, and made the necessary arrangements for this to occur
Medium Density Development Award
This award recognises excellence in residential developments that deliver medium density outcomes while maintaining high design quality, livability, and resident amenity. Typically comprising townhouses, villa units, terraces, row housing, or low-rise apartment buildings between three and five storeys, these projects achieve between 30 and 100 dwellings per hectare. The award celebrates developments that make efficient use of land without transitioning into high-rise development, contribute to diverse housing choices, integrate thoughtfully with their surrounding context and provide long-term value for residents through innovative layouts, a sense of community and functional, high-quality design.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer
- Must achieve a minimum dwelling density of 30 dwellings per hectare (calculation: Number of dwellings (divided by) site area (in hectares) = dwellings per hectare)
- Must be between three and five storeys in height (excluding basements and rooftops)
- Must be predominantly residential with minor commercial or retail components permitted
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Medium Density Development category
*Projects that do not meet the minimum dwelling density requirements are encouraged to enter the UDIA Victoria Design Award category.
Judging Criteria
- Design quality, functionality and integration with surroundings
- Liveability, amenity and access to facilities
- Innovation and best practice in design, sustainability and construction
Completion Requirement
- Must be at practical completion
- Must ensure judges are able to walk through a completed dwelling during the site visit and have made the necessary arrangements for this to occur
Apartments (Mid-Rise) Award
This award recognises residential apartment developments between six and ten storeys that demonstrate excellence in design quality, livability and urban integration. It celebrates projects that enhance streetscapes, deliver high quality amenity and provide long-term value for residents.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer
- Must be between six and ten storeys in height (excluding basements and rooftops)
- Must be predominantly residential with minor commercial and/or retail permitted
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Apartments (Mid-Rise) category
Judging Criteria
- Architectural quality, layout and amenity
- Integration with surrounding urban context
- Innovation in design and resident experience
Completion Requirement
- Must be at practical completion
- Must ensure judges are able to walk through a completed dwelling during the site visit and have made the necessary arrangements for this to occur
Apartments (High-Rise) Award
This award recognises residential apartment developments of 11 storeys or more that demonstrate excellence in design, liveability and urban integration. It celebrates projects that deliver high quality amenity, sustainability and innovative solutions for high density living.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer
- Must be 11 storeys or more (excluding basements and rooftops)
- Must be predominantly residential with minor commercial and/or retail permitted
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Apartments (High-Rise) category
Judging Criteria
- Architectural quality, functionality and amenity
- Integration with surrounding urban environment
- Innovation in design and delivery
Completion Requirement
- Must be at practical completion
- Must ensure judges are able to walk through a completed dwelling during the site visit and have made the necessary arrangements for this to occur
Design Award
This award recognises predominantly residential projects including small lot housing, villas, townhouses, terrace homes, row housing and apartment buildings that demonstrate excellence in design and execution. It celebrates architectural quality, innovation, thoughtful site integration and planning outcomes that enhance livability and the resident experience.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging, and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer or architect (both must be financial members)
- Architects must obtain written consent from the developer
- Projects must be predominantly residential (ie small lot housing, villas, townhouses, terrace homes, row housing, apartment buildings
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Design category
Judging Criteria
- Architectural quality and attention to detail
- Integration with site and surrounding context
- Innovation in response to design challenges
- Efficient planning and use of space
Completion Requirement
- Must be at practical completion
Marketing Award
This award recognises excellence in the marketing of residential developments through innovative, creative and effective campaigns. It celebrates strategies that successfully engage target audiences, achieve strong market acceptance and deliver measurable results, while aligning with development objectives and community values.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer
- Projects must demonstrate a comprehensive and executed marketing strategy
Judging Criteria
- Innovation and creativity in marketing approach
- Clear understanding of target markets and alignment of strategy
- Effective execution and resource management
- Evidence of market success, includes sales performance and campaign outcomes
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Marketing category
Completion Requirement
- Entrants must provide clear evidence of marketing strategy, implementation and outcomes for judging
Masterplanned Communities Award
This award recognises outstanding masterplanned communities that integrate residential, retail, commercial, recreational and community facilities into a cohesive, well-designed environment. It celebrates developments that deliver a comprehensive range of uses, foster a strong sense of place, support social interaction, provide diverse housing choices and incorporate sustainable design and infrastructure innovation.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer
- Must be developed at the time of judging to a stage where tangible benefits of a ‘masterplanned’ approach can be demonstrated
- Must demonstrate a coherent design with a relevant range of facilities within the development whether predominately residential, civic, recreational, entertainment, tourist, commercial or industrial, or a combination of any of these primary uses
