The World Architecture Festival kicked off on 28 November in Amsterdam with hundreds of architects and designers presenting their shortlisted projects to the jury. Kiwi architecture firm Monk Mackenzie has taken home a win in the ‘Infrastructure – Future Projects’ category. 

Monk Mackenzie and Novare’s winning project is Thiruvalluvar in Kanyakumari, India: a 500 metre long pedestrian bridge in the southern tip of India designed to connect mainland India to the Thiruvalluvar Statue and Vivekananda Temple. The judges described the project as “a simple and elegant response to a complex problem”.

Dean Mackenzie and Hamish Monk started their practice together after many years of working overseas for the likes of  OMA and Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM), where the two met. They are the minds behind projects like the Auckland Lightpath/Nelson St Cycleway and the award-winning X-House in Queenstown. 

Other Antipodean winning projects from the day include CHROFI with McGregor Croxall for their Maitland Riverlink project in Maitland, Australia in the ‘Civic and Community – Completed Buildings’ category and Conrad Gargett for The Piano Mill project in Stanthorpe, Australia in the ‘Culture – Completed Buildings’ category.

See a full list of winning projects at the World Architecture Festival here.

Read a profile of Monk Mackenzie here.