After two postponements due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Interior Awards officially announced this year’s winners on 8 October with a celebration at St Matthew-in-the-City in Auckland. Ten category winners were named and the biggest prize of the night, the Supreme Award went to the Commercial Bay Retail Precinct by Warren and Mahoney in association with NH Architecture.

The awards jury – which consisted of convenor and interior editor of Architecture NZ, Federico Monsalve, architects Julie Stout and Kate Rogan, and interior designers Katie Lockhart and Erini Compton – commended this year’s entrants for their resilience in what has been a truly unprecedented year.

“…it would be callous not to acknowledge the huge hurdles that many of us are likely to be experiencing, yet it is also a pivotal moment in our history and our industry for enacting changes to safeguard our built environment further and make the people within it feel more protected, valued and helped to thrive. The winning and finalist projects this year go a long way to accomplishing some of this,” they note.

Judges saw biophilic principles used heavily throughout the 2020 entries, along with bold colours and alternative design models in the retail space. “The juxtaposition of soft/gentle fit-outs within heavy industrial shells provided some interesting tensions and there was much talk of well-being, awe and even spirituality in the way many are formulating interior spaces.”

A huge thank you goes to our immensely supportive sponsors and the flexibility of the Interior Awards entrants, judges and event staff throughout the wild ride of 2020. Read on to see all the winning projects and what the judges had to say about each.

SUPREME AWARD AND CIVIC AWARD

Commercial Bay Retail Precinct by Warren and Mahoney in association with NH Architecture

Jury comment: “Although eight years in the making, this interior feels contemporary and forward thinking. It takes into consideration the growing needs of a city from an urban planning and transport perspective, and  it never loses sight of its retail heart. Commercial Bay Retail Precinct is successful on both a macro and a micro level, engaging the user on multiple levels and providing well-integrated elements of material, spatial and overall architectural surprise. Although informed by international best practice, it is undeniably of this place. It is an interior which combines retail laneways and food streets, grit and finesse, commerce and urbanism while delivering a sophisticated, urbane experience for all.

WORKPLACE (UP TO 1,000M²) AWARD

ITM by Stack Interiors

Jury comment: “Within the most highly contested and difficult category to judge, and with a number of high-end, boutique workplaces as finalists,  it was a project with a humble budget and a blue-collar soul which ended up rising above the rest. The designers of ITM accomplished the transformation of a tired 1980s’ office space into a classy HQ by putting workers first and celebrating their main product through a clear and simple concept. Sight lines provide a sense of transparency here, while a deft usage of dark colour to unite spaces, orange highlights, greenery and light give this interior a calm, club house mood. Timbers in a variety of iterations are used throughout while still maintaining consistency. A special highlight was the designers’ focus on soft furnishings to subtly but confidently give this space its identity. Patterns, rhythms and textures found in timber yards have all made their way into custom-made carpets, furniture selections, upholstery and more. This is a well-conceived and thoroughly resolved workplace project.”

WORKPLACE (OVER 1,000M²) AWARD

MediaWorks Radio Broadcasting HQ by AECOM in collaboration with Warren and Mahoney

Jury comment: “An underused and nearly derelict 1970s’ warehouse received a new lease of life through the usage of a standard, acoustic product utilised in a highly creative and innovative way. One strong idea was carried throughout the project; this resulted in an impressive design language adapted on a variety of scales and applications, and provided a rich brand experience. There was an exceptional degree of difficulty using an industrial site, converting it into a functional workplace interior and incorporating all the technology, requirements and high level of detail needed by the radio broadcaster. Robustness and nostalgia, combined with key furniture designs, resulted in a youthful, highly unique interior that is reflective of the business that takes place here.”

HOSPITALITY AWARD

Lilian by CTRL Space

Jury comment: “Creating a successful neighbourhood eatery in a precinct with a very defined, organically evolved personality is no easy task yet Lilian looks as if it has been part of the area for generations.