- Must be of sufficient scale to generate a sense of community
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Masterplanned Communities category
Judging Criteria
- Community and sense of place, including social interaction, engagement and inclusion
- Design quality across architecture, landscaping and urban design
- Diversity of housing types and community facilities
- Sustainability, infrastructure innovation and delivery excellence
Completion Requirement
- Single-stage projects: at least 40% completed and either sold or available for sale
- Multi-stage projects: at least one full stage completed and sold or available for sale, with additional stages under development
- Residential stages must ensure judges are able to walk through a completed dwelling during the site visit and have made the necessary arrangements for this to occur
Professional Services and Consultancy Award
This award recognises outstanding contributions from professional services organisations and specialist consultants who demonstrate excellence, innovation, sustainability and problem-solving capability in the development industry. It celebrates expertise that materially enhances project outcomes through high quality advice, collaboration and the successful resolution of complex challenges. Nominations are open to include organisations and consultants across disciplines such as architecture, planning, engineering, finance, construction, landscaping and technology, and must clearly demonstrate how their involvement contributed to the success and overall performance of a specific project. Developers that submit nominations for project awards are encouraged to also nominate their lead consultant(s).
Please note: This category is exclusive to the state awards program and is not available at the national level
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Nominations must be submitted by a developer, professional services organisation or consultant
- Submissions can include contributions on a singular project or across multiple projects where a consistent strategy or implementation can be demonstrated
Judging Criteria
- Innovation and problem-solving capability
- Professional merit and impact on project outcomes highlighting the consultant’s expertise, leadership and professional judgement, and how their contribution positively influenced project outcomes, client objectives and overall project performance
- Collaboration and integration with the broader project team
- Achievement of project objectives, including efficiency, value, risk mitigation and client satisfaction
- Projects should demonstrate sustainability and social impact through environmental performance, carbon reduction, waste minimisation, resilience, and meaningful benefits to the community
Property Technology (Proptech) Innovation Award
This award recognises innovation in property technology that transforms how developments are planned, designed, built, marketed or experienced. It celebrates initiatives that enhance efficiency, sustainability, design quality or community engagement through technological solutions.
Please note: This category is exclusive to the state awards program and is not available at the national level
Eligibility
- Projects must predominantly relate to residential developments
- Co-entrants are permitted. All parties must maintain a financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
Judging Criteria
- Innovation and effectiveness in solving industry challenges
- Contribution to the advancement of the property industry
- Collaboration and stakeholder engagement
- Commercial viability and scalability
- Monitoring, evaluation and knowledge sharing
Completion Requirement
- The technology should be implemented and operational within industry
Residential Subdivision Award
This award recognises excellence in the delivery of residential subdivisions that do not include a comprehensive range of facilities within the development itself, instead demonstrating strong integration with an access to nearby amenities to meet residents’ daily needs. The award celebrates well-planned subdivisions that deliver high quality housing, thoughtful urban design, and a strong focus on livability and community connectivity.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain a financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer
- Must have established a satisfactory relationship with nearby facilities to meet the needs of residents and users
- Must not include a comprehensive range of facilities within the development itself
- Stages of masterplanned developments are not eligible to nominate in this category
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Residential Subdivision category
Judging Criteria
- Integration with nearby facilities and amenities
- Functional, liveable and well-planned subdivision design
- Innovation and best practice in planning, design or delivery
Completion Requirement
- Must be at practical completion
Seniors’ Living Award
This award recognises development projects designed to meet the needs of seniors, including retirement living, land lease communities and aged care facilities. It celebrates projects that deliver safe, comfortable and engaging environments, while promoting independence, social connection and long-term wellbeing.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer
- Entries are not limited to residential projects and may include aged care
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Senior’s Living category
Judging Criteria
- Resident-focused design responding to the needs of retirees or those approaching retirement
- Architectural quality, amenity and attention to detail
- Sense of place and community-oriented design
- Sustainability and long-term livability factors
Completion Requirement
- Must be at practical completion
Social and Community Infrastructure Award
This award recognises projects that demonstrate best practice in the design, development, renewal, and activation of public and community spaces. It celebrates initiatives that foster social connection, enhance amenity, and integrate the built and natural environment. Eligible projects include civic and community buildings, schools, hospitals, parks, recreational facilities and other public realm developments delivered for community use, showcasing leadership and innovation in providing services or social infrastructure.
