2026 Shortlist
We are delighted to announce the EHD2026 Awards shortlist
The Awards aim to have a significant influence on the creation of healthcare environments that promote health and wellness, embed quality improvement, and support the delivery of treatment and care in an accessible, sustainable and equitable way.
Awards Lead Partner
Design for large-scale healthcare infrastructure
Supported by
This award recognises excellence in the design, planning and delivery of major healthcare infrastructure projects that demonstrate outstanding architectural vision, clinical functionality and long-term strategic value. The category celebrates projects that advance models of care, promote sustainable and resilient estate strategies, and deliver exceptional patient, staff and community outcomes.
The live judging webinar for this category will be held on 13 May, 09.00–10.45 (BST) – click here to register
Lead judge: Kate Copeland, Australian Health Design Council, Australia
Panel judges: Matthew Holmes, Jacobs, Australia; Paul Bell, Ryder Architecture, UK
Commissioned by General Hospital Diest
Designed by Archipelago in collaboration with Gortemaker Algra Feenstra architects
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Commissioned by Victorian Health Building Authority
Designed by COX Architecture + Billard Leece Partnership
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Commissioned by Shenzhen Children's Hospital
Designed by Nickl & Partner Architectural Design Consulting (Beijing) & Zhubo Design Co
Constructed by Shenzhen Municipal Government Engineering & Construction Bureau
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Design for small to medium-scale healthcare infrastructure
An outstanding healthcare project in a community, primary or tertiary care setting that demonstrates high levels of sustainability and urban integration, transforming the quality of care services in an accessible location, and supporting the integrated needs of staff, patients and the community.
The live judging webinar for this category will be held on 5 May, 09.00–10.45 (BST) – click here to register
Lead judge: Nicola Bertrand, Asklepios, Germany
Panel judges: Stephanie Costelloe, BVN, Australia; Tushar Gupta, Stantec, USA
Commissioned by Ipse de Bruggen
Designed by Gortemaker Algra Feenstra architects
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Commissioned by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Designed by Corstorphine & Wright Architects
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Future healthcare design (unbuilt projects)
Supported by
Recognising visionary, unbuilt healthcare infrastructure projects that explore innovative responses to emerging health, social and environmental challenges. It celebrates speculative, conceptual or planned schemes that reimagine future models of care, integrate advanced technologies, and propose resilient, adaptable and sustainable healthcare environments.
The live judging webinar for this category will be held on 6 May, 14.00–15.45 (BST) – click here to register
Lead judge: Cliff Harvey, Grand River Hospital/St. Mary’s General Hospital, Canada
Panel judges: Bill Hercules, WJH Health, USA; Benjamin Bassin, Blue Cottage of CannonDesign, USA
Commissioned by Great Ormond Street Hospital
Designed by LDA Design
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Commissioned by Department of Health and Wellness, Government of Prince Edward Island
Designed by HDR Architecture Associates Inc., in association with Sable ARC
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Commissioned by Houston Methodist
Designed by Stantec
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Mental health design
Supported by
Recognising excellence in the design, planning and delivery of environments that support mental healthcare treatment, recovery and wellbeing. It celebrates schemes that demonstrate a deep understanding of therapeutic and trauma-informed design, person-centred care and clinical safety. The category honours projects that create safe, dignified and restorative spaces, balancing clinical and security requirements with warmth, autonomy, access to nature and a sense of hope.
The live judging webinar for this category will be held on 8 May, 08.00–09.45 (BST) – click here to register
Lead judge: Beatrice Fraenkel, Design in Mental Health Network, UK
Panel judges: Danny Gibson, MJ Medical, UK; Tara Veldman, Billard Leece Partnership, Australia
Commissioned and designed by Nightingale Hospital
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Commissioned by Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
Designed by Wiltshire Swain Architects
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Design for health and life sciences
Supported by
Recognising excellence in the design, planning and delivery of infrastructure that supports health and life sciences research, innovation and translation into clinical practice. The category honours schemes that demonstrate outstanding technical performance, flexibility and future-readiness, while fostering collaboration, discovery and the advancement of human health.
The live judging webinar for this category will be held on 8 May, 11.00–12.15 (BST) – click here to register
Lead judge: Peter Ward, Abzyme, UK
Panel judges: Mohammed Ayoub, HDR, USA; Richard Mann, AECOM, UK
Commissioned by Life and Mind Building Oxford Limited
Designed by NBBJ
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Commissioned by NSW Health (Health Infrastructure and Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network) in collaboration with Children’s Cancer Institute
Designed by Billard Leece Partnership
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Design for neighbourhood health
Supported by
This award recognises healthcare developments that actively promote population health, wellness and healthy living beyond traditional hospital settings. It celebrates schemes that provide a catalyst for healthier neighbourhoods and more equitable communities by integrating with the public realm, landscaping and green infrastructure, active travel corridors, housing and regeneration projects that embed health into daily life. The category honours design approaches that contribute to environmental quality, support healthy behaviours and early intervention and strengthen social connection.