“Starting with a well-defined brief for a corner osteria, the design team stuck to a very clear premise of authenticity with a domestic feel. The creation of a hospitable matron (named Lilian), whose dining room they were trying to recreate, went a long way into giving the space a cohesive narrative with its corresponding props. This eatery has been described by its designers as a ‘passion project’ for everyone involved and the end result – welcoming, social and with a boisterous family sense of comradeship – is a testament to this.”

RETAIL AWARD

Abodo Showcase by Assembly Architects

Jury comment: “This year’s retail category was notable for building supply retailers using their showrooms not just as places to display their wares, but as living proof of what their products are capable of. Within this trend, the Abodo showroom was a laudable example.

“It combines typologies – residential and retail – to challenge the showroom model. Located in a challenging alpine climate, the building itself is a tour de force of its products’ capabilities. The simplicity of the design, both inside and out, belies the devoted attention to detail and construction by all. The life-cycle of the project was considered and a reuse solution was built into the structure. This showroom received unanimous positive votes, thanks to its design, methodology, creativity and sustainability intent.”

RESIDENTIAL AWARD

Ōwairaka House by Raukura Turei

Jury comment: “This alteration of an early 1950s’, post deco, Queen Anne-styled brick-and-tile house in Auckland is exceptional for both its subtlety and its depth. Partly influenced by Philip Johnson’s Glass House, Hiroshi Sambuichi and Alvar Aalto, the designer has conjured up an interior that is meditative, sensual and highly respectful of the architectural tradition that precedes it. Using timber panelling and terracotta tiles, refined furniture and lighting selections, careful detailing and considerate space planning, the outcome is an accomplished interior that encompasses beauty, charm and a gentle touch of magic. As one of the judges said: “You always know a renovation is successful when you ask ‘why wasn’t it always done like this?’”.”

RESIDENTIAL KITCHEN AWARD

Menzies POP! by Architects’ Creative

Jury comment: “This kitchen design was a clear favourite among the judges for its exquisite look and feel, paired with its robust functionality. Set within a constrained, elongated space, this tiny jewel manages to feel generous and even a touch grandiose.

“By combining a brilliantly curated material palette (travertine flooring, larch boarding to walls and ceilings, oak and brass metalwork detailing), thoughtful space planning and high attention to detail, this luxurious yet family-friendly kitchen is an example of masterclass.”

HEALTHCARE AND WELLNESS AWARD

Basecamp Power Yoga by Studio 11:11

Jury comment: “Studio 11:11 has done an exceptional job in taking an existing, industrial warehouse and gracefully enhancing the interior’s raw beauty. Its concrete, glass and metal core has been celebrated (via lighting and finishes) rather than covered over, its boxy and slightly impersonal proportions tamed with a simple mezzanine and stair insertion. Deft furniture and decor choices hint at a Japanese aesthetic, which further embodies the soothing yet contemporary brief for the space. This perfectly zen environment accomplishes interior design excellence on multiple levels.”

EMERGING DESIGN PROFESSIONAL AWARD

Sam Griffin of CTRL Space

Jury comment: “Trained as a product designer, Sam Griffin has followed a methodical and steady rise which has led him into the world of commercial interiors. He shows a depth of thinking at every level, with everything he creates feeding into a narrative or a story while still being acutely aware of the commercial imperatives of the industry. His passion, drive and energy for interior design are infectious and inspiring, and set him firmly on a path to imprinting his style into our public spaces.”

STUDENT AWARD

Abdallah Alayan of the University of Auckland for Faith in Fiordland

Jury comment: “This design research project explores the future of spiritual architecture in an increasingly agnostic society. Set on a trail in Southern Fiordland, the result is a series of four architectural interventions, each connecting users to a different, interdenominational idea of spirituality. Multi-sensory experiences are used to elicit awe, introspection, a sense of cleansing and community. Abdallah has brought forth a thoroughly imagined, very detailed concept, which asks big questions and responds confidently, with utmost care and affection for the human condition. It is an eloquent, architectural expression of our spiritual zeitgeist: timely, relevant and highly emotive.”

Extended awards coverage can be found in the latest issue of Architecture NZ; subscribe here. 

See all the finalists from this year’s awards here.