The New Zealand Institute of Architects has opened entries for the annual Warren Trust Awards for Architectural Writing. The competition is comprised of the open category and the secondary school category. This year, organisers are asking for submissions in both categories to cover the topic: “What’s the best building you’ve been to? Describe it, and say why you like it.”

Essays in the open category should be no more than 1500 words and essays in the secondary school category should be no more than 800 words. Submit your essays to writingawards@nzia.co.nz by 10 September 2018. Winners will be announced in October.  

Cash prizes of $2000 and $1000 will be given to the winners of the open category and the secondary school category, respectively. Additionally, up to three highly commended awards, each with a prize of $500, may be given out.

The competition began in 2015 supported by the New Zealand Institute of Architects along with the Warren Architects’ Education Charitable Trust. Spokesperson for the Institute John Walsh says, “The Institute of Architects wants to promote an informed critical culture, and we are especially keen to give younger writers an incentive to write about architecture. We hope, also, that the competition will appeal to people, generally, who enjoy the craft of writing and the challenges of an essay-type format.”

Judges for this year’s awards are communications manager for the New Zealand Institute of Architects, John Walsh, Massey University Press publisher, Nicola Legat and Warren Trustee and Christchurch architect, Richard McGowan.

Find out more about the awards and read essays from the past winners here.