Wellington wharf redevelopment tops commercial building awards

Clyde Quay Wharf was named Supreme Award winner at the Registered Master Builders Association’s NZ Commercial Project Awards last Friday.

Created by the construction team of LT McGuinness, architecture firm Athfield Architects, and engineers Dunning Thornton, the wharf redevelopment took the top prize against 33 of the country’s premium properties vying for awards.

The extensive 239m-long development includes 76 luxury apartments, a concierge service, a business centre with a private meeting room, a boutique fitness centre and a 16-seat movie theatre, while at street level are offices, shops and restaurants. 

An under-wharf basement carpark – the first of its kind in Australasia – posed an immense challenge and included 205 piles and strengthening of the existing wharf with 28 individual, 90-tonne slabs cast above the level of high tide.

Judges praised the mix of old and new in the development – which includes a number of heritage items found in the original building that were reused, such as mosaic artworks, a world clock and the original spire – as well as the way the project team collaborated with local authorities to overcome the challenges presented by redeveloping the 100-year-old wharf.

 “The project team ventured into thoroughly uncharted territory, and by building strong partnerships with the regulatory authorities and a whole range of local and international experts, have delivered a superbly detailed landmark building that is more than deserving of this accolade.

 “A design, engineering and construction masterpiece, this development is a fantastic enhancement to Wellington’s waterfront.”

The quay also took out the Residential category award, a gold award and the value award for top property over $15 million.

This year the capital showed its construction boom is matched with quality projects, securing the supreme award, two category wins, two value awards, three golds, and five silvers. Among those Wellington properties that received awards were buildings in the government precinct and CBD, including the Ambassador’s Residence, 312 Lambton Quay, 15 Stout Street, Te Puni Kokiri and Shed 6.

Auckland also proved its design and construction prowess, securing 10 awards for the region, including the ‘Retail’ category win for MASU Restaurant at Skycity, a gold and value ($2-$5m) award for Takapuna’s Hurstmere Green, alongside other gold, silver and bronze awards. 

Christchurch’s new medical buildings stood out in the Health category, with the city’s new Eye Surgery and the South Island Blood Centre both winning gold awards (Christchurch Eye Surgery took out the category award) and Southern Cross Hospital winning silver.  

Other winners around the country included the Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre in Christchurch, the Avantidrome National Cycling Centre of Excellence in Cambridge – which received a special award, category and gold award – the Tasti Products offices in Auckland and the Sandilands edwardian development in Feilding.  

Southern-based Amalgamated Builders also took out a Platinum Award – a special one-in-a-lifetime award that goes to an organisation that has won five or more national titles – for previous projects including Queenstown’s Sofitel Hotel (2006 – Seismic Tourism and Leisure Project), Wanaka’s Rippon Hall at Rippon Vineyard (2013 Tourism and Leisure category, $2-$5m value award),and Wanaka’s Puzzling World Sculptillusion Gallery (2014 Tourism and Leisure category, under $2m value award).  

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Category winners are:

Education: Wintec Engineering and Trades facility, Hamilton (entered by Chow: Hills Architects) – gold.  

Health: Christchurch Eye Surgery, Christchurch (entered by Leighs Construction) – gold. 

Industrial: Avantidrome National Cycling Centre of Excellence, Cambridge (entered by Livingstone Building) – gold and special award.

Restoration: 15 Stout St, Wellington (entered by McKee Fehl Constructors Limited) – gold.

Retail: Masu Restaurant, Auckland (entered by Naylor Love) – silver

Tourism and Leisure: Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre, Christchurch (entered by Leighs Construction) – gold.

Commercial and Civic: Norwest on Victoria, Christchurch (entered by Fletcher Construction) – gold and Value Award $5-15 million. 

Platinum award: Amalgamated Builders Ltd.