Warren Trust Award for Architectural Writing - Entries closing soon

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It's your chance to flex your writing muscles and articulate your thoughts on architecture. Entries close Friday 26 July so put pen to paper now!

It’s your chance to flex your writing muscles and articulate your thoughts on architecture. Entries close Friday 26 July so put pen to paper now! Image: Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZIA

The building told a story... is the prompt to kickstart your creative journey in this celebrated literary competition brought to you by NZIA and The Warren Trust.

Free to enter, with categories for all ages this annual writing competition offers the opportunity to engage with architecture in inventive, meaningful and compelling literary ways. Entries may take the form of original fiction, non-fiction, comic or poem.

‏Following the award winners’ announcement in August, the NZIA will invite the creative community to illustrate the winning entries, all of which will be published online and in print.

The judges

This year’s competition will be judged by a panel that includes Jeremy Hansen, journalist, author, architecture podcaster, literary mentor and the guy who puts the art into Britomart; Danyl McLauchlan, author, book reviewer and political commentator; and Katie Braadvedt, an architecture graduate at Glamuzina Architects, teacher at AUT School of Future Environments and occasional contributor to Island magazine – in last year’s Warren Trust Writing Awards, Katie won Highly Commended for This is Not a Gender Issue. Katie was also profiled in ArchitectureNow’s 2023 Resene On the Rise series as one to watch.

Entries will be judged within the following categories:

  • ‏Tamariki up to 13 years, writing up to 800 words
  • Rangatahi 14-18 years, writing up to 1000 words
  • Open 18-plus years, writing up to 1500 words

‏Prizes

  • Tamariki $500
  • Rangatahi $1000
  • Open $2000
  • Highly commended (three prizes across all categories) $200 book voucher

‏Key dates

Entries open: Thursday 30 May
Entries close: Friday 26 July at midnight
‏Winners announced: Friday 16 August

‏To enter

‏View conditions of entry and enter here.
To read previous years’ winners, click here.

For related enquiries contact Jo Bates [email protected] / 021 382 698



About the awards

The Warren Trust Awards for Architectural Writing is a joint venture between The Warren Trust and Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects. The Warren Trust is a charitable organisation established in honour of celebrated architect Sir Miles Warren, which promotes architectural education to the profession and public.


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