Nelson Marlborough ADNZ/Resene Design Awards 2010 Winner Announced

David Todd won the Residential Alterations and Additions Design Award for a renovation project on a modest family home that was given a major makeover.  Brian Johns was awarded the Commercial/Industrial Design Award for the Video Ezy outlet he designed for a narrow site tightly wedged between two existing buildings in Vanguard Street.

Architectural Designers New Zealand Inc (ADNZ) was formed in 1996 to represent, promote and develop the skills and services of its members, who are all specialists in design and construction.  The annual ADNZ/Resene awards event is open to ADNZ members and provides an opportunity for architectural designers throughout the country to showcase their work and compare and celebrate their creative excellence with their peers and colleagues.  The Nelson/Marlborough awards presentation is the first of five regional events to be held over the coming month. Regional category winners’ projects will be submitted for the National Awards that will be presented at the ADNZ/Resene Design Awards Gala Dinner at the Rutherford Hotel in Nelson on October 15.

Judges this year included renowned Wellington architect Ian Athfield and his colleagues Peter Bosley from Auckland and Ross Maguire from Christchurch.

David Todd’s solution to creating a practical and liveable house for Nelson couple Ann and Bryan Riley attracted the judges’ attention in the Residential Alterations and Additions category. The award is in recognition of the renovation work that saw a small and unremarkable home transformed into a modern, airy, warm and well designed family home.  Extensive additions included double garaging, new decking, and a formal entry area. New double glazing and recladding completed the project.

Brian Johns, managing director of Brian Johns Architectural is no stranger to being recognised and awarded for his design talents.  Last year he won two categories in the ADNZ/Resene awards with his Neudorf Hall renovation.  This year his entry for the Commercial/Industrial Design category featured a retail outlet designed to overcome the constraints of a narrow site in Vanguard Street.  Judges commented on ‘the simple solution that maximised the visibility of the commercial activity within a building sandwiched between two existing sites’.   For Johns, one of the biggest challenges to meeting his clients desire for a commercial building that could be multifunctional was the need to comply with council regulations that required the building to be higher than its neighbours and have 10 car parks at the frontage.  His response was to accentuate the glass facade of the building to offer a clear and uninterrupted view of the building positioned at the rear of the site.

Entries from the Nelson/Marlborough region were significantly lower than in previous years.  According to judges, this is a reflection of the economic downturn and its impact on the design and construction industry.