UDIA WA Awards 2026: What Won, and What It Means for Modular Housing
West Residences by Willing took the top honour at the 2026 UDIA WA Awards for Excellence. Co-living, townhouses, masterplanned estates and seniors housing also won, a result that points to where Western Australia's housing demand is heading.
Willing's West Residences in Mount Lawley has been named Western Australia's best urban development of 2026. It won the Russel Perry Award for Urban Development Excellence, the top prize at the UDIA WA Awards for Excellence, as well as the Apartments (Mid-Rise) category.
The awards are run by the Western Australian division of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA WA). Independent industry professionals assess entries for design, sustainability, liveability, community outcomes, innovation and project delivery. The 2026 gala dinner was scheduled for .
In a column for Australian Property Investor (API) Magazine on , UDIA WA chief executive Tanya Steinbeck said this year's winners show that quality housing now comes in many forms. Her organisation runs the awards.
2026 winners at a glance
| Category | Project – Developer | Recognised for |
|---|---|---|
| Russel Perry Award + Apartments (Mid-Rise) | West Residences – Willing (Mount Lawley) | Delivering a refined project despite significant site and planning constraints, in keeping with an established suburb |
| Apartments (High-Rise) | Rivière Residences – Edge Visionary Living | Architecture, resident amenity and public spaces including a library and hospitality venues |
| Design | Oasis Mount Pleasant – DevelopWise | Distinctive architecture, rooftop amenity and riverside setting |
| Medium Density | Cygnus Parade – Linic Group | A mix of townhouses, apartments and lofts for first-home buyers through to multigenerational families |
| Boutique Development | Kingsway Townhouses – Forge Developments (Nedlands) | Premium townhouses with adaptable floorplans and a focus on long-term liveability |
| Affordable Housing | The HMO Coliving Model, Jacqueline Street, Bayswater – The HMO Property Co | Managed co-living with private bedrooms and ensuites plus shared living space |
| Masterplanned Communities | Sienna Wood – Stockland and DevelopmentWA | Open space, affordable and shared-equity homes, a town centre and environmental initiatives |
| Residential Subdivision | Atwater Rockingham – Cedar Woods | Turning a former caravan park site into new housing |
| Seniors Living | Halcyon Wildflower – Stockland | Accessible homes, resort-style facilities and sustainability credentials |
| Urban Renewal | Perth City Link – DevelopmentWA | Reconnecting the Perth CBD with Northbridge through a mixed-use precinct |
| Sustainability | 1909 Subi East – DevelopmentWA | Sustainability built in from demolition to operation on the former Princess Margaret Hospital site |
Source: UDIA WA official winners list; project descriptions as summarised by Tanya Steinbeck in API Magazine.
Other 2026 winners included Ocean Grand by Blackburne (Marketing), the Elizabeth Baillie Redevelopment Project by the Town of Victoria Park (Social & Community Infrastructure), the City of Wanneroo (Local Government Authority of the Year) and Okeland Communities (Team of the Year). Judges Awards went to Foundation Housing's Kenwick Specialist Disability Accommodation and Exal Group's Yugo Perth University Campus.
What the results signal
The analysis below is AusMod20K's own reading of the results. It is not the view of UDIA WA or the judging panel.
Affordable housing is being rewarded as innovation. The Affordable Housing winner is a professionally managed co-living model that Steinbeck described as scalable and affordable. Repeatable, scalable product is the same principle behind modular housing.
Medium density is a growth lane. Steinbeck highlighted townhouses, lofts and mixed housing types aimed at downsizers and multigenerational families. This is the "missing middle" between detached homes and high-rise towers.
A constrained infill site took the top prize. West Residences was recognised for overcoming significant site and planning constraints. The award recognised design and planning outcomes, not construction method. Even so, tight urban lots are where off-site construction can reduce disruption on site and shorten build times.
Government land agencies are active partners. DevelopmentWA is involved in three winning projects: Sienna Wood, Perth City Link and 1909 Subi East.
Buyer segments are diversifying. Seniors Living is a dedicated award category. Sienna Wood's shared-equity homes show that affordability programs now sit inside mainstream estates. Both are segments where cost certainty and delivery speed matter to buyers.
What happens next
Under the program's rules, eligible state category winners can go on to represent Western Australia at the UDIA National Awards for Excellence. UDIA WA has published the 2026 finalists and winners in its Winners Showcase magazine. Dates for the 2027 program had not been published in the material reviewed for this article.