Eight Australian projects have been recognised in the 2026 International Architecture Awards, organised by the Chicago Athenaeum and European Centre for Architecture. Among them are two projects by Sydney-based Archer Office, both of which involved Partridge as structural engineer.
The Allan Border Oval Pavilion in Mosman received an award in the Sports and Recreation category, while the Boot Factory and Mill Hill Centre in Bondi Junction was recognised in the Restoration/Renovation category. The latter was delivered with landscape architects Aspect Studios.
For Partridge, the recognition is an opportunity to highlight the structural work behind these projects and the collaboration that made them possible.
At the Allan Border Oval Pavilion, the brief called for an open, inclusive facility serving sporting and civic uses. A key structural requirement was the column-free grandstand. Our team developed a centrally supported canopy system that achieves the required span while keeping the space between the grandstand and playing field open and unobstructed.
The Boot Factory project presented a different set of challenges involving the adaptive reuse of a structurally compromised 1892 industrial building in Bondi Junction, transforming a structure once threatened with demolition into a contemporary civic innovation hub. The project retains and strengthens the original heritage brick walls while completely reconstructing the internal structure using Victorian Ash Glulam, including exposed columns, inverted timber floors and a striking 52-member vaulted roof centred around a skylight.
Innovative temporary works and carefully planned construction sequencing enabled the fragile heritage shell to remain stable while the new structure was installed within its irregular geometry. Combining heritage conservation, expressive engineered timber, material reuse and low-carbon design, the project demonstrates how creative structural engineering can give a condemned building a new purpose while preserving its cultural significance for future generations.
The two projects demonstrate very different structural responses to very different sites. In both cases, our role was to work alongside the architects to develop practical engineering solutions that support the design while meeting the demands of public use, existing structures and long-term performance.
Congratulations to Archer Office and the wider project teams on this international recognition. We’re pleased to have contributed to two projects that bring considered new uses to Sydney’s sporting and heritage landscapes.
Australian projects claim prizes in International Architecture Awards | ArchitectureAu
