205 North Quay Wins Queensland's Top Architecture Prize Commercial Tower That 'Enriches City Life' Takes Medallion

A commercial tower at 205 North Quay in Brisbane has won the prestigious Queensland Medallion at the 2026 Queensland Architecture Awards. The awards celebrated projects from urban and regional communities, with jury chair Professor Michael Keniger noting a "broad spectrum of inviting and purposeful architecture".

Queensland's best architecture has been celebrated. The 2026 Queensland Architecture Awards, hosted by the Australian Institute of Architects on June 26 at Brisbane City Hall, recognised projects that have reshaped the state's built environment.

The top honour, the Queensland Medallion, went to 205 North Quay, a commercial tower designed by Hassell, REX and Richards and Spence. The jury applauded the design team for opening the ground floor to "light, air and civic occupation," creating a shaded open-air public plaza beneath the tower.

"The project activates the street, plaza and laneway, creating a welcoming threshold that encourages movement, pause and exchange. In doing so, it establishes a disciplined benchmark for how commercial development can enrich city life beyond its boundaries," the jury said. "We congratulate the architects and their client on the bravura and generosity that have driven the adventurous imagination behind the creation of 205 North Quay."

The tower also won the Beatrice Hutton Award for Commercial Architecture and the Art and Architecture Prize, recognising a 31-metre long bas-relief sculpture by Brisbane-based artist Bruce Reynolds cast across the full underside of the Herschel Street awning.

Jury Chair Professor Michael Keniger said the winners comprised "adventurous and ambitious commercial and community buildings that have contributed to the revitalisation of Brisbane's CBD by offering a high degree of public generosity."  In residential categories, he observed architects challenging conventional ideas of the traditional Queenslander and embarking on ambitious new typologies.

Other notable winners included:

• Birdwood by Peter Besley — Robin Dods Award for Residential Architecture (New), a radical reinvention of the Queenslander described by judges as "adventurous shaping" that challenges convention
• Palm Beach Aquatic and Community Centre — FDG Stanley Award for Public Architecture
• Suncoast Christian College Primary Precinct — Jennifer Taylor Award for Educational Architecture
• Chapel for St Peters Lutheran College — Don Roderick Award for Heritage
• Dolphin Court House — Award for Residential Architecture (New) and Interior Architecture
• Kallara Cabin — Award for Residential Architecture (New)
• 443 Queen Street — Job & Froud Award for Residential Architecture (Multiple Housing)
• Landing Bakery — Harry Marks Award for Sustainable Architecture
• Hinterland Adventure Playground Cooroy — Hayes & Scott Award for Small Project Architecture and Regional Project of the Year
• Brisbane Metro — Karl Langer Award for Urban Design

From Rockhampton and the Sunshine Coast to Far North Queensland and the Gold Coast, the winning projects underscore the significant role regional architects and communities continue to play.

Here is the question this year's awards raise. A commercial tower in Brisbane wins Queensland's top architecture prize for creating a public plaza beneath its bulk. A house in the bush reimagines what a Queenslander can be. A health clinic in Cow Bay proves good design can serve remote communities. When the state's best architecture spans from the CBD to the Cape, does Brisbane still shape the conversation or has Queensland's architecture finally become something bigger than its capital?

As the 2026 Queensland Architecture Awards celebrate a broad spectrum of inviting and purposeful architecture, The Silicon Review asks a final question. When the standard is set so high by a commercial tower that "enriches city life beyond its boundaries," what does that mean for the next generation of Queensland buildings and the architects who will design them?

FAQ:

Q: Which project won the Queensland Medallion at the 2026 Queensland Architecture Awards?
A: 205 North Quay, a commercial tower in Brisbane designed by Hassell, REX and Richards and Spence, won the Queensland Medallion, the top honour at the awards .

Q: When and where were the 2026 Queensland Architecture Awards held?
A: The awards were held on June 26, 2026, at Brisbane City Hall.

Q: Who chaired the jury for the 2026 Queensland Architecture Awards?
A: Professor Michael Keniger chaired the jury for the 2026 Queensland Architecture Awards.

Q: What other awards did 205 North Quay win?
A: In addition to the Queensland Medallion, 205 North Quay won the Beatrice Hutton Award for Commercial Architecture and the Art and Architecture Prize.

Q: Were regional projects recognised at the Queensland Architecture Awards?
A: Yes. Regional projects from Rockhampton, the Sunshine Coast, Far North Queensland and the Gold Coast were recognised, highlighting the role of regional architects.

Q: What is the 2026 Queensland Architecture Awards?
A: The awards are the state's premier design awards program, run by the Australian Institute of Architects, recognising exceptional design in architecture across Queensland.