2026 Awards
Congratulations to the winners, commendations, and all entrants of the 2026 Learning Environments Australasia Design (LEAD) Awards!
Leading this year’s honours as the OVERALL WINNER was YOUNG HIGH SCHOOL, HILLTOPS YOUNG HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY in New South Wales, designed by Hayball – a project recognised for redefining what a contemporary library can be for both school and community.
“This is a facility that reaches beyond books and quiet study for young people and encompasses a wide gamut of specialist spaces, engagement with an impressive range of learning modes, shared with the wider community, and cultural inclusiveness settled into a building that demonstrates design excellence, sustainability, and lovely, enlivening surroundings.”
We were excited to celebrate and announce the winners and commendations of the 2026 Learning Environments Australasia Design (LEAD) Awards at the LEAD Awards Dinner, held as part of the 24th Annual Conference, UNLEASH, at the WA Museum Boola Bardip on Thursday 14 May 2026.
The evening recognised the outstanding projects, people, and collaborations shaping the future of learning environments across Australasia.
This year’s awards program attracted an exceptional 90 entries, reflecting the continued strength, creativity, and innovation within our sector. Across schools, tertiary campuses, early learning settings, outdoor environments, modernisations, and new builds, submissions demonstrated how purposeful design can elevate teaching, learning, wellbeing, and connection.
As Learning Environments Australasia’s flagship regional awards program, the LEAD Awards celebrate projects that successfully align educational vision with thoughtful planning, design, and delivery. The 2026 entries showcased inspiring examples of spaces where pedagogy, culture, identity, and place came together to create meaningful learning experiences.
We extend our sincere thanks to our 18 volunteer jurors whose professionalism, expertise, and generous contribution of time made this year’s program possible. Assessing a field of such high calibre was no small task, and we are deeply grateful for their commitment to recognising excellence in educational design.
To every organisation and project team who entered, thank you. Behind every submission was a story of collaboration, ambition, consultation, and care. Your willingness to share your work continues to inspire our community and strengthens the future of learning environments throughout the region.
To our 2026 winners and commendation recipients – congratulations on this well deserved recognition. Your projects represent leading practice and demonstrate the transformative impact that great learning environments can have on learners, educators, and communities.
Throughout the UNLEASH Conference, delegates experienced the 2026 entries through the awards gallery exhibition, exploring the stories, strategies, and innovation behind each project. Together, they highlighted the power of design to unlock possibility and create places where learning can truly thrive.
Thank you to our 2026 LEAD Awards Dinner Sponsor, Interface for your valued support of this important program.
Winners and commendation recipients will be emailed photography, certificates, and official winner / commendation icons as soon as they become available.
2026 Learning Environments Australasia Design (LEAD) Awards features 90 entries. These entries have been submitted from across Australia, New Zealand and Asia by members of Learning Environments Australasia (LEA). There are eight award categories:
Category 1 – An Innovative Education Initiative: Designed to showcase significant contributions to learning environments by schools, educators, students, designers, community organisations etc.
Category 2 – New Campus with Educational Facilities: Applies to construction of a new school or educational institution on a new campus.
Category 3 – New Building/s or Facilities – Large: A new building/facility or new buildings/facilities in an existing school or campus, value over AUD $10 million.
Category 4 – New Building/s or Facilities – Small: A new building/facility or new buildings/facilities in an existing school or campus value less than AUD $10 million.
Category 5 – Modernisation – Large: Modernisation/Renovation projects valued over AUD $5 Million.
Category 6 – Modernisation – Small: Modernisation/Renovation projects valued less than AUD $5 Million.
Category 7 – Small Project Under $2 Million:
A new building or a renovation, must be a learning environment.
Category 8 – Landscape/Outdoor Learning Area: Designed to showcase outdoor learning environments or landscapes targeted at improving educational outcomes.
Thank you to all the entrants for submitting their projects. These submissions require much effort and collaboration with the learning facilities and clients to complete. The entry submissions reflect the collaborative processes that occur between the designers and educators.
View the 2026 LEAD Awards Citations
Thank you to our 18 jurors who volunteered to judge these awards. LEA would like to sincerely thank all our judges for your valuable time and expertise:
Helen Anderson (Auckland, New Zealand)
John Augeri (Tokyo, Japan)
Jane Briese (Victoria, Australia)
Natalie Bush (Queensland, Australia)
Ron Daly (Tasmania, Australia)
Rachel Faber (New South Wales, Australia)
Caroline Farnan (Auckland, New Zealand)
Mark Freeman (Victoria, Australia)
Lloyd McCathie (Victoria, Australia)
Peter Moeck (South Australia, Australia)
Kristine Piggford (New South Wales, Australia)
Damian Powley (Auckland, New Zealand)
Neet Puri (Northern Territory, Australia)
Amy Stannard (New South Wales, Australia)
Paul Thatcher (Victoria, Australia)
Shannon Warren (South Australia, Australia)
Matthew Webby (Auckland, New Zealand)
Ellen Wilkinson (Victoria, Australia)
Behind the scenes, the 2026 LEA Executive Team members have continued to fully support the awards program, and their guidance and direction is much appreciated:
Ros Marsland, Chair
Derek Bartels, Chair Elect
Daniel Smith, Past Chair
Felicity Lewis, Treasurer
Dani Martin, Secretary
Deb O’Riley, International Director
Nicola Payne, Manager Marketing + Strategic Operations
Jennifer Herrera, Senior Operations Officer
Thank you also to the members of the LEA Awards Subcommittee, who have provided additional support and guidance for the awards programs run by LEA throughout the year.
All entries are featured in the 2026 Contemporary Learning Spaces book. This book is available for purchase from the LEA online store.
All entries are featured in the 2026 Contemporary Learning Spaces book, available for purchase from the LEA online store. Books purchased online will be posted from 1 June 2026.
2026 LEAD Winners
2026 LEAD Commendations
