Punangairi is a highly sustainable visitor centre, carefully placed within one of the most beautiful and sensitive natural environments in the West Coast region. The architecture responds to the landscape, weaving around the existing nīkau and natural features, touching the land as lightly as possible and recessing back into the landscape, with a lush green roof. Perimeter timber trunks help it blend into the surroundings, blurring its edges and reducing its visual impact on the stunning landscape. Designed to replace the outdated DOC facility — too small, unsuitable for expansion without harming the natural environment, and no longer fit for purpose — the new centre is positioned on an existing lawn, with the connected exhibition building located in a clearing. Generous outdoor public areas enhance the visitor experience, while timber construction was prioritised to reduce embodied carbon and support regenerative building practices. The centre includes dedicated spaces for local artists to display and sell their work, reinforcing its role as a cultural hub. A mezzanine-level community space offers a venue for gatherings and events. Owned and operated by Ngāti Waewae, Punangairi is more than a visitor centre — it embodies a commitment to environmental and cultural stewardship. The project was a Provincial Growth Fund initiative aimed at strengthening West Coast tourism while supporting and upskilling the local workforce. A significant proportion of the onsite team members were locals, with long-term employment opportunities created as a result. Even the green roof was grown and assembled nearby before being installed by local workers, making this a true West Coast project with widespread community involvement.

Jury Citation:

Craig Moller, Beth Cameron, Nicola Herbst and Ilana Freadman

“The Punangairi Visitor Centre is superbly situated on its site, nestled amongst the existing nīkau with the backdrop of the Southern Alps. The building deploys a series of curved elements in plan, which, together with a sloping green roof, allows it to insert itself gently into its site while providing for views out into the trees as well as distant views of the alps. It takes advantage of the opportunities of the site to provide a sense of generosity and welcome, and enhances the surrounding outdoor spaces and lawn. Timber is used extensively to reduce its carbon footprint as well as to reflect the vertical stands of nīkau. The centre is an open and welcome addition to Punakaiki, enhancing the visitor experience to this well-known landmark.”

Project team:

Steven Orr, Jasper van der Linger, Mel North, Max Warren, Thomas Strange, Duncan Barron, Tim Dagg. 

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The New Zealand Architecture Awards receive generous support from Resene, a steadfast sponsor of the program since 1991, and APL, which commenced its sponsorship of the awards in 2021.

Architecture NZ reviewed the project in the March 2025 issue.

You can read the article here.