Eligibility
- Projects delivering public or community spaces for general use
- Must be submitted by local government, or state government agency. Developers are eligible to enter if their entry is a public realm project and allows for general community use and demonstrated leadership and innovation in delivering services and/or social infrastructure developments, such as civic/community buildings, schools, and hospitals.
- An individual residential development alone, is not eligible for this category.
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Social and Community Infrastructure category
Judging Criteria
- Design excellence and environmental integration
- Community activation and engagement
- Functionality, accessibility and inclusivity
Completion Requirement
- Must be at practical completion
Sustainability Award
This award recognises developments, properties or initiatives that demonstrate excellence in sustainability, delivering meaningful environmental, social and economic benefits. It celebrates projects that go beyond regulatory requirements through innovative design, construction or operational practices, promoting sustainable practices, enhancing livability, and supporting long-term community and environmental resilience.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer
- Residential projects must allow judges access to at least one dwelling interior Residential projects must ensure judges are able to walk through a dwelling during the site visit and have made the necessary arrangements for this to occur
- Projects must demonstrate innovation in research, design, construction or delivery, addressing significant environmental challenges
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Sustainability category
Judging Criteria
- Environmental performance beyond regulatory requirements
- Innovation in design, construction or operational practices
- Measurable sustainability outcomes and long-term impact
Completion Requirement
- Must be at practical completion
Urban Renewal Award
This award recognises projects that revitalise and repurpose existing land or buildings, transforming established suburbs or inner-city areas, while respecting and enhancing the existing built environment. It celebrates developments that integrate new uses, contribute to amenity, sustainability and community outcomes.
Eligibility
- Organisation must maintain financial UDIA Victoria membership throughout the nomination, judging and awards process
- Must be submitted by a developer
- Can either retain some existing built elements on a site or be integrated into an established built environment
- Demonstrate revitalisation and appropriate use of land and/or buildings in established suburbs or inner city areas
- State winner is eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards in the Urban Renewal category
Judging Criteria
- Quality of design and integration between new and existing elements
- Innovation and impact in addressing urban renewal challenges
- Social and community contribution to the surrounding area
Completion Requirement
- Must be at practical completion
Project of the Year Award
This is the highest honour in the UDIA Awards Program, celebrating the very best of the project award winning entries. Winners of the UDIA Victoria Project of the Year, along with winners from other state programs, are eligible to enter the UDIA National Awards for Excellence ‘Project of the Year’ category. This prestigious national award recognises projects that demonstrate outstanding achievement, innovation and a positive impact on communities, the environment and the development industry.
Eligibility
- Exclusive entry only to the winner of the UDIA Victoria Project of the Year award
- All national submission requirements, including any supporting documentation, must be provided
Judging Criteria
Judging is conducted by an independent national panel and will include site inspections. A strong Project of the Year entry should demonstrate:
- Outstanding achievement – the project should exemplify excellence and the highest standards of professional practice
- Industry leadership – it should stand out as a benchmark that positively influences how urban development is approached nationally
- Contribution to public standing – the project’s achievements should help elevate the public perception of contemporary development nationally
