Warren and Mahoney has been recognised among the world's leading future-focused design practices, with its Melbourne Build-to-Rent development 276 Johnston Street named a winner at the prestigious 2026 WAFX Awards.
Presented by the World Architecture Festival, the WAFX Awards celebrate future projects that address major global challenges through design innovation. The award marks the fourth time Warren and Mahoney's Australian studios have been recognised, following wins for UTS National First Nations College (2024), Alexandria Health Centre (2023) and the North East Link Project (2022).
Designed for MODEL, 276 Johnston Street is a Build-to-Rent development in Abbotsford, adjacent to Victoria Park Station and the rail corridor. The project delivers approximately 230 apartments across three articulated mid-rise buildings, complemented by shared resident amenities and a small commercial offering.
Designed to support a connected, transit-oriented lifestyle, the development prioritises studio and one-bedroom homes alongside generous communal indoor and outdoor spaces, extensive bicycle facilities and carefully integrated vehicle parking.
As Australia's first large-scale apartment development designed to achieve Passivhaus certification, the project sets a new benchmark for residential sustainability. It is designed to reduce operational energy consumption by up to 80 per cent while delivering exceptional thermal comfort and indoor air quality.
Mass timber construction significantly reduces embodied carbon while enabling faster construction, less waste and greater efficiency. The project is targeting a 6 Star Green Star rating, a 9 Star NatHERS rathing, a 50 per cent reduction in embodied carbon,100 per cent renewable energy and net zero operational emissions. Together, these ambitions demonstrate how Build-to-Rent developments can deliver lasting environmental, social and economic value while creating healthier communities.
"This project demonstrates what's possible when sustainability isn't treated as an aspiration, but as the foundation for every design decision," says Warren and Mahoney Principal Simon Topliss.
"276 Johnston Street brings together mass timber construction, Passivhaus principles and Build-to-Rent living at a scale rarely attempted in Australia. It's proof that high-performance housing can also create healthier homes, stronger communities and lasting environmental value. We're incredibly proud to see that vision recognised on the global stage."
About the WAFX Awards
Presented annually as part of the World Architecture Festival, the WAFX Awards recognise future projects that use architecture and design to address major global challenges, including climate change, health, technology, ethics and social equity. Winners are recognised as leading examples of how design can create positive global impact.
