Mike Sowman from Mike Sowman Design Limited won the Residential New Home up to 250sq Design Award sponsored by Gerard Roofs, for a house he designed in Wanaka. Drawing on the natural environment for his inspiration, judges were impressed by the way Mike Sowman created ‘an ideal statement for the sensitive environment’.
Chris Sargeant of Chris Sargeant Design was awarded the Residential New Home over 250sq Design Award sponsored by James Hardie, for a substantial home created from a limited and unexpected palette of materials. The difficult site in the Dunedin suburb of Vauxhall presented a special challenge for the designer.
Mike Sowman of Mike Sowman Design Limited won the Residential Multi Unit Dwelling Design Award sponsored by Elephant Plaster Board for his creative solution to converting the former Santa Sabina Convent in Dunedin into student residential flats. In addition to providing unique housing for students, the complex includes a managers’ apartment, a gymnasium, spa, cinema and shared dining and living spaces. Judges commented on the retention and reuse of a unique heritage building that has been given ‘a new lease of life as a multifunctional student accommodation facility’.
Matthew White of Queenstown company Remarkable Architectural Design Ltd won the Residential Alterations and Additions Design Award for a renovation project on the remnants of a gold miner’s cottage in Central Otago. White faithfully restored the tiny cottage - with painstaking attention to detail – from a single wall of stone left standing on the original site. Judges commented that the result was ‘a small building with great stature’.
In the Commercial/Industrial Design Award category Mike Stevenson, of Mike Stevenson Design Ltd was recognised for his design work on the Downer EDI Head Office in Green Island, Dunedin. The modernist building housing approximately 80 staff was completed in April and formally opened in June.
Gary Todd of Gary Todd architecture scooped two awards this year to add to the large trophy collection he has amassed over previous years. His Taieri Gorge office makeover was awarded the Commercial Interior Design Award as well as the Resene Colour in Design Award. Located within the Dunedin Railway Station building, the Taierei Railway office space was extended and enhanced to provide a functional and aesthetically appealing space for the business operation. The railway station is listed as a NZHPT Category 1 building – one of only 200 buildings worldwide awarded this unique status – therefore the project required intense consultation to ensure modifications met the exacting heritage design considerations. The makeover saw a small and cluttered office space transformed with long counters and extensive storage to provide a superb environment for staff and customers.
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 Otago Southland awards presentation is the second 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. In assessing the merits of projects entered, judges consider all aspects of planning, materials and form and the context of the project within the environment. This year, for the first time, sustainability is part of the standard judging criteria. Judges were particularly impressed by the number and calibre of entries from the region.
