Nine projects were honoured this year at the local awards for the Nelson/Marlborough branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, held on 30 May at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson. 

The awards jury was made up of convenor and Nelson architect Simon Hall, Christchurch architect Jasper van der Lingen, architect Richard Sellars and landscape architect Heidi Stewart, both based in Nelson.

Winners: Housing

Ryan House by Arthouse Architects

The jury lauded this project for the way it created a cohesive design by “stitching together” gabled forms around white brick walls. They said, “Inside and out, the well-composed palette of natural timber and stone underscores the calm and tranquil atmosphere. 

Ngāhere Hou by Tennent+Brown Architects 

The home for this challenging site was prefabricated in modules and then “skilfully crafted and arranged into a gentle arc to create a highly liveable and fully off-grid house,” the judges said. 

Coastal Cabin by Upoko Architects

This six-cubic-metre cabin is “hidden away in the domain of nīkau palms and tree ferns” is “emblematic of the adventure and rugged spirit of the West Coast”, the jury said.

Winner: Housing – Multi-unit 

Rooftop Terraces by Redbox Architects

These units are wrapped in perforated aluminium and, as the name suggests, feature private rooftop spaces. The jury commented that the project demonstrates how “all the desirable aspects of suburban living might be transferred to an urban environment”.

Winner: Housing – Alterations and Additions

Nelson House Alteration by Sharon Jansen – Architect

The architect completed a “sympathetic renovation of a modernist house originally designed by Austrian-New Zealand architect Ernst Plischke,” the NZIA reports. The judges said that the redesign “pares back prior additions to the original envelope” and “carefully reconfigures the interior to create an enhanced and light filled environment”.

Winner: Education and Heritage 

Nelson Centre of Musical Arts by Irving Smith Architects and Ian Bowman Architect & Conservator in association

“The two awards for the Nelson Centre of Musical Arts recognise exceptional work by home-town architects,” the jury said. “The School of Music’s spatial configuration and exceptional acoustic qualities are ideal for performance and practice. 

“In the process of re-establishing the building’s lost grandeur, the architects have made transformational changes that extend the range of opportunities and activities available in the city.”

Winners: Public Architecture

Waitohi Whare Mātauranga – Picton Library by Athfield Architects

The jury noted, “This building is so much more than just a library; it incorporates a service centre, community space, courtyard and pocket park. Clad in cedar, and with sloped and subtly curved walls, this ‘vessel’ wraps around the Dublin and High St corner to form a ‘living room’ for the community.” 

Airways Nelson Control Tower by Studio Pacific Architecture

The jury was impressed with the way this project met the practical requirements of an airport
control tower while placing good design at the forefront. They said, “The six-level structure is a sculpted and tapered sentinel that stands proudly in the airfield surrounds.”

Winner: Small Project Architecture

Brownie’s by C Nott Architects

“Brownie’s is an exemplar of the possibilities of rural living”, the jury commented. “Planned in a square, and with a 90 square metre footprint, the house makes clever use of a loft and an enclosed atrium courtyard that provides shelter in all conditions.”

All winners of the 2019 Nelson/Marlborough Architecture Awards are eligible to win the New Zealand Architecture Awards, which are announced in November.