IN PICTURES: Top architecture awarded

The best of New Zealand architecture has been awarded at the 2010 New Zealand Architecture Awards, with winners going on to compete for top gong: the 2010 New Zealand Architecture Medal.

Samson Corporation’s Ironbank building on Auckland Karangahape Rd, which was designed by RTA Studio, won in the commercial architecture and sustainable architecture categories.

The stylish and highly sustainable NZI Centre in downtown Auckland designed by Jasmax won on three fronts for its interior architecture, commercial architecture and sustainable architecture.

Subdivision Wiroa Station Wine Cellar in the Bay of Islands won in the small project architecture category for its seafront shared wine cellar which judges described as elegant.

The Yellow Pages Treehouse Restaurant which Pacific Environments Architects NZ designed for a marketing campaign was also honoured in the small project architecture category, as was Bull/O’Sullivan Architecture’s O’Sullivan Home at Mangere Mountain.

Architect Ian Athfield’s landmark Wellington home Clements House won in residential category for its “sophistication” and Fox-Hansen House designed by his firm Athfields Architects was also honoured in this category for its “playfulness”.

Patterson Associates’ Wanaka Lodge won for its European-influenced South Island house made form stone, which the judges said had “striking fresh inspiration”.

In the public architecture category Tennent+Brown’s Mana Tamariki Maori School at Palmerston North won for its Maori sensibilities, while Warren and Mahoney’s Nzi3 Innovation Institiute at the University of Canterbury was also awarded in this category.

The Landscape Architecture Building at Lincoln University designed by Sheppard & Rout Architecrs and Royal Associates won for its “organic quality”.

Auckland’s Beaumont Quarter was awarded for its urban design which Studio Pacific Architecture created. The Liardet St Overpass Boon Goldsmith Bhaskar Brebner Team Architecture designed for New Plymouth’s local council also won in the urban design category.

The 2010 New Zealand Architecture Medal will be awarded in May.