Architecture firms Novak and Middleton, Architecture+, DGSE and Studio Pacific Architecture were able to bathe in the reflected glory of an awards event for social housing professionals held in Wellington last night. 

All firms have been heavily involved in the multi-million dollar, multi-year Housing Upgrade Project (HUP) embarked on by Wellington City Council in recent years, a project that earnt the Australasian Housing Institute’s Leading Housing Solution Award at the Australasian Housing Institute Awards event, which was sponsored by Hawkins Construction and The Building Intelligence Group.

The project to effectively renew Wellington’s public housing stock is often described as unprecedented in terms of the size of the investment (a $400 million budget with $220 million of Government funding) and the scale of the project’s technical and social challenges (2300 homes, 3500 tenants). 

In the citation for the Award to the HUP team it was noted that processes have been developed that will be transferable to other projects where tenant needs must be carefully managed alongside a construction, redevelopment or refurbishment programme. 

Those processes include working with tenants, managing tenant relocations, communication, construction and design guidelines. 

An emphasis on tenants was apparent throughout this event, with the loudest round of applause of the night going to the Wellington Association of City Housing Artists who received the AHI’s Tenant-Led Initiative Award. 

All in all projects related to the efforts of Wellington City Council’s City Housing and Community Action Programme teams had a bumper haul of Awards: four out of six.

Housing New Zealand Corporation’s Canterbury team were awarded the AHI’s Leading Practice Award. Presented by David McCartney of Community Housing Aotearoa this Award was accepted by housing services manager Jeanette Gower on behalf of the tireless and “staunch” efforts made by the team in Christchurch in standing up to everything the earthquakes there have thrown at them. 

Hers was the quote of the night: “(This award reflects) the sheer determined nature to do right by the people we serve”. 

Housing New Zealand also shared the award for Outstanding Achievement with Christchurch City council’s Housing teams for exhibiting professionalism plus empathy in the face of extraordinary and life-changing circumstances. 

Full citations for the Award winners are available on request to the Australasian Housing Institute or by email to Tony Gilmour at president@housinginstitute.org