The Canberra House Pattern Book Design Competition is calling on architects and building designers from across Australia to help design the future of housing in Canberra. We are seeking medium-density home designs, including dual occupancies, tri-occupancies, townhouses and terrace housing, that are sustainable, affordable and suited to how Canberrans live at every stage of life, from raising a family to ageing in place.

Winning designs will become part of the Canberra House Pattern Book, a library of pre-designed, pre-qualified home plans that can be used to deliver quality housing faster.

Master of Architecture students can also enter the student category, which is separate from the main competition. Two students will each win $5,500 (Incl. GST). Student entries are not included in the Pattern Book designs.

Enter the Design Competition
Submit your expression of interest

Shape how Canberra grows

The Canberra House Pattern Book Design Competition is a two-stage national design competition, facilitated by the ACT Government and supported by the Australian Institute of Architects ACT Chapter.

The competition will help develop the Canberra House Pattern Book, a collection of high-quality housing designs for four missing middle housing typologies:

  • Dual occupancy
  • Tri-occupancy
  • Townhouses
  • Terrace housing

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to develop detailed designs, and winning entrants will have the opportunity to work with the ACT Government to refine their designs for inclusion in the Canberra House Pattern Book. Published designs will be available for builders, developers and landowners to use, helping deliver quality housing more efficiently across Canberra.

There may also be opportunities for selected designs to inform future demonstration housing projects in the ACT.

Competition objectives

The competition aims to:

  • Encourage innovative, design-led approaches to missing middle housing.
  • Develop best-practice designs that align with the ACT Missing Middle Housing Design Guide.
  • Deliver adaptable housing designs that respond to a range of sites and neighbourhood contexts across Canberra.
  • Support sustainable, cost-effective and buildable housing outcomes.
  • Explore how innovative design and modern construction methods can improve housing delivery.
  • Bring together leading architects, building designers and emerging professionals from across Australia.
  • Identify outstanding housing concepts that may contribute to future demonstration housing projects in the ACT.

Design principles

All competition entries must demonstrate how they align with the four core design principles of the ACT Missing Middle Housing Design Guide [PDF 15.9 MB]. Designs should take a holistic approach that responds to site, place and community while delivering high-quality, sustainable and liveable homes.

Respond to neighbourhood context and character

Designs should respond positively to the surrounding built and landscape context, contributing to neighbourhood character, identity and sense of place while accommodating contemporary housing needs.

Contribute to healthy and safe communities

Designs should promote health, safety, accessibility and social connection through high-quality homes, streets and shared spaces that support wellbeing, inclusion and positive community outcomes.

Encourage sustainable design practices

Designs should demonstrate best-practice environmental performance by optimising energy efficiency, resource use, climate responsiveness and long-term resilience while reducing environmental impacts.

Support housing diversity and community needs

Designs should provide flexible, adaptable and inclusive housing solutions that respond to a range of household types, life stages and living arrangements, supporting greater housing choice and more resilient communities.

How the competition works

  • Stage 1: Expression of Interest. Architects, building designers and Master of Architecture students register their interest.
  • Stage 2: Design competition. Shortlisted applicants are invited to develop their concept designs.
  • Stage 3: Pattern Book development. Winning designs are developed in detail and published in the Pattern Book.
  • Stage 4: Demonstration. There may be opportunities to deliver future demonstration projects.

These stages apply to the main competition. The student category runs separately.

Key dates
  • Expressions of interest open: 26 October 2026
  • Expressions of interest close: 2pm, 3 December 2026
  • Shortlisted applicants notified: December 2026 / January 2027
  • Design competition period: 1 February 2027 to 30 April 2027

Who can enter

Professional category

The professional category is open to architects and building designers. Entrants must nominate an individual, team or consortium that includes a person registered as an architect in an Australian jurisdiction, or a building designer.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to develop detailed designs, and winning designs will be published in the Pattern Book.

Student category

Are you a Master of Architecture student? Enter the student category for a chance to win $5,500 (Incl. GST). Two students will each take home the prize.

You need to be currently enrolled in a recognised Master of Architecture degree or course, completion of which will entitle you to future registration as an architect.

The student category is separate from the main competition. Student winners will not be invited to the design development stage, and student designs will not be included in the final designs published in the Pattern Book.

logo of Australian Institute of Architects

The Australian Institute of Architects is supportive of the Canberra House Pattern Book Design Competition and its objectives to promote high-quality housing outcomes for the ACT community.