Interior Awards juror 2024: Amanda Harkness

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Architecture NZ's interior editor Amanda Harkness is once again convening this year’s Interior Awards jury. — Architecture NZ’s interior editor Amanda Harkness is once again convening this year’s Interior Awards jury. Image: Toaki Okano

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Timber and glass feature prominently throughout Noma’s interiors. Here, a room overlooks the site's grasslands and lake towards BIG's 2022 World Architecture Festival award-winning Copenhill/Amager Bakke project. — Timber and glass feature prominently throughout Noma’s interiors. Here, a room overlooks the site’s grasslands and lake towards BIG’s 2022 World Architecture Festival award-winning Copenhill/Amager Bakke project. Image: Rasmus Hjortshoj

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Noma’s furniture includes oak tables and chairs with hand-woven cord seats. Image: Rasmus Hjortshoj

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The project is made up of seven freestanding structures, which have effectively been ‘stitched’ together by glass-covered paths. Image: Rasmus Hjortshoj

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One of the restaurant’s dining spaces. Image: Rasmus Hjortshoj

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Chefs in the kitchen are able to oversee both staff and guest areas. Image: Rasmus Hjortshoj

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The structures are connected by glass ceilings, which follow the changes in weather, daylight and seasons. Image: Rasmus Hjortshoj

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The Gonville Pool House in Whanganui by Patchwork Architecture. Image: Simon Wilson

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Interior Awards juror 2024: Amanda Harkness — 9 of 9

Amanda Harkness is the deputy editor and interior editor at Architecture NZ and a former editor of Houses magazine. Her writing has a strong focus on interior projects, ranging from workplace and hospitality to retail and residential. This is Amanda’s fourth year as convenor of the Interior Awards jury.

Tell us about an interior space, either here in Aotearoa or overseas, that inspires you.

Noma’s interiors look across neighbouring grasslands. Image: Rasmus Hjortshoj

I love the idea of separate yet connected spaces, and add to that the joy of craft, play of light and warmth of materials and you have what I’d consider a dream project. Danish architecture firm BIG’s Noma 2.0, while I haven’t had the opportunity to visit it (yet), is the embodiment of all the things that are important to me – a welcoming space in a relatively untouched environment with people (and, in this case, food) at its heart.

Built on the site of an abandoned navy warehouse in Copenhagen, the Nordic restaurant’s ‘community’ of seven free-standing structures (some protected, some new) are woven together by glass-covered paths, designed to actively enjoy the changes in weather, daylight and seasons, and ensuring the natural environment is an integral part of the interior experience.

What do you think we might see more of this year?

I’m hoping we’ll see more in the area of re-use, of both spaces and materials. Noma represents a compelling re-use project. There have been many recent successful examples here in Aotearoa too, like the Hayman Kronfeld building, Marian College, 8 Willis, 246 Queen, the Gonville Pool House – too many to name.
And there’s such depth and richness in heritage and in the reclaiming and recycling of previously used materials.

Patchwork Architecture’s Gonville Pool House in Whanganui. Image: Simon Wilson

What key piece of advice would you give to those thinking of entering the Interior Awards?

As jurors, we’re keen to get the best understanding of your project so we look forward to descriptions that are concise as well as engaging. A powerful idea can be conveyed in just a few sentences. Tell us what’s unique about your project and how it’s had a significant impact on those that use the space.