The architectural practices behind a serene residential home, a vibrant and creative pre-school, the restoration of a historic rectory and an Art Deco stunner have all received awards at an NZIA awards ceremony held at the Sarjeant Gallery in Whanganui on Friday 5th August, 2022.

A total of eight projects received a prestigious Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects 2022 Western Architecture Award across seven categories, one of which also received a Resene Colour Award.

Western Jury Convenor, Elinor Harvey McDouall, said there were some clear standouts among the entries that celebrated the region’s unique past and looked toward its future.

“The jury were impressed with the calibre of entries across all categories”, said Harvey McDouall. “It was good to see a commitment to restore important historic buildings, work to make our cities better for living in, innovation in housing and, of course, great design”.

See above for images of the shortlisted projects, which are:

Housing

Birdwood House by Evelyn McNamara Architecture

Moturoa beach is the undeniable star of this carefully curated resort-style family home, whose upper level is itself a frame for living. From the front door, through the indoor and outdoor living spaces — even a conversation pit — this home showcases the best materials Aotearoa has to offer: seamlessly detailed, revealing generously proportioned dramatic living where everything has been attended to. The architect has imbued it all with a subdued, moody elegance through a carefully chosen colour palette and theatre-inspired lighting. Challenging materials in the form of plank-formed concrete slabs, along with an exacting client, reinforce this as a standout of its genre.

Fitzroy House by a.k.a Architecture

The architects have worked with a steep and windy rear section, beyond several existing houses, to create a well-conceived home that steps down the hill. Not only accommodating the clients’ wish for a home that’s not flashy, and catering for their love of surfing, the house also maximises the breath-taking view while working within strict height-to-boundary constraints. The architects have effectively employed feature materials with confidence and care to create a home that is — from the beautiful front door and initial view shaft through the house to the sea — an adroit response to the site and brief.

Hole in One by First Light Studio

Located on a flat site in a pleasant Palmerston North subdivision, Hole in One assimilates with the surrounding homes, while its simple and unfussy form somehow raises it above them. A triumph of collaboration, the engaged and exacting clients are ecstatic about the resulting home, which provides incredibly well for their hobbies and living habits, while also incorporating passive solar measures. With an interior that feels serene, cosy, and cohesive, this is a well-designed, low-maintenance, light and sunny home that will bring joy for many years to come.

Education

Footsteps Pre-School by Parsonson Architects

This early childhood centre has been confidently and skilfully created using a simple and affordable, yet carefully detailed built form. At the road front, a projecting volume creates a visual highlight, bringing excitement and joy to the entrance foyer. This continues throughout the building, where colour, volume, materials, acoustics, and furniture are carefully considered to ensure utility and interest, all within budget. The result is a welcoming and calm learning environment.

Resene Colour Award

Driven by the subtle greens and golds in Henri Rousseau’s fantastical landscapes, the architects’ use of colour creates a serene, resonant yet uplifting learning environment. Resisting the temptation to ‘colour in’ the external facades, sections of the same hues delicately draw us to the entry, allowing neutrality to remain elsewhere. Inside, the palette radiates both cheer and calm, two words possibly synonymous with success in the Early Childhood realm!

Heritage

Massey University Refectory by Studio Pacific Architecture

The jewel in the crown of Massey University’s Palmerston North campus, this proud Roy Lippincott-designed 1930s refectory has been returned to its former glory, after a 1960s renovation divided the building. This restoration has been a long, challenging, and detailed undertaking for the architect, particularly with late formal changes and pandemic restrictions. Repair of finely wrought plasterwork and decorative features has been painstakingly undertaken, modern ancillary spaces have been created, and accessibility has been addressed with the addition of an adjacent new entrance building. Referencing an earlier addition, this light and airy annex’s vertical timber cladding is surprisingly successful externally. Exterior doors added to the main building are also a welcome addition, making this a careful restoration that will serve the university well for many years to come.

Housing — Multi Unit

Featherston Street Homes by 242am Architects

Carefully oriented to achieve maximum sunlight throughout the day, these four medium density terraced townhouses swim against a stream of surrounding villas and bungalows. With Featherston Street Homes, the architect has used their skills and knowledge to push for a more suitable outcome than the traditional typology of standalone houses, while impressively remaining within the developer client’s mandate. The outcome is a development that carefully considers volume, light, and lifestyle, creating homes that are well finished, cosy yet lofty, and private yet connected to the wider community.

Public Architecture

Central Energy Trust Arena Entrance Plaza by CPRW

This large project successfully untangles a fundamentally flawed master plan without requiring changes to Palmerston North’s District Plan. In doing so, the architects have created a better pedestrian connection and entry from the CBD to the existing Central Energy Trust Arena and have upgraded its facilities and workability to support multiple functions. The careful management of multiple strands of complexity in planning, engineering, stakeholder engagement and organisational inputs has resulted in a beautifully conceived narrative entry promenade and public space that will enhance the experience of those who use it.

Enduring Architecture

Alexander Library Te Rerenga Mai o Te Kāruru (1933) by Hood & Duffell

A fine example of Art Deco architecture, the Alexander Library was designed in the 1930s to complement the neighbouring Sarjeant Gallery and was conceived in the aftermath of the Napier Earthquake, necessitating the incorporation of reinforced concrete strengthening. Inside, much of the built-in and freestanding furniture is architect-designed, as are the light fittings and leadlight windows. Originally a public library, the building remains in the ownership of the Whanganui District Council and is now used as a heritage and reference library. It was strengthened and restored by Architect Fellow Bruce Dickson between 2016 and 2017. A beautiful building to be in, largely due to the carefully proportioned spaces, treatment of light, and Art Deco detailing, the Alexander Library is a keeper for many generations to come.

The NZIA Local Awards 2022 programme is supported by Resene and APL.