This was the second in-person edition of the Model Citizens event and this time the teams were tasked with creating a suspended light inspired by a celebrated building of their choice, using only the materials supplied on the night. Teams from various architecture practices assembled on Thursday 15 September at Kada’s showroom in Parnell to take up the challenge.

Supplies on hand were all recyclable or reusable to create a zero waste event. Materials included different colour palettes of  Resene drawdowns separated by sheets of butter paper, wire, plain paper, an LED light strip and various tapes and fastenings. (Bartering and bribery between teams was permitted).

Resene provided boxes of M&Ms and Kada prepared delicious canapés and then later Toto’s Pizza to keep the teams focused and an open bar for encouragement and inspiration. After a briefing from the organisers, the teams had a mere 2.5 hours to construct their suspended light and prepare a 90-second presentation, explaining their creation to the jury.

Although the competition was to be taken light-heartedly, we may have made the entrants a little sweaty with the jury selection this year. On the jury was Andrew Barrie (distinguished academic, writer and professor at the University of Auckland), multi-award-winning and celebrated lighting designer David Trubridge and Editor of ArchitectureNow, Jacinda Rogers.

In the spirit of the competition, teams were asked to come up with a team name (although the winning teams decided to focus on what they were doing). Bonus points went to teams ‘Comic SANNZ’ (SANNZ), ‘WaMchester United’ (Warren and Mahoney) and ‘Ministry’s Next Top Model’ (Ministry of Architecture+Interiors).

Credit for showmanship must be given to SGA who played opera music while presenting their light inspired by the Sydney Opera House, Warren and Mahoney for the bells that rung out during the presentation of their Christchurch Cathedral-inspired light, and SANNZ, whose speaker wore a sails headpiece and attempted to embody the Sydney Opera House at night.

The jury had only 15 minutes to deliberate after the teams’ presentations, with top points being given to teams whose designs referenced their chosen building most successfully, for technical and aesthetic success and the teams’ presentations. Bonus points went to designs where the treatment of light was most considered.

Special mentions were given to Ministry of Architecture+Interiors for their two-piece design which incorporated movement via a pulley system, Architectus for their angular, asymmetrical design inspired by Futuna Chapel’s stained-glass windows, Athfield Architects for their buoyant and delicate long-drop-inspired light and SANNZ for the gusto behind their presentation.

Woods Bagot’s Cardboard Cathedral-inspired design won the Resene Colour Award (although only delicately coloured using pigment somehow extracted from the M&Ms), due to the beautiful diffused light the rolled butter paper form provided, the direct reference to recycled and sustainable materials used in their reference building and the excellent presentation given. They ended up with an aesthetically pleasing and meaningful suspended light, so well done Woods Bagot.

Taking out the top prize this year was Architecture + Women NZ, who by sheer coincidence ended up with a selection of pink drawdown cards to work with. The building that inspired their light was La Muralle Roha, by Ricardo Bofill. Their winning design was a rectilinear form comprised of layered card in various shades of pink, with cut-outs that created small apertures through to curated scenes which gave it a multi-dimensional appearance. The light that escaped through the card cut-outs was a clever solution to the opaque material provided.

The end result was a curious light shade that reflected La Muralle Roha very well, was aesthetically pleasing and had a lantern-like treatment of light. A warm congratulations!

See below for photos of each light the teams created and the above slideshow for highlights from the event.

SWOT Team: Athfield Architects
Athfield Architects were the first to present with ‘The Long Drop’. A design harking back to a classic Kiwi back-country vernacular and the inhabitants of those places (human and bug)!

A Team: SGA
Inspired by Jørn Utzon’s Sydney Opera House, SGA used sail shapes with a splash of 2022’s colour of the year (purple) to create this dramatic design, fitting of the striking building. Opera music was played during their presentation for effect.

Team Architecture + Women NZ
Congrats to Architecture + Women NZ, who took home the Model Citizens trophy for their light shade design inspired by La Muralle Roha by Ricardo Bofill. They nailed it!

irRESPONDsible: Respond Architects
The team from Respond Architects created a light inspired by The Swiss Re Building aka ‘The Gherkin’ by Norman Foster. The design, a deconstructed iteration of this tower in London.

Ministry’s Next Top Model: Ministry of Architecture+Interiors
Ministry’s Next Top Model got some oohs and ahhs from the crowd with their light inspired by Bruder Klaus Field Chapel by Peter Zumthor. They put a unique New Zealand spin on their design by referencing the pīwakawaka’s (fantail’s) role in the Māori myth telling of Māui’s attempt to overcome death, which failed due to a fantail’s actions. The light inner element passes in and away from the fantail-shaped shade, alluding to the cycle of life and death which continues due to this manu.

A Team: Architectus
The ‘A Team’ created a light that was inspired by John Scott’s Futuna Chapel. The colours were reminiscent of the chapel’s stained glass windows and the dynamic, asymmetrical form was inspired by the angular spaces within the building.

Team Woods Bagot
The winners of the Resene Colour Award (they transferred subtle colours to the paper using M&Ms provided by Resene). Their light shade was inspired by Shigeru Ban’s Cardboard Cathedral. Constructed using waste product paper, the design represents individuals coming together to do something greater, drawing a parallel to what is needed to fight the climate crisis.

WaMchester United: Warren and Mahoney
Inspired by the stained glass windows of Christchurch Cathedral by Sir George Gilbert Scott (and recently reinstated by Warren and Mahoney); the materiality inspired by Cardboard Cathedral by Shigeru Ban. Cathedral bell sound effects rang out during their presentation.

Bits of Everything: Context Architects, in association with Kada
Context Architects joined forces with Kada to create this light inspired by Patterson Associates’ Len Lye Centre and the Vitra Nuage vase by the Bouroullec Bros. The colours represent the Māori, Aboriginal and Pacific art showcased in the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.

Comic SANNZ: SANNZ
Team ‘Comic SANNZ’ was also inspired by the Sydney Opera House designed by Jørn Utzon. They envisioned a colourised version using vibrant colours that reflected its oceanside, urban location.

This year’s Model Citizens event raised $3000 for SolarAid and will provide 375 solar lights to sub-Saharan Africa, helping the organisation reach 2023 people, saving families money and giving children extra study time. It will also help decrease CO2 emissions and allow people to lead healthier lives.

Many thanks to the Model Citizens sponsors, Resene and Kada, for their support.