The winners of the Western Architecture Awards were announced at Heritage House in Whanganui on 11 May. The awards are part of the New Zealand Architecture Awards programme run by the New Zealand Institute of Architects. This year’s jury was made up of Whanganui architects Sophie Ross (convenor) and Duncan Sinclair, architect Heather Hocken from Palmerston North, and Pat de Pont, an Auckland architect. 

Ross said, “We were continually impressed by the ways architects in our region are innovating and applying new technologies to help keep project costs to a minimum, problem solve, and give their work an identity that suits local history and culture.” 

She continued, “A special mention must go to the New Plymouth practice BOON [formerly Boon Goldsmith Bhasker Brebner Team Architects], which won five awards this year and, as such, can be considered a leading light in the practice of architecture in the region.”

Housing Awards

Leuthart House by BOON

The first award for BOON goes to this inner-city New Plymouth house which was praised by the jury for the sophistication of its siting. The jury noted, “The variety of outdoor living spaces and the manner in which the external envelope has been manipulated to accentuate views, constitute an outstanding celebration of the location.”

L + D House by BOON

The foundation for the design of this New Plymouth house is simple and rational planning. The jury said this allowed “this well-mannered addition to the neighbourhood to maximise the envelope of its narrow (sub)urban site”. 

“Each of the main spaces has a unique connection to the outdoors that extends beyond the walls of the house to the limits of the site boundary,” the jury commented.

Elliott House by Designgroup Stapleton Elliott

The effect of the cladding used on this house is described as “Mondrian-esque”, the jury says. “Inside, the floor drops away and the volume opens into living areas with views to the Manawatu plains and Ruahine Ranges on the horizon,” they continue. 

Hamblyn House by Gibbons Architect

The jury commented that though this house had a “strong presence on its corner site”, it was not overpowering. “This house is also elegant and restrained, thanks to a material palette that is layered both vertically and horizontally.”

Heritage Award

Tui Brewery Tower Strengthening by Tennent+Brown Architects

This building is a great example of how a Category 1 listed building can be upgraded to 100 per cent of the National Building Standard and remain true to the original design of the project. The jury described the project as a “skilful piece of work”.

“The Architects have skillfully worked with the client, engineers and Heritage New Zealand to deliver this complex seismic upgrade that involved base isolators and sliders, minimal steel bracing and post tension cables. The successful seismic restoration has minimized the impact on the existing building fabric to maintain the layers of history which will be celebrated in the future,” the jury said.

Enduring Architecture Award

New Plymouth Telephone Exchange by Boon Goldsmith Architects

“From the moment of arrival, this building reaches out to you. Drawing you in, clever use of natural light leads you up the stair and onto a spacious office floor. A combination of high ceilings, low windows and exterior planting provides a feeling of space and calm (a rare enough experience in any new office building). An elevated patio, surely one of New Plymouth’s best outdoor spaces, delivers views of the city and sea. Carefully composed elevations provide the passer by with a well-considered addition to the streetscape,” the jury said.

Education Award

Wildbase Hospital and Administration Building by Studio of Pacific Architecture and Lab-works Architecture in association

This building is a cornerstone of Massey University’s veterinary school and is described by the jury as a space that “provides a much-needed public face for the school and is a unifying element on campus”.

Commercial Architecture Awards

North Taranaki Sport and Recreation Centre by BOON

The jury was impressed with how the architects produced such a valuable community centre while working within a tight budget and closely considering local community members.

“By successfully incorporating a range of different uses and employing innovative and sustainable materials in the design, the architects have provided a facility that celebrates, engages with and is meaningful to the local community,” they said.

Property Brokers Building by Designgroup Stapleton Elliott

This project was designed to be a flagship head office for a Palmerston North real estate agency. The inclusion of a garden and café, which encourages public interaction, was particularly noteworthy to the judges. The jury also praised the way the architects accommodated a workplace change saying, “Bold and sophisticated building masses run the length of this building, enabling a logical flow based on centralised circulation and shared rooms – and, importantly, the potential for future flexibility.” 

Te Henui Chapel by Jackson Architects

This is a former workshop that has been “skilfully reinterpreted as an elegant space suitable for reflection and celebration” according to the jury. “[The building] provides a welcome sense of shelter and protection to visitors at a time when emotions are heightened.”

Public Architecture Award

Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom by Bossley Architects

This museum in Foxton is a celebration of the region’s combination of Dutch and Māori culture, and the result is a truly unique building. 

“The museum is the result of a decade of politicking, but the impact of this wholly appropriate and apparently simple stroke of genius on the town of Foxton has been immense,” the jury commented. They continue, “This project showcases the best of what architecture can contribute to our communities.”

Small Project Architecture Awards

Mexi-az by 242am Architects

Of this Mexican-inspired street food eatery in Palmerston North the jury said, “It is a contemporary solution derived from the traditional aspects of Mexico with a compact yet functional layout that has been woven together with vivid colour and earthy tones.” They concluded that it is a “neat little statement”.

TDBD IPC unit by BOON

The jury described this design for Taranaki Base Hospital’s Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit as a “small but challenging project”.

They continued by saying, “However, the architects have achieved a practical and positive result for the staff and users. Cleverly planned for connectivity, and with a generous amount of shared space, the design has created a space that feels safe and secure, while also comfortable and calm. This is a real asset for the community.”

All winners of the 2018 Western Architecture Awards are eligible for shortlisting in the New Zealand Architecture Awards, which will be decided later in the year, and announced in November.