AURA by Aqualand awarded Australia’s Best Residential High Rise at 2025 Asia Pacific Property Awards
North Sydney’s AURA by Aqualand has been taken out the Best Residential High Rise Development - Australia, at the 2025 Asia Pacific International Property Awards.
The win positions AURA among the top-tier developments in the region, recognising the project’s architectural strength and contribution to urban renewal in the Lower North Shore.
Developed by Aqualand Australia and designed by Woods Bagot, AURA is one of the most significant new builds to emerge from North Sydney’s current wave of transformation.
Located adjacent to the new Victoria Cross Metro Station, the development occupies a prominent site that is both physically and symbolically central to the area’s growth into a denser, more connected urban precinct.
The Asia Pacific International Property Awards are part of a globally recognised program that evaluates real estate projects across architecture, sustainability, and overall contribution to the built environment. The “Best Residential High Rise - Australia” category highlights projects that elevate apartment living standards while responding to their urban context.
AURA’s design draws heavily from the surrounding harbour landscape. Its curved form references Sydney’s sandstone cliffs and foreshore, while the building’s sculpted exterior enhances light and airflow to the residences.
Woods Bagot Principal Jason Fraser, who led the project, described the design intent as “creating a building that responds to its site both visually and experientially.”
“We’re honoured to have helped bring AURA by Aqualand to life. This recognition captures the spirit behind our creative concept, which was to create a striking addition to Sydney’s skyline that people are proud to call home.”
The architecture aims to integrate with the evolving cityscape of North Sydney while establishing a distinctive identity for the building and its residents.
AURA offers 386 apartments ranging from one to four bedrooms. Interiors, by Richard Stanisich, focuses on spacious layouts and contemporary materials.
Beyond its residential offering, AURA is designed as a mixed-use precinct. The ground plane has been developed with a focus on permeability and activation, offering new hospitality venues including a bakery, providore, wine bar, Japanese restaurant, and LA-inspired bistro. These additions reflect broader trends in inner-urban residential development, where amenity and street-level engagement are increasingly prioritised.
The inclusion of concierge services and shared wellness and recreation spaces is consistent with the growing expectation that apartment developments deliver a well-rounded resident experience.
The award comes as North Sydney experiences one of the most significant urban shifts in its history, spurred by infrastructure investment and rezoning initiatives.
The completion of the Victoria Cross Station and upgrades to the surrounding public space have made the area more attractive to developers and owner-occupiers alike.
AURA is complete and move-in ready.
Joel Robinson
Joel Robinson is the Editor in Chief at Apartments.com.au, where he leads the editorial team and oversees the country’s most comprehensive news coverage dedicated to the off the plan property market. With more than a decade of experience in residential real estate journalism, Joel brings deep insight into Australia’s evolving development landscape.
He holds a degree in Business Management with a major in Journalism from Leeds Beckett University in the UK, and has developed a particular expertise in off the plan apartment space. Joel’s editorial lens spans the full lifecycle of a project—from site acquisition and planning approvals through to new launches, construction completions, and final sell-out—delivering trusted, buyer-focused content that supports informed decision-making across the property journey
