Architecture winners reference rural life

Whether it’s a reference to farm sheds, bush or rolling countryside, great architecture is invariably influenced by location, and that comes through strongly in this year’s Nelson-Marlborough Te Ka¯ hui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architecture (NZIA) Awards.

As jury convenor, architect Min Hall says: ‘‘All the projects we visited responded to the comparatively rural nature of the region, and we tended to see buildings that reflected that characteristic quite strongly. The architects have taken the rural vernacular as a guide, using simple pragmatic forms.

‘‘There was also an encouraging consciousness of environmental and sustainable issues overall, and we were pleased to see much more openness to acknowledging te ao Ma¯ ori in the public projects.’’

Three winning projects by Rural Workshop Architecture illustrate the rural reference. The firm took out a Housing Award and a Resene Colour Award for Awatere Hill House, which comprises two red sheds on the edge of a hilltop.

The NZIA jury noted how the overhang corrugated wall and roof intersection meant gutters weren’t necessary – rainwater drips to a concealed drain and disperses naturally.

The colour award judges said the use of Resene Pioneer Red on the shed exteriors ‘‘transforms a

good design into a memorable and pleasing form that references an historic vernacular’’.

Other projects by Rural Workshop Architecture to win awards were Head of the Bay – a bach renovation with new sleeping pods in the Marlborough Sounds, which won a Housing Alterations & Additions Award, and Real Workspace office premises for multiple businesses, which won a Commercial Architecture Award.

‘‘The Real Workspace build is another modern interpretation of a rural shed. The dark weatherboard

exterior is crisply detailed with steel eyebrows surrounding the recurring window-skylight combination,’’ the jury noted.

‘‘Utilities are attached to the entry side in lean-to forms, ensuring the main space is clean and open to the pitch throughout.’’

The jury also praised the use of energy-efficient materials, and the commitment to local sourcing wherever possible.

Studio House by William Samuels Architects, which won a Housing Award, responds to the demand for homes with smaller

footprints that respect the environment.

The 42m2 house comprises two moveable structures with a ‘‘conjoined hoop form’’. The jury praised the way the living area spans the two volumes, creating a ‘‘surprisingly generous space’’.

‘‘Judicious use of materials is the hallmark of the design, from the corrugated cladding to the use of scaffolding for the exterior canopy. Detailing is well considered, yet economical: Hoop windows are crisply detailed, and the loft creates a snug sleeping platform for visitors.’’

A winery and wine centre were also lauded in the awards. Cellar One, Cloudy Bay Vineyards by Paul Rolfe Architects received a Commercial Architecture Award, as did The New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapu¯ Wa¯ina o Aotearoa by Jerram Tocker Barron Architects.

The Cloudy Bay project received special mention for the ‘‘clever insertion’’ of a glass viewing pod suspended over the production hall, which is in a repurposed agricultural space.

Two buildings receiving Enduring Architecture Awards – Alpine Lodge, St Arnaud (1984), by architect Ian Jack, and Pohara Hall, Golden Bay (1971) by architect Alex Bowman.

The jury said Lake Rotoiti’s Alpine Lodge was as relevant and popular today as it was 40 years ago. ‘‘The architect’s challenge was to respond to the powerful setting, which was achieved through a carefully composed array of steep-pitched roofs, whilst also providing a humanscale refuge.’’

Pohara Hall was described as an ‘‘iconic landmark, recognised and loved by many people in Golden Bay and beyond’’.

The building, funded by Golden Bay Cement, features precast panels with exposed aggregate, externally expressed columns and open-ended rainwater outlets between the softly curved roofs.

‘‘With raised eyebrows to the road between Tarakohe and Po¯ hara, the community hall represents an era now passed’’.