2026 LEAV & LEAT Awards

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2026 LEAV & LEAT Awards

12 Nov 2026

Congratulations to the winners, commendation recipients and all entrants of the 2026 Victoria + Tasmania Chapter Awards!

On Wednesday 11 November 2026, our learning environments community gathered at 75 Reid Street in Fitzroy North to celebrate the people and projects shaping learning across Victoria and Tasmania. The evening also marked the launch of the second edition of the LEA Victoria Annual Magazine.

Caulfield Grammar School’s Senior School Teaching and Learning Building in St Kilda East, by DesignInc and 3XN, received the Overall Award and the Category 3 Award. The jury praised how the school community shaped the brief and how the building brings its idea of ‘tidal learning’ to life. Connected learning neighbourhoods give senior students room to move between formal teaching, group work and focused independent study.

Two other projects received category awards. At Kerribana Primary School and Kindergarten, Y2 Architecture made inclusion part of everyday school life, with a library ramp that winds past shelves and reading nooks. At Monash Innovation Labs, Brand Architects turned an underused breezeway into a gathering place linking workshops, labs and start-up spaces.

From 35 entries across seven categories, seven projects also received commendations. Explore the recognised projects in the gallery below and read what stood out to the jury in the award citations.

Thank you to our volunteer jurors, the Victoria and Tasmania Chapter committees, and every educator, designer and project team who shared their work with us.

Thank you to everyone who helped bring this year’s Chapter Awards together.

Award Categories

This year’s awards featured 35 entries across seven categories. The jury assessed submissions against the published Award Assessment Criteria.

Category 1 – An Innovative Education Initiative
Category 2 – New Campus with Educational Facilities
Category 3 – New Building/s or Facilities – Large (over AUD $15 million)
Category 4 – New Building/s or Facilities – Small (under AUD $15 million)
Category 5 – Modernisation – Large (over AUD $5 million)
Category 6 – Modernisation – Small (under AUD $5 million)
Category 7 – Small Project Under AUD $2 Million
Category 8 – Landscaping/Outdoor Learning Area

Award Citations

Download the 2026 Victoria + Tasmania Chapter Award Citations (PDF)

Jury + Acknowledgements

Thank you to our volunteer jurors for their time and care in assessing this year’s entries: Sarah Ball, Natalie Bush, Craig Deed, Rachel Faber, Patrick Giles, Tara Graham-Cochrane, Elliet Spring, Amy Stannard, and Tim Zieth.