Norwest project wins top national honour at the 2026 National Architecture Awards
30 October 2026: Mulpha’s Lacebark apartment building in Norwest has been named the best multi-residential building in Australia, winning the 2026 Frederick Romberg Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing Award at the National Architecture Awards, the highest honours in Australian architecture.
Presented by the Australian Institute of Architects at a ceremony in Brisbane last night, the National Architecture Awards are contested only by projects that have already won top honours in their home state or territory. Lacebark, designed by Smart Design Studio, was chosen from a field of just six national finalists in the category, and was one of only two contenders from New South Wales.
The national win crowns an exceptional year for the project. Lacebark won the Aaron Bolot Award at the Australian Institute of Architects NSW Award for Excellence for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing in July, and was also recognised by the Urban Taskforce with its Mixed Use Development award, and The Urban Developer by receiving Development of the Year High-Density Residential.
The result places an apartment building in Sydney’s north-west at the very top of Australian residential design, ahead of projects from the nation’s capital-city centres, in a clear signal that world-class architecture is no longer the preserve of the inner city.
Lacebark challenges some of the most entrenched conventions of the Australian apartment tower. After extensive design testing, the podium typically found at the base of residential buildings was removed entirely, allowing the tower to meet the ground directly and opening up the public realm beneath and around it.
Two brick drums extend north from the building to frame the square and anchor the development at street level. Built in hit-and-miss brickwork, they filter light by day and glow at night through integrated internal lighting, creating a landmark on the corner of Norwest Quarter for the commercial unit and the Residents’ Lounge above.
The building’s performance is just as considered as its form. Advanced sun-eye modelling analysed how the sun “sees” the building across the seasons, so that in summer Lacebark presents predominantly solid surfaces, while in winter it opens more glazing to capture warmth.
That analysis produced a fixed passive solar geometry that replaces the mechanical louvres commonly used to shade apartment buildings. In place of moving parts that need ongoing maintenance, Lacebark relies on three permanent elements: angled glazing that captures winter sun from the north-east and north-west, sculpted balconies that shade in summer and recede in winter, and angled solid walls that block unwanted heat.
Mulpha General Manager of Developments Andy Nichols said the national award was a defining moment for the project, for the team behind it and for Norwest.
“To be named the best multi-residential building in Australia is an extraordinary result for Lacebark and for everyone who worked on it,” Mr Nichols said. “We set out to prove that an apartment building in Norwest could be every bit as ambitious as anything being built in our capital cities: a building that works with the climate rather than against it, and gives real space back to the community at ground level.
“To have that ambition recognised by the country’s architecture profession, at the highest level, is a tremendous honour, and our congratulations go to William Smart and the team at Smart Design Studio. Lacebark now sets the benchmark for what residents can expect as we continue to shape Norwest into one of Australia’s great places to live, work and invest.”
Download images: Norwest Award Win
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About Mulpha
Mulpha Australia Pty Limited develops and manages a range of property and lifestyle investments. These include Hayman Island, Intercontinental Hotel Sydney, Sanctuary Cove Resort and Bimbadgen winery. As well as developing the master planned communities of Bella Vista in the Hills District and Mulgoa Rise in Western Sydney, Mulpha Australia is transforming the 377-hectare Norwest Business Park into a world-leading innovation, lifestyle and economic hub, with all the features of a ‘Smart City’.
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Gaynor Reid, Powerhouse Communications
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