2019 Western Architecture Awards Winner
Nga Tawa Diocesan Main School Building (1925)
This girls’ boarding school, structurally upgraded in the 1980s, is a fine example of 1920s neo-Georgian architecture. The large, north-facing, first floor balconies are features of the original design – apparently, early boarders slept on these, as it was believed the fresh air was invigorating. (The balconies are now closed in with full- height sliding and folding windows). The main school building forms part of a distinctive arrangement of internal and external spaces, both processional and reflective. It has a strong and clear form, with the pattern of fenestration and the composition of surface and recess conferring a powerful tactile quality. At just shy of 100 years old, the robust materials of the building’s construction have lasted well to provide generations of students with memorable, homely spaces.
