The Australian Institute of Architects welcomes Infrastructure Australia's 2026 Infrastructure Priority List, highlighting 68 key projects for transport, water, freight, and energy—but insists design thinking must drive this work to deliver lasting value.
National President Adam Haddow FRAIA emphasised: "Establishing priorities is vital, we need to ensure these priorities can also deliver impact, and create liveable and resilient communities to unlock affordable housing."
High-capacity urban transport and climate-resilient water systems are generational gamechangers, but only with strong design leadership will that deliver a boost to productivity and connectivity.
"Good design has a direct bearing on whether infrastructure contributes positively to our communities. Without design leadership we're liable to end up with outcomes that deliver on their primary promise but fail to provide downstream benefits."
The Institute is calling for a Federal Government Architect to champion quality, coordinate portfolios, and ensure public benefit in Commonwealth projects—avoiding siloed engineering. This role would integrate design from approvals to completion, fostering measurable outcomes without duplicating planners or local efforts.
"A National Government Architect would strengthen coordination across governments and agencies, help embed design quality in delivery pathways, and support practical solutions that improve certainty, and reduce time frames, while growing community trust and long-term value."
The Institute said the Priority List's emphasis on net zero and a clean energy economy also highlights the importance of decarbonisation as part of infrastructure decision-making.
"The infrastructure decisions we make now will shape Australia's emissions profile and built environment performance for decades," Mr Haddow said.
"If decarbonisation is a national priority, then design quality, material efficiency and whole-of-life performance must be considered from the beginning, not retrospectively. We need to design for it rather than try to shove it in after the fact!"
The need to ensure the construction workforce is in place must also be considered. Australia is facing a worker shorter across infrastructure areas, especially in our regions. Investment and planning in infrastructure needs to consider training, and professional skills development along with bricks and steel.
"As Australia invests in the infrastructure needed for the coming decade, we must focus not only on what gets built, but also on how we build it – we need to design the systems to actually deliver. Without considering the development eco system we'll fall short because we don't have enough people on the tools," Mr Haddow said.
"This is why good design thinking must be embedded from the outset."
About us:
The Australian Institute of Architects (Institute) is the peak body for the architectural profession in Australia. It is an independent, national member organisation with around 13,000 members across Australia and overseas. The Institute exists to advance the interests of members, their professional standards and contemporary practice, and expand and advocate the value of architects and architecture to the sustainable growth of our communities, economy and culture. The Institute actively works to maintain and improve the quality of our built environment by promoting better, responsible and environmental design.
