Design and Development Awards 2024

The awards promote outstanding urban design, architecture, heritage, public space, sustainability, interior architecture and urban art.

Great design raises the quality of life for everyone in our City. It is more than just aesthetics (although it is that too), it encourages creativity, can help lead to a feeling of safety and can create sustainable spaces that lead to a greener city. Through design, we shape our City and conserve our heritage. In short, it’s worth celebrating!

That’s why we’re proud to call on architects to help us celebrate the incredible work they do designing our City spaces.

Design and Development Awards Night

Join us in announcing the winners of our 2024 Design and Development Awards.

The Design and Development Awards have been celebrating design excellence in the City of Port Phillip since 1998 - including urban design, architecture, heritage, public space, sustainability, interior architecture and urban art - and are held in conjunction with the National Gallery of Victoria's Melbourne Design Week.

This year, we received many outstanding submissions and after careful consideration, we are happy to announce our jury has now finalised the shortlist for each category.

Winners will be selected shortly and will be announced at our upcoming award ceremony at St Kilda Town Hall.

We would love for you to come and celebrate our City's winning designs and designers with us. Whilst the event is free, tickets must be reserved in advance. So, make sure to reserve yours early.

Date: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Venue: St Kilda Town Hall Auditorium
Time: 7 – 9.30 pm

Book your free tickets

About the awards

Since 1998, the City of Port Phillip Design and Development Awards has encouraged and celebrated design excellence in the City of Port Phillip.

The Awards are free to enter and held in conjunction with the National Gallery of Victoria's Melbourne Design Week in May.

Many thanks to all entries and shortlisted projects over the years, it is your contribution and enthusiasm that makes programs like this possible, and helps build amazing cities like ours.

For updates and photos of previous event speakers and award recipients, please subscribe to our newsletter.

2024 Awards

2024 Award Categories

Small scale
For this category, projects must be small in terms of size or budget. It covers all kinds of projects including landscape and ones that are temporary or experimental.
Residential new build - one to two dwellings
In this category, projects must be residential only and must be entirely new buildings. It includes projects with up to two independent homes.
Residential alteration or addition - one to two dwellings
In this category, projects are all about homes and can involve changing or adding onto existing buildings. It includes projects with up to two independent homes.
Residential - three or more dwellings
For this category, the projects are all about homes and can either be completely new buildings or involve changing or adding onto existing ones. It includes projects with three or more independent homes.
Mixed use
In this category, projects must have at least two different uses, with one of them being residential. It includes both entirely new buildings and changing or adding onto existing ones.
Non-residential
In this category, projects can be of any use except residential. It includes projects for commercial, educational, civic, or institutional purposes. This category covers both entirely new buildings and changes or additions to existing ones.

Jury's award for excellence

Jury's award selection
The jury’s awards are chosen from the pool of submissions received. All submissions will automatically be considered for the following jury’s awards.
Urban design
This award acknowledges projects that improve the area around them and contribute to a healthy, safe, and enjoyable urban environment.
Sustainability
This award acknowledges projects that show innovation and excellence in being environmentally sustainable.
Heritage
This award honors projects that demonstrate innovation and excellence in restoring or reconstructing the original building materials. These projects also contribute to a better understanding or interpretation of heritage places.
Cultural and community benefit
This award acknowledges projects that creatively meet the community's needs and improve the social or cultural qualities of a place.

Jury Panel

Director, MGS Architects

Catherine Ranger

“I care deeply about the experiences of people who interact with our buildings. I am proud that our buildings speak to their context, their fellow buildings, and to an optimistic vision of our cities.”

An experienced architect and design lead, Catherine has been critical to MGS Architects’ emergence as one of Australia’s preeminent creative practices. She is a driving force behind MGS’ design success, working at every level of the practice and across all projects to embed innovation, invention and impact.

Catherine cultivates good relationships that enable teams to go above and beyond to unlock the most creative result for each project.

Acting Director Planning and Portfolio Development, Homes Victoria

Margie McKay

Margie is currently Acting Director Planning and Portfolio Development at Homes Victoria, who are responsible for managing the State Government of Victoria’s social housing portfolio. With over 20 years’ experience in architecture, urban design and strategic development, Margie is passionate about urban design’s role in improving social outcomes.

Margie was joint inaugural president of Urban Design Forum in 2021, a non-profit organisation that supports public interest outcomes in our cities. She is also an Industry Adviser for the Master of Urban Design program at RMIT University. Margie has focused her career on design leadership roles within government, believing that creative, courageous approaches are critical to solving our complex city challenges.

Director, Grant Amon Architects

Grant Amon

Grant Amon, BArch, ARAIA, registered architect is the founding director of Grant Amon Architects (GAA) and has 30 years of experience in the fields of commercial, community, residential and interior design. Grant has been a St. Kilda resident since the early 1980’s and founded GAA office in the George, St. Kilda in 1993. Grant is the recipient of numerous design awards and has completed many local and international projects, including in Japan and Macau.

Councillor Gateway Ward and Mayor, City of Port Phillip

Cr Heather Cunsolo

Cr Heather Cunsolo is the Mayor of City of Port Phillip and a Gateway Ward councillor. With a background in architecture, small business and mediation, Heather looks forward to the Design and Development Awards continuing to build bridges between residents, designers, businesses and Council. Heather has experience in bringing people together to see vibrancy in the City’s streets and the beautification of public spaces.

As the City of Port Phillip grows, she is also keen that the Awards continue to support and celebrate quality property development as an example to the industry.

Head of City Design, City of Port Phillip

Craig McLean

Craig has led the City Design team at Council for seven years. During this time, he has also had roles leading teams across transport, design, sustainability and planning.

Prior to working at the City of Port Phillip Craig worked in Amsterdam for 10 years on public space, transport, spatial planning and design research projects. This international background provided a solid foundation for engaging with community and stakeholders to deliver high quality and sustainable outcomes across disciplines.

Craig focuses on leading teams to collaboratively deliver a portfolio of complex urban design projects, policies and strategies. He is passionate about cities, the public realm and the power of design to improve places, processes and lives.

Previous Award winners and finalists

2022 Award winners

Download the Design and Development Awards 2022 Exhibition Catalogue (PDF 4 MB) for full details of winners and shortlisted projects.