# Northern Territory Enduring Architecture Award

The Northern Territory Enduring Architecture Award is an architecture prize presented annually by the Northern Territory Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) since the inaugural award in 2013. The award recognises significant, long lasting and innovative architecture with usually more than 25 years passed since the completion of construction.

## Background

The Award for Enduring Architecture recognises achievement for the design of buildings of outstanding merit, which have remained important as high quality works of architecture when considered in contemporary cultural, social, economic and environmental contexts in the Northern Territory. Nominations for the award can be made by AIA members, non–members and non–architects, but they must provide adequate material and information supporting the nomination for consideration of the jury.
The average age of the nine projects recognised from 2013 to 2024 is 43 years from completion of construction to year of award.

## National Award Winners

Recipients of the state–based award are eligible for consideration of the National Award for Enduring Architecture presented later in the same year, as part of the Australian National Architecture Awards.
Only one project located in the Northern Territory has won the national award. In 2019 the Ayers Rock Resort (now Sails in the Desert) at Yulara by Philip Cox & Partners won both the local and national award, 35 years after the project was completed in 1984.

## List of award recipients

Northern Territory Enduring Architecture Awards (reverse order) :
| Year | Architect | Project | Location | Year built | Years since | Other AIA Awards |
| 2024 | The Architects Studio | Wesleyan Methdodist Church (now Eva's Cafe) | Knuckey Street & Mitchell Street, Darwin City (1897) then rebuilt in Darwin Botanic Gardens (2001) | 1897 & 2001 | 127 years | |
| 2023 | Meldrum Burrows and Partners (Tim Rogers) | Parliament House and State Square | 15 Mitchell Street, Darwin City | 1994 | 29 years | |
| 2022 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 2021 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 2020 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 2019 | Philip Cox & Partners | Ayers Rock Resort (now Sails in the Desert) | Yulara | 1984 | 35 years | National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2019 Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture, 1985 |
| 2018 | Troppo Architects in association with Glenn Murcutt | Bowali Visitors Centre | Kakadu National Park | 1993 | 25 years | Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture, 1994 Tracy Memorial Award, 1994 (NT Chapter) Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture, 1994 (National Award) People's Choice Award, 1994 (NT Chapter) |
| 2017 | Andrew McPhee | Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church | 4 Hartley Street, Alice Springs | 1969 | 48 years | |
| 2016 | Graeme Whitford for KROMA | Raffles Plaza Apartments | 1 Buffalo Court, Darwin | 1984 | 32 years | |
| 2015 | Guy Maron Architects | Alice Springs Railway Station | George Crescent, Alice Springs | 1980 | 35 years | |
| 2014 | Troppo Architects | Troppoville (group of 8 houses) | Martin Crescent, Coconut Grove | 1983 | 31 years | Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture, 2014 (NT Chapter) |
| 2013 | Woodhead Australia Architects | Vestey's Darwin High School Gymnasium (The Tank) | Atkins Drive, Darwin City | 1987 | 26 years | |

## Gallery of awarded projects

* 2019 Award, Ayers Rock Resort, Yulara, opened 1984
* 2023 Award, Parliament House, Darwin, opened 1994
* 2024 Award, Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia, built 1897