The live judging webinar for this category will be held on 14 May, 12.00–13.45 (BST) – click here to register
Lead judge: John Cooper,JCA, UK
Panel judges: Charlotte Ruben, White Arkitekter, Sweden; Ruairi Reeves, Medical Architecture, UK
Commissioned by Anishawbe Health Toronto
Designed by Stantec & Two Row Architect
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Commissioned by London Borough of Southwark and Notting Hill Genesis
Designed by Morris+Company and MGAC (formerly RLF)
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Commissioned by Ministry of Health and Medical Services
Designed by Jacobs
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Design for adaptation and transformation
This award recognises excellence in the adaptation, reuse and transformation of existing healthcare and non-healthcare infrastructure to meet changing models of care, evolving clinical needs and future system demands. It celebrates projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to refurbishment, repurposing, expansion and reconfiguration, delivering renewed value from existing assets while improving quality, efficiency and user experience.
The live judging webinar for this category will be held on 11 May, 14.00–15.15 (BST) – click here to register
Lead judge: Jim Chapman, Manchester School of Architecture, UK
Panel judges: Christine Chadwick, Archus Canada, Canada; Christopher Shaw, past-chair, Architects for Health, UK
Commissioned by South Kerrier Alliance CIC
Designed by MJ Medical
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Interior design and the arts
This award recognises excellence in the integration of interior design and the arts within healthcare environments to enhance wellbeing, support healing and enrich the human experience of care. It celebrates projects that demonstrate how thoughtful materiality, colour, lighting, furniture, artwork, cultural expression and sensory design can create welcoming, inclusive and restorative spaces for patients, staff and visitors.
The live judging webinar for this category will be held on 7 May, 11.00–12.45 (BST) – click here to register
Lead judge: Ruth Charity, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Panel judges: Mohammed Ul-Haq, HLM Architects, UK; Femke Feenstra, Gortemaker Algra Feenstra architects, Netherlands
Commissioned by Fondazione Salus Pueri Onlus
Designed by DU IT
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Commissioned by Exemplar Health
Designed by Bates Smart and Architectus
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Commissioned by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Designed by Arcadis
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Excellence in healthcare planning
This award recognises outstanding healthcare planning that enables more effective, efficient, and accessible clinical service delivery. It celebrates projects and strategic plans that introduce new models of care, leverage technology, and improve access, capacity, flow, and flexibility across healthcare systems.
The live judging webinar for this category will be held on 7 May, 08.00–09.45 (BST) – click here to register
Lead judge: Rhonda Kerr, Australasian Association of Health Planners, Australia
Panel judges: Jaime Bishop, Architects for Health, UK; Jonathan Erskine, European Health Property Network, UK
Commissioned by Ministry of Health and Medical Services
Led and developed by Jacobs
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Delivered by Plenary Health consortium, with VIDA Health and Western Health
Developed by COX Architecture + Billard Leece Partnership
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Healthcare interiors product
Recognising excellence in the design and innovation of healthcare interior products, including fixtures and furnishings created specifically for clinical and care environments. It celebrates products that enhance safety, comfort, dignity, functionality, and wellbeing for patients, residents, visitors, and staff, while meeting the complex demands of infection control, durability, sustainability, and inclusive design.
The live judging webinar for this category will be held on 6 May, 16.15–17.15 (BST) – click here to register
Lead judge: Lara Kaiser, Perkins&Will, Brazil
Panel judges: Kate Bradley, MJ Medical, UK
Designed by HKS and developed in partnership with DIRTT Construction Systems
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Healthcare design research
Supported by
This award recognises outstanding research that advances knowledge, innovation, and evidence-based practice in healthcare design and infrastructure. It celebrates studies that deepen understanding of how the built environment, technology, spatial planning, and user-centred design can improve health outcomes, enhance patient and staff experience, support wellbeing, and increase operational efficiency across all healthcare settings.
The shortlist and live judging webinar for this award will be announced shortly.
Lead judge: Göran Lindahl, Chalmers University of Technology, Centre for Healthcare Architecture, Sweden
Panel judges: Deborah Wingler, HKS, USA; Grant Mills, University College London, UK
