PwC Tower reigns supreme at the Property Industry Awards

Precinct Properties’ landmark 97,500 sqm PwC Tower, part of the mixed-use Commercial Bay development, has won the Supreme Award at the 2021 Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards.

The Property Industry Awards are unique in that they recognise not just innovative design and construction, but also assess nominees on their economic and social contribution, sustainability, vision and owner and user satisfaction.

Competition for the 2021 Supreme Award was fierce, with 109 properties in the running from around the country vying for the top accolade.

The judges described the property as a premium development occupying a gateway position on Auckland’s waterfront, saying: ‘‘Commercial Bay not only provides an iconic focal point, but it also seamlessly connects multiple public access points along the evolving waterfront.’’

‘‘At the heart of this mixed-use development is the striking 39-level PwC Tower. This complex mega project extends to 97,500 sqm of built form, with construction involving extensive demolition of the former Downtown Shopping Centre, deep excavation below sea level and the construction of City Rail Link tunnels, alongside construction of the tower and retail and hospitality in three distinct buildings.’’

The project also took home Best in Category for the RCP Commercial Office Property Award, beating Excellence winners Foodstuffs North Island’s new Auckland Airport hub and Rotorua’s Scion Innovation Hub.

Property Council chief executive Leonie Freeman described it as ‘‘a brave and challenging development,

with clear economic and social benefits to the city and its community.’’

The Hotel Britomart scooped two Best in Category awards - the Naylor Love Heritage and Adaptive Reuses Property Award and the Holmes Group Tourism and Leisure Property Award. Judges called it ‘‘a seamless and stylish assimilation of old and new’’ and congratulated entrants Cooper and Company on ‘‘a respectful, innovative, and striking addition to an important district’’.

Middlemore Hospital’s Tiaho Mai Acute Mental Health Unit won

Best in Category in the Warren and Mahoney Civic, Health and Arts section, with judges remarking, ‘‘The new acute adult mental health inpatient unit harnesses the benefits of light, fresh air and connection to nature, to create a stressreducing, healing environment. It places service users’ dignity and choice at its heart.’’

In the residential sector, Auckland’s The Pacifica apartment development by Hengyi Pacific won the Templeton Group MultiUnit Residential Property Award while Avant Group’s Kotuitui community won the Kāinga Ora –

Homes and Communities Community and Affordable Housing Property Award.

Other winning projects included the University of Otago/ Te Whare Wā nanga o Otā go Faculty of Dentistry which took out the Greenstone Group Education Property Award; Foodstuffs North Island’s new hub at Auckland Airport, which won the Resene Green Building Property Award; Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s new offices, which won the CBRE Industrial Property Award and Countdown Rototuna, which took home the Yardi Retail Property Award.