Tui Brewery, new vet school and Foxton museum win architecture awards

11 May 2018

The Tui Brewery Tower in Mangatainoka, a new Dutch–Māori museum in Foxton and a veterinary school complex in Palmerston North are among the 13 winners in the 2018 Western Architecture Awards.

The Western Architecture Awards, which were announced at an event at Heritage house, Whanganui, are part of the peer-reviewed New Zealand Architecture Awards programme run by the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) and sponsored by Resene.

The programme sets the benchmark for the country’s buildings and recognises the contribution of architects to their towns and communities.

Whanganui architect Sophie Ross was the convenor of this year’s awards jury which also included fellow Wanganui architect Duncan Sinclair, Palmerston North architect Heather Hocken and Auckland architect Pat de Pont. They jury visited 23 shortlisted projects in the Taranaki, Whanganui and Manawatu districts.

Ms Ross said the jury was impressed not just by the diversity of architecture it encountered, but also by the its quality and inventiveness.

“We were continually impressed by the ways architects in our region are innovating and applying new technologies to help keep project costs to a minimum, problem solve, and give their work an identity that suits local history and culture.”

“A special mention must go to the New Plymouth practice BOON, which won five awards this year, and as such can be considered a leading light in the practice of architecture in the region,” Ross said.

All Western Architecture Award winning projects are eligible for consideration in the New Zealand Architecture Awards, which will be announced in November.

See image gallery captions for awards jury comments about respective projects.