Piha house wins top prize in national architecture awards

A stunning house overlooking the Auckland's west coast "- has won the big prize at the New Zealand Architecture Awards.

Herbst Architects last night won the Sir Ian Athfield Award for Housing, one of 17 prizes presented at Wellington's Te Papa Tongarewa by the NZ Institute of Architects.

The jury was glowing in its praise of the Kawakawa House design.

As well as respecting the area's "wild beauty", the jury said: "The house connects to the pōhutukawa forest in which it sits, as to the beach it overlooks. "

The architects said the property was down a right-of-the-way, and the two-storey house in front was obscured by ocean views from the lower level and the site was over-hung by trees.

All the living areas were on the upper level, providing views and bring in more light.

Devonport-based Jeremy Salmond is a resident of Salmond Reed Architects who has been recognized for his outstanding career in the heritage and conservation area, as well as Kerikeri's Stone Store and Russell's Pompallier House.

Vinegar Lane – the Ponsonby office / retail / residential scheme by Isthmus Group – won an award for Planning and Urban Design.

The judges said it "is a viable alternative to a city of confronting intense habitation, to low-density suburbia and monolithic multi-unit development".

Warren and Mahoney's work on the Waterview Connection was deemed "a qualitative advance in the design of the New Zealand infrastructure projects", receiving an award for planning and urban design.

Two Christchurch earthquake-replacement buildings won the notable awards: St. Andrew's College Centennial Chapel by Architectus won a public architecture prize and Cathedral Grammar Junior School by Andrew Barrie Lab and Japan's Tezuka Architects won in the education category.

Christchurch's new Justice and Emergency Services Precinct by Warren and Mahoney Architects, Opus Architects and Cox Architecture won an interior design award.

Heke Street was designed and built in 1988 by Mitchell & Stout Architects, founded by Julie Stout and Dave Mitchell, the latter who died this year.

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Victoria on the River – the Hamilton urban park by Edwards White Architects in association with Aecom – also won a planning and urban design award.

The jury said: "At last, a well-planned and well executed connection has been established between the CBD and the river.

Edwards White won in the commercial architecture category Mezz Box, "an elegant addition that fulfills its commercial function, enhances the existing building and makes a commendable contribution to the public realm of the river park".

Warren and Mahoney won a commercial award for the new $ 40m 119GNR, the upmarket and eye-catching Giltrap car showrooms, dealership, service and offices at 119 Great North Rd, Ponsonby.

"With a single-minded focus, disciplined treatment of materials, and attention to detail, this building is realizing its commercial purpose.

Architectus won an award for the education category at the University of Auckland Science Center which features 11 floors of specialist teaching spaces, research labs, offices and communal areas, connected to existing structures and establishing a university gateway on the prominent inner-city site.

"The architects have met the programmatic requirements and contextual obligations of the cityscape," the jury said.

Stevens Lawson Architects' Rawene House in Westmere won an award in the category of being an earthy and soulful home. A lovely spatial flow, adept handling of natural light and well-chosen and crafted materials combine to produce a calmly ordered and serene house ".

Another winner in the category, Tūrama, RTA Studio's Rotorua house, showed how connections made between the environment, whanau and genealogy, the judges said.

Irving Smith Architects won the additions and alterations to the category of a Golden Bay bach, completed before a cyclone fell in a stand of eucalyptus trees.

• Full award details at www.nzia.co.nz