2020 Auckland Architecture Awards Winner
Bay of Islands Airport, Kerikeri
The Bay of Islands Airport is a gateway to the North, and not far from Waitangi, the birthplace of our nation. This project took a very challenging brief – which changed, along with its budget, many times – that sought to strike a balance between immediate needs and the anticipation of future growth. The architect diagrammed the flow of incoming and outgoing passengers and drew inspiration from the idea of an eddy to place a café in the centre of the two streams of passengers. The stratagem works and because it does, Bay of Islands Airport is one of the more successful regional airports. Artwork created by local mana whenua artists grounds the project and reflects its near-civic nature as an expression of manaakitanga, which is about being gracious hosts. The desire of architect and clients that the building should tell the stories of the local iwi is certainly worth celebrating. If you have not visited this part of Aotearoa, this airport is now an ideal gateway.
- Practice
- Eclipse Architecture Limited
- Category
- Public Architecture
- Location
- Auckland
