The five finalists have been found for the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects Tuia Pito Ora (NZILA)/Brick Bay Nohonga design challenge.

In early March the call went out to challenge students and all levels of graduated landscape architects to design and construct creative nohonga (seats) for the citizens of Tāmaki Makaurau – and then COVID happened.

Last night, 11 teams presented their design plans at a special event run by the Auckland Branch of the NZILA – many spoke of taking on the design process during lockdown – with some designs clearly reflecting the concepts of social distancing and COVID bubbles.

The judges for the competition are Brick Bay owner Richard Didsbury, Jacky Bowring, an NZILA Fellow, Jeremy Hansen from Britomart and Viva editor Amanda Linnell.

Here are the finalists in no particular order:

1. Bella Grimsdale, Luke Veldhuizen and Sam Gould for Te Whakatohenehene – The Disruption, which explores tensions between the built and natural environment through Te Ao, Maori principles.

2. Topsy Steele and Anna Li of Boffa Miskell for Bioluminescence – which incorporates design elements reflecting our coastal landscape and the shape of shells found there.

3. An Isthmus team for Titiro, a design that finds form for the quiet practices of being still, dwelling and observing.

4. The Wilkins twins, Anne and Rose, for their entry Connection versus Isolation, which plays with the new spatial awareness which developed during the COVID-19 lockdown. 

5. Team Tenax from Boffa Miskell for Whiria, which references the weaving of Harekeke and its resonance in the weaving together of people.

The team for each of the five finalists will be paid a minimum of $2,000 to support the further design, construction and implementation of their proposal.

The site for the initial, temporary, public install will be at Britomart in Auckland during November/December and some or all nohonga may be transferred to Brick Bay sculpture trail outdoor gallery for a further install of up to 12 months.

The event is sponsored by Brick Bay, Britomart, NZILA (Auckland Branch), Resene and the New Zealand Herald’s Viva.

This article was first published on Landscape Architecture Aotearoa, which is published by the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects.