The Pā and Riccarton Road both won Best in Category and Excellence Awards in the Education and Community & Affordable Housing Property Awards categories respectively.
The Pā, located in Hamilton on the University of Waikato’s Hillcrest campus, is an innovative and versatile facility bringing together four key elements under one roof structure; the wharenui (ceremonial meeting house), student hub, Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao / Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies and the Office of the Vice-Chancellor.
“One of a number of stand out entries in this category this year, The Pā impressed the judges not only due to its innovative design but also its ability to bring the entire community together. The flexible space can transform effortlessly to accommodate conferences and graduation ceremonies with up to 800 seated guests or to host performances, cultural events and corporate functions,” said Andrew Evans, chief judge, Property Industry Awards.
The first of its kind for Kāinga Ora in Christchurch, Riccarton Road is a public housing development purpose-built for older individuals or people with disabilities. It is also the first Kāinga Ora development in the South Island to achieve 8-Homestar V4.1 rating. The project provides high levels of accessibility and excellent thermal comfort and efficiency – a key benefit in a climatically variable city.
“This development has set a benchmark for social support housing. The comfort and quality it provides for residents is extremely meaningful,” said Leonie Freeman, Property Council New Zealand chief executive. “The Riccarton Road project exceeds suitability for purpose on almost every level and is an exemplary project for modern social housing.”
Tuhiraki, AgResearch’s new headquarters and research centre located adjacent to the Lincoln University’s campus, received Excellence Awards in both the Education and Sustainable Building Property Award categories. Designed to showcase the organisation’s research and innovation as well as attract future generations of scientists and students, the facility consist of a new workplace building and a laboratory building side by side. The facility prioritises sustainability through innovative timber construction for its workplace component, reducing its carbon footprint. Natural ventilation, sun shading, and stormwater management systems all contribute to the building’s sustainability credentials.
Puriri Park Road in Whangārei, a Kāinga Ora development, received a Merit Award in the Community and Affordable Housing category. The development of 37 new homes delivers on a vision of a housing community characterised by diverse family structures. It offers a mix of housing choices including standalone homes, duplexes, and terraces, which foster intergenerational connections and caters to various life stages.
We would like to acknowledge the significant contributions of our project teams and clients in achieving these awards and thank the Property Council for the recognition.
Further Press: Kāinga Ora Developments win Property Industry Awards 2024
