LEAD Awards – Who? What? How? Why? When?

The Learning Environments Australasia Design (LEAD) Awards is an annual awards program that recognises excellence in the design of educational environments across Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Also known as LEA’s “regional” awards, members from across Australasia can enter new or renovated learning spaces, as well as innovative programs or outdoor environments which enhance learning experiences.

Learning environments may be early learning centres, kindergartens, primary schools, high schools, specialised schools or universities, TAFEs OR any combinations of these. They may be libraries, community educational facilities, outdoor learning spaces such as playgrounds or an entirely new campus with new facilities. All types of learning environments and educational spaces are welcome to be entered into the awards.

With the 2025 LEAD Awards about to start soon, we would like you to consider entering your learning spaces into these awards and all the reasons for being part of an awards program that celebrates excellence in Learning Environments throughout Australasia.

WHY ENTER THE LEAD AWARDS?

Celebration and Sharing

The LEAD Awards are celebrated at the LEA annual conference. During the conference entries are showcased by an exhibition of entry posters and audio visual slideshows, available to view by all 500+ conference delegates across the three days. The conference gala dinner presents all the entries to the 300+ dinner guests and announces the winners and commendations during a night of celebration.

Publication and Media

Contemporary Learning Spaces, a book featuring all the entries into the LEAD Awards, is published by LEA. All entrants receive a copy of this book, and further copies are available to purchase during the conference or online. The results of the awards are published in "Education Today" - an online journal and newsletter. A website gallery, featuring all entries in the LEA Awards programs since 2017, is publicly available. All entries are featured in LEA's social media channels in the lead up to the conference and after the results are announced.

Reward and Recognition

Being an award winner or commendation winner in the LEAD Awards is an opportunity to be recognised by fellow architects, educators and researchers who are experts in educational spaces. Judges provide citations for the LEAD Awards, which are wonderful testimonials, as may be required for submissions and proposals; these citations can be read on the website gallery for each awarded entry.

Community

Entry into the LEAD Awards provides the opportunity to share your educational designs with fellow LEA members and recognise the people who have been involved in the journey. The process of designing and building learning environments is a long and collaborative one, taking many years. Entering the LEAD Awards recognises everyone who has been involved in the project and shares the positive outcomes with others.

Collaboration and Relationships

Completing the LEAD Awards entry is a collaborative process between the architect/designer and the educational client. This collaboration allows for further development and strengthening of these relationships by discussing the positive outcomes and benefits of the new learning spaces.

Other Opportunities, Evaluation and Marketing Collateral

Putting together the entry submission for the LEAD Awards requires the gathering of much information about the project and its process. This is an opportunity to compile photos, positive feedback, narratives and testimonials. It is a chance to document and evaluate client processes, workshopping or other collaborative moments. This information can be further used in case studies, website content, newsletter content and social media or media releases. Please see this excellent article from the ACA for more information about the benefits of entering awards programs.

AWARD ENTRY CATEGORIES

There are eight categories for the awards:

• Category 1: An Innovative Education Initiative
• Category 2: New Campus with Educational Facilities
• Category 3: New Building/s or Facilities - Large (over $10 million)
• Category 4: New Building/s or Facilities - Small (less than $10 million)
• Category 5: Modernisation/renovation – Large (over $5 Million)
• Category 6: Modernisation/renovation - Small (less than $5 Million)
• Category 7: Small Project Under $2 Million
• Category 8: Landscaping/Outdoor Learning Area

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Entries into the awards are assessed using the following (summarised) assessment criteria:

All Categories

• Criteria A: Planning Process

Categories 2 to 8

• Criteria B: Design Outcome
• Criteria C: Flexibility Criteria
• D: Innovation

Category 1 Only

• Innovative Education Initiative
• Criteria E: Innovative Program
• Criteria F: Innovative Approach
• Criteria G: Innovative Use

The Assessment Criteria are worth 10 points each. The entry submission will receive a score out of 40 points. The judges will choose winners and commendations based on the responses to these Assessment Criteria and the scores received. Full details of the Assessment Criteria are available in the links below.

These specific assessment criteria place an emphasis on the design of the learning space/s as related to the educational brief and program. A collaborative response between the architect/designer and the client is recommended. Please watch the Information Session Webinar for further information regarding the Assessment Criteria or view the Awards Information Webinar Slides

LEAD AWARDS DINNER

The winners of the LEAD Awards are announced at the gala awards dinner held during the annual LEA Regional Conference.

LEA members will be invited to complete their entry submissions into the 2025 LEAD Awards from Friday 1 November 2024. Entries will be due on Friday 14 November 2025. Full details on how to enter the 2025 LEAD Awards will be announced on 1 November 2024.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Please visit the Awards page on our website for further information about our Awards programs

Please contact Soraya Ramsey (Awards Coordinator) for any questions regarding the awards: awards@learningenvironments.org.au