In 2024 the NSW Architects Registration Board awarded 5 scholarships to the total value of $145,000.

The Byera Hadley Travelling Scholarship is Australia’s largest and longest-running bequest of its type. Byera Hadley, an esteemed architect and educator at the Sydney Technical College around the turn of the Twentieth Century, envisioned a future where architects are globally informed and locally impactful. His bequest has enabled generations of architects to expand their horizons and contribute significantly to the field of architecture in Australia.

Successful applicants receive $15,000 to $30,000 in funding to cover flights, accommodation, and expenses. The scholarship requires travel, followed by a report that shares the results of the scholarship, which are published by the NSW Architects Registration Board. Applications for Byera Hadley Travelling Scholarships open in July each year and close on 31 August. The scholarships are presented with the assistance of the Byera Hadley Travelling Scholarship fund, which is administered by Perpetual.

2024 Byera Hadley Travelling Scholarship recipients include:

Graduate Category

Bobbie Bayley

Cool Living in 'Hot Dry' Climates

Bobbie’s project addresses the critical need for improved thermal comfort in existing remote Aboriginal community housing, especially as climate change exacerbates challenges in poorly performing homes. Cool Living proposes a framework and tools to enhance thermal comfort, aiming to capture both grassroots and high-level approaches to climate adaptation in these communities.

Marston Bowen

Cultivation and Salvation in Architecture

Marston’s research confronts the construction industry’s reliance on resource extraction, promoting alternatives that reduce waste and landfill. This project explores sustainable practices worldwide and seeks to provide architects with actionable, responsible methods that integrate these principles into their work.

Sarah Slattery

Let’s Get Moving: New Directions in Sports Architecture and Urban Planning

Sarah’s study explores innovative architectural solutions for increasing community engagement in physical activity. Her research across Europe will examine sports and hybrid facilities, aiming to inspire new inclusive models in Australian design that cater to all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

Joshua Zoeller

Sheds & Beds: Industrial-Led Mixed Use

Joshua’s project investigates the emerging typology of industrial-led mixed-use spaces that integrate work and residential life. By analysing successful international examples, he aims to propose designs that address urban challenges while supporting flexible employment, community cohesion, and innovation.

Student Category

Dr Jason Dibbs

Edgelands: The Creek and the Aerotropolis

Jason’s project examines urban ‘edgelands’—often-overlooked transitional spaces—and explores the cultural and environmental narratives surrounding South Creek and its intersection with the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. This research strives to develop a unique language to interpret and honour these in-between landscapes.

Zoe Skinner

Honouring the Memory of a Life Still Lived: Designing Environments for Dignity, Purpose, and Connection in Dementia

Zoe will examine dementia-supportive architecture, drawing on models from Japan and Denmark that emphasise social inclusion, nature, and autonomy. The research explores how individuals respond to environments, deepening our understanding of compassionate design for evolving cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioural needs.