The Diamond Award, the IPA’s highest honour, was awarded to Outside In for its atrium and garden planting design at B:HIVE+, marking the firm’s third time receiving the top award. The landmark project at Smales Farm integrates more than 600 living plants throughout a triple-height atrium, creating moments of calm, connection and sensory relief within a high-density work setting.

Ryan McQuerry, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Outside In, says biophilic design is emerging as a critical response to changing expectations of work environments, becoming essential not just for how spaces look, but for how they support wellbeing, connection and everyday use. “Our work is grounded in the belief that people function better when they are connected to nature,” says McQuerry. “The B:HIVE+ project showcases how nature-led design can improve the human experience and reimagines what large-scale commercial environments can offer the people who use them every day.”

“Access to nature is not an aesthetic add-on, but a key contributor to wellbeing and productivity. To have this approach recognised globally is incredibly affirming for our team and our ambition to deliver projects like this across the world,”McQuerry adds.

B:HIVE+ is a two-level coworking hub within the AIA Tower at Smales Farm designed by Jasmax, featuring a dramatic triple-height atrium that forms the social heart of the building. Outside In’s planting design weaves nature through this central space, layering greenery across multiple levels to create moments of calm, refuge and connection within a dynamic, high-use workplace.

The design introduces strong biophilic elements into the atrium, using substantial planting to connect the interior environment with nature. Careful consideration of how people work, move and socialise within the space informed the planting strategy, resulting in a restful backdrop that supports focus, reduces stress and encourages connection.

B:HIVE+ features an expansive green landscape of more than 600 living plants arranged across an undulating forest floor and layered moss mulch zones. Integrated grow lights support the long-term health of living species throughout the multi-level atrium.

The planting solution combines living, preserved and replica elements to achieve visual density, long-term resilience and safe maintenance at height. Lightweight planter systems and a custom forest-floor substrate reduce structural load while enhancing acoustics and visual continuity. Closely integrated with the architecture, the planting responds to natural light, materiality and movement throughout the day, creating a restorative interior landscape that supports wellbeing, collaboration and everyday use.

“To be recognised with these awards is a huge honour and showcases the depth of knowledge, technical expertise and design capability across our team and project partners that is required to deliver projects of this calibre,” says McQuerry. Presented at the Hilton Marina Fort Lauderdale Hotel in Florida, the International Plantscape Awards recognise excellence in interior planting design, innovation and technical execution across projects worldwide.

All Outside In Awards

• B:HIVE+, Auckland: Diamond Award in the Atrium/Garden Plantings, Interior categories.
• B:HIVE+, Auckland: Platinum Award in the Replica/Hybrid category.
• Orewa Sands, Auckland: Platinum Award in the Design category.
• Bishop Ranch, California: Gold Award in the Design category.
• Bishop Ranch, California: Gold Award in the Free-Standing Containers, Interior or Exterior categories.
• Secruitease, Wellington: Gold Award in the Design category.
• Olia Bar, Cordis Hotel: Silver Award in the Moss Wall category.
• Westfield Newmarket, Auckland: Technician Recognition Award went to Will Zelensky King.

More details on these projects cn be found here.