Regional developments earn awards shortlisting

DEVELOPMENTS in Golden Square and Castlemaine have earnt their architects a shortlisting in two different categories in the 2025 Victorian Architecture Awards.

Y2 Architecture has been nominated in the Commercial Architecture, Sustainable Architecture category for its work on Larnangurrak (Our Place) – Dja Dja Wurrung Corporate and Community Centre in Golden Square, and CROSBY Architects has been shortlisted for the award in the Regional Prize, Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing, Sustainable Architecture category for The Paddock in Castlemaine.

The awards will be presented at a dinner at the Pullman Albert Park on 27 June, with winners going on to compete in the National Architecture Awards, announced in November.

Run annually by the Victorian chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects, the awards celebrate the best architecture from around the state and collectively showcase the positive impacts of architects in shaping the built landscape.

“This year’s awards program continues to illustrate the contribution architects make, from local community facilities and the adaptive reuse of existing buildings to the larger footprint of city-shaping infrastructure projects,” chair of judges Hamish Lyon said.

“Against the backdrop of climate change, economic uncertainties and the need for greater access to housing, it is encouraging to see the significant role that many of this year’s entrants are making to address these contemporary challenges.”

The Larnangurrak development is up against five other category finalists and The Paddock 10 others.

According to the institute, Victoria attracted the largest number of entries of any Australian state, and a total of 384 submissions across 25 categories.

An exhibition of entries drawn from this year’s submissions can be viewed at Deakin University at Burwood, which opened on 7 April.