Skip to main content
Biophilic Design Awards 2025
Image: Huff’n”Puff Haus by Marnie Hawson

NOW OPEN!

The Living Future Institute of Australia is excited to announce the opening of applications for the 2025 Biophilic Design Awards. These prestigious awards celebrate outstanding projects that embody the principles and benefits of biophilic design. With a focus on creating spaces that reconnect people to nature, the awards provide a platform to showcase innovative, sustainable design solutions. This year, for the first time, we are thrilled to welcome entrants from New Zealand to apply alongside their Australian counterparts.

 

Applications close Sunday 30th March 2025 at 11:59pm AEDT. All built and occupied Australian and New Zealand projects are eligible to apply. Don’t miss the opportunity to highlight your biophilic design project:

Apply Now

AWARD CATEGORIES

Interiors and Renovations Projects

Sponsored by

Building Scale Projects

Sponsored by

Community and Urban Scale Projects

HOW TO APPLY

STEP 1: COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FORM

Fill out the online application form for your project and pay the $65AUD submission fee.

STEP 2: SUBMIT PROJECT CONTENT

Once the form is completed you’ll receive document submission instructions for:

  • A video narrative of the project (max 5 minutes – this can be very lo-fi e.g. shot on your phone).
  • A biophilic design narrative in PDF format (max 3 pages). As part of this narrative please address the following criteria:
    1. Key biophilic design strategies and their intended outcomes
    2. How key strategies were achieved
    3. First Nations input
    4. Community engagement
    5. Reflection of place
    6. Contribution to education/advocacy about biophilic design
  • A brief summary of biophilic impacts on occupants and operators may include testimonials and other data as appropriate (not to exceed 1 page)
  • 3 -10 project photos
  • A sitemap

PREVIOUS WINNERS

Interiors and Renovations Projects

2024 Winner:
Cancer Council Victoria

Sponsored by

Building Scale Projects

2024 Joint Winner:
Huff'n'Puff Haus

Sponsored by

Building Scale Projects

2024 Joint Winner: Sustainable Building Research Centre (SBRC)

Sponsored by

Community and Urban Scale Projects

2024 Winner: Bendigo Law Court Forecourt

Sponsored by

Interiors and Renovations Projects

2023 Winner:
Pavone House

Case Study

Sponsored by

Building Scale Projects

2023 Winner: Taronga Institute of Science & Learning

Case Study

Sponsored by

Community and Urban Scale Projects

2023 Winner: Bundanon Art Museum & Bridge

Case Study

Sponsored by

INSPIRATION AND PREVIOUS WINNERS

Successful projects will highlight the biophilic design process and notable outcomes. The biophilic design narrative should tie together key design strategies to intended and desired outcomes and should describe how these were achieved. Narratives that affect occupant health, well-being, and orientation to nature will be highly considered. Projects that explore multi-sensory experiences should provide images and videos of significant moments and attributes as well as the story/intent behind them. We encourage submissions to highlight everyday life and the use of spaces.

Submissions will be showcased on the LFIA website as inspiration for local biophilic design projects.

For inspiration, please see previous Biophilic Design Awards winners and the published Stephen R. Kellert Biophilic Design Award case studies.

The Stephen R. Kellert Biophilic Design Awards

The Biophilic Design Award, inspired by the Stephen Kellert awards and administered by the Living Future, honours achievements in creating buildings, interiors, and communities that embody biophilic design principles, continuing Kellert’s legacy of fostering human-nature connection in the built environment.