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Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
Circulars

2026 URA Architectural Heritage Awards: Open call for submissions

2 March 2026

Tags

Conservation

Circular No : URA/PB/2026/02-CUDG

Our Ref : DC/ADMIN/CIRCULAR/PB_26

CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES

Who Should Know:
Architects, Conservation Property Owners, Developers, Contractors, Engineers, Conservation Specialists

Effective Date:
2 March 2026

  1. URA is pleased to announce that the 2026 Architectural Heritage Awards (AHA) is now open for submissions. The Awards give recognition to owners, professionals, contractors and stakeholders who have gone beyond the basic essentials to restore gazetted national monuments and conserved buildings or add new buildings that are well-integrated into their historic context. They serve to set a high standard for others to follow.

  2. There are five categories of awards:

    1. Award for Conservation*
      This is for gazetted heritage buildings which largely retains the original building envelope.

    2. Award for Conservation & Innovation*
      This is for integrated “old” and “new” project where a new extension is added to the heritage building and/or site.

    3. Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts*
      This is for outstanding independent new building within a national monument, site or conservation area and is well integrated with its historic context.
      *Exceptional projects that excel in all assessment criteria may be accorded an additional mark of Distinction to the award given.

    4. Special Mention
      At the discretion of the Assessment Committee, a project may be conferred ‘Special Mention’ for commendable efforts in some aspects of the restoration work or for partial conservation.

    5. Architectural Heritage Legacy Award
      This award is open to past AHA winners who have at least 10 years# of post-award exemplary management.
      #If the applicant is not the recipient of the initial Award, the building and site must be under the applicant’s management minimally for the past 5 years.

  3. For categories 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d, please note the following:

    1. Application is open to all projects which have obtained Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) or Certificate of Statutory Completion (CSC) for at least one year at the point of submission. 

    2. Projects that do not constitute a full conservation on the entire building may also apply if there are key conserved elements that are done exemplarily (e.g. plaster ornaments, woodwork etc.). For these projects, TOP/CSC clearance or a minimum occupation period is not required. 

    3. Project teams may nominate other stakeholders or allied professionals (e.g. master carpenter/plasterer, glass restorer, landscape architect, researcher etc.) who have contributed significantly to the successful outcome. 

  4. All eligible submissions will be judged by an Assessment Committee chaired by URA’s Chairman and comprising representatives from URA, other government agencies, industry professionals and academia. In addition, shortlisted submissions for the Architectural Heritage Legacy Award will be separately reviewed by an independent knowledge partner to validate the sustained conservation efforts listed in the submissions.

  5. Projects that are largely contemporary interior design works or have unapproved use, illegal works, unresolved planning issues will be disqualified. These criteria will be used to pre-screen applications received at URA’s discretion and will not be assessed by the Assessment Committee.

  6. More details of the Awards, eligibility, assessment criteria, application form and submission requirements can be accessed from the URA website at https://go.gov.sg/ahasg (opens in new tab).

  7. Submissions are to reach the office of the Secretary, URA Architectural Heritage Awards at The URA Centre, 45 Maxwell Road, 4th Storey, Singapore 069118, not later than 5:00 pm on Monday, 4 May 2026.

  8. I would appreciate it if you could convey the contents of this circular to relevant members of your organisation. If you or your members have any queries concerning this circular, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Kelvin Ang, Director (Conservation Management) at Kelvin_Ang@ura.gov.sg.

Thank You.

CHOU MEI (MS)
GROUP DIRECTOR (CONSERVATION AND URBAN DESIGN GROUP)
for CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY