The 31 winners were announced at an event at the Christchurch Town Hall..

“These projects were all of a high calibre and the passion shown by each of the architects, and their clients, was truly inspiring,” says convenor Craig South of South Architects. “The different approaches architects have had here to sustainability was really interesting and we also enjoyed seeing architects experimenting on their own projects to resolve and then showcase a particular solution. Each diverse entry clearly showcased the immense benefits of engaging with architects, irrespective of a project’s type or budget.”  

Amongst the winners is the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, a visually arresting piece of public architecture that transforms the inner city streets it is sited on, by Woods Bagot, Woods Bagot NZ, and Warren and Mahoney Architects in association. Some unusual residences also took out awards, including Apartment 41, a retail site and home created by MC Architecture Studio and a winner in the Commercial category; Dorset St Flats, a sensitive and beautiful refurbishment of mid-century townhouses, by Young Architects; Biv, a small home in Punakaiki by Fabric; and RTA Studio’s Z House, a quirky, bespoke home full of gorgeous details that garnered a Housing win.  

The Small Project Architecture category was well represented, with four winners that run the gamut from an addition to St Mark’s Anglican Church by Chaplin Crooks Architects to a charming tiny home called Cowshed by Johnstone Callaghan Architects.

Full list of Canterbury Architecture Awards winners:

Commercial Architecture
● Cotters Building by A E Architects
● Apartment 41 by MC Architecture Studio

Education
● Te Aratai College by Architectus

Enduring Architecture
● Erskine Building, University of Canterbury (1998) by Architectus, Cook Hitchcock Sargisson and Royal Associates in association
● Ōhinetahi (1977-2015) by Sir Miles Warren and John & Pauline Trengrove

Heritage
● St Andrews at Rangi Ruru by Fulton Ross Team Architects
● The MED Building by Three Sixty Architecture
● The Observatory Hotel and Observatory Tower, The Arts Centre of Christchurch by Warren and Mahoney Architects and Dave Pearson Architects in association
● Dorset Street Flats by Young Architects

Housing
● Ocean View Terrace House by AW Architects
● Stream Side House by Common
● Biv Punakaiki by Fabric
● Triptych by Johnstone Callaghan Architects
● Taylor’s Mistake House by New Work Studio/Tim Nees Architects
● Z House by RTA Studio
● Sandhill House by Sheppard & Rout Architects
● FLOCKHILL Homestead by Warren and Mahoney Architects
● Hillsborough House by Wilson & Hill Architects

Housing—Multi Unit
● Seager Park Residences by AQA Alessandro Quadrelli Architetto
● Fletcher Living - Worcester Terraces by Sheppard & Rout Architects

Interior Architecture
● IHF Health Club Fitout by Wilson & Hill Architects
● Lovoir Fitout by Wilson & Hill Architects

Public Architecture
● The Jim Wakefield Pavilion by Athfield Architects
● Fonua Mana by Bull O'Sullivan Architecture
● Methven Library by Crosson Architects
● Holy Trinity Church, Avonside by Tennent Brown Architects
● Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre by Woods Bagot and Warren and Mahoney Architects in association

Small Project Architecture
● Chapel Addition - St Mark’s Anglican Church, Opawa by Chaplin Crooks Architects
● The Cowshed by Johnstone Callaghan Architects
● Totara Pavilion by MC Architecture Studio
● St Albans Catholic Chapel by WSP Architecture

Resene Colour Awards
● Dorset Street Flats by Young Architects
● Lovoir Fitout by Wilson & Hill Architects
● The Observatory Hotel and Observatory Tower, The Arts Centre of Christchurch by Warren and Mahoney Architects and Dave Pearson Architects in association
● Triptych by Johnstone Callaghan Architects
● Taylor’s Mistake House by New Work Studio/Tim Nees Architects
● Sandhill House by Sheppard & Rout Architects
● Z House by RTA Studio

The 2023 Canterbury Architecture Awards jurors were:
● Craig South of South Architects, jury convenor
● Lisa Webb of studio/LWA
● Ekin Sakin of Christchurch City Council
● Dennis Chippindale of CO-STUDIO
● Phil Paterson, structural engineer (lay juror)

See photo galleries and read more about these projects on our Local Awards page.