ITM WildTomato Building & Architecture Awards 2010

Once again, this year’s ITM WildTomato Building & Architecture Awards have revealed some exciting and dynamic local architecture. Eight category winners were picked from the many entries, and one supreme winner was picked from those eight.

This year, the chairman judge was renowned Wellington architect Ian Athfield. Other judges were Scott Gibbons representing ITM, Richard Merrifield from the Certified Builders’ Association and Jack Martin, editor of WildTomato.

Judging criteria was weighted towards each entry’s relationship with its local and regional setting, as well as its use of local materials and craftspeople. This has been a common element in the two previous years’ awards. Another important factor was the degree of consistency and completeness in expressing the relationship between each building’s concept, form and structure. Entries also had to comply with the graphic requirements set by WildTomato.

Jack Martin was thrilled that WildTomato was once again able to provide a forum to showcase the best of the best architecture that Nelson and Marlborough can offer. Fellow judge Scott Gibbons felt that the drive towards using more eco-friendly, natural and sustainable building materials and design concepts was significant. “It was great to see architects and builders constantly pushing the boundaries to achieve such technical design features,” Scott said.

Richard Merrifield was encouraged by the high levels of skill shown by local builders and the trend towards eco design, which “I would like to think that, with a skilled designer, would be at neutral cost to the client,” he said.



IN BOX

Ian Athfield, chairman judge

Take a wander through central Wellington and there is barely a street corner where Ian Athfield’s bold, artistic architectural style doesn’t feature somewhere. He is known for his highly-creative designs in places like Civic Square in Wellington, which he worked on with two other noted Wellington architectural firms. But the iconic steel nikau palms are his design and demonstrate his great love of expressing the built environment by how it stands against the natural. He also has a strong sense of how to manage public spaces, which is amply demonstrated in that development.

His own home, on a steep hillside above Wellington harbour, has been written about in countless publications and is a living testament to Athfield’s understanding of community environments. To quote from Houses for the 21st Century by Geoffrey London et al, “It is constructed as a village-like mix of colonial, vernacular and High Modern references”. London goes on to describe it as having an “anti-suburban manifesto” and complimenting its “disruptive nature”. Viewed from the Wellington motorway, it is a glorious statement of extrovert and rampant design, which never fails to intrigue.

Ian accepted the invitation to judge these awards because he sees a certain value in what smaller cities, particularly towns, can offer larger cities in the areas of urban design and development. “Smaller places generally look to the bigger ones to provide answers to design issues, but sometimes the answer can be seen in the smaller towns and applied to the bigger ones. It’s a grass roots effect,” he explained.

“I have been critical of urban development in some parts of the country, and also critical of our good agricultural soil being used in housing developments. Nelson is a very attractive place, although historically its record of sensitive development hasn’t been that great.” He feels that awards in smaller centres like Nelson and Marlborough provide a forum for new ideas to emerge.


“The other area we [Athfield Architecture] have questioned most is housing. We are looking at what sort of housing and alternative land use initiatives we can take. The last time this happened on any scale was in the 1970s.” Here he refers to the brief foray into collective and community living that came with the lovin’ generation, and how it almost happened but didn’t.

“We have once again regressed into individual living units. But the sub-prime recession has brought about the need to change this. I would like to live another 30 years to see this played out,” he laughed.

Asked if he saw any interesting new developments while here to judge the awards, he was positive. “It was good to see new buildings being built into a current infrastructure. The NMIT building is a good example of that, as is the public toilet block in Bradford Park. It was also good to see well-positioned budget housing emerging with sound eco values. However, there was still a predominance of the old style of design. I hope we’ve given enough credit to people moving away from the old models.”

Results and judges’ comments

Supreme Winner

Examinar Street House, Nelson
Marc Barron, Jerram Tocker Barron Architects (architect)

This was the outstanding entry in the awards. The 330m2 home sits on a small central-city section, yet includes five bedrooms, two living areas and several study/retreat areas. Contemporary in style, the house uses passive solar design, with the concrete tilt panel construction opening to the interior. The exterior is sheathed expertly in stained cedar cladding. Judges complimented the excellent use of space, the clever use of products, the way the building made the best of its northerly aspect and how well it was constructed to suit the rigours of a large family.


Best Home Over $1m

Winner
Donaldsons Residence, Nelson
Dave McLeod, Project Homes (architect/designer)

This home occupies a windy, exposed site overlooking the city; the design was praised for its ability to deal with this. Good use of glass panels provides shelter across the front of the home and allows for very pleasing sun and light angles to illuminate the interior and make the most of the view. Concrete tilt panels provide the main profile for the exterior and also break the wind. Clever use of earthworks creates a 100m2 ‘underground’ garage area, out of sight from the front of the house.

Runner Up
Holdaway Rd, Lower Moutere
Dan Anderson, Dan Anderson Building Ltd (builder)

Judges described this as “a large, timeless country house with lovely detail”. It also sits atop a hill with wide-ranging views. Inspired by design features from the late 19th century arts-and-crafts movement, the client’s brief asked for a traditionally-inspired home that would mellow gracefully with age. This has been combined with a low-maintenance exterior and a functional, up-to-date open-plan interior.




Best Home $500,000-$1m

Winner
Examinar Street House, Nelson
Marc Barron, Jerram Tocker Barron Architects (architect)

This was the outstanding entry in the awards. The 330m2 home sits on a small central-city section, yet includes five bedrooms, two living areas and several study/retreat areas. Contemporary in style, the house uses passive solar design, with the concrete tilt panel construction opening to the interior. The exterior is sheathed expertly in stained cedar cladding. Judges complimented the excellent use of space, the clever use of products, the way the building made the best of its northerly aspect and how well it was constructed to suit the rigours of a large family.

Runner Up
Shelborne Ave, Richmond
Dave McLeod, Project Homes (architect/designer)

This modern design features large areas of glass, cantilevered living and bedroom areas, a concrete core and an internal glass bridge, all on a steeply-sloping site. Judges commented on the good use of site coverage and great finish on the technical design.

Best Home Under $500,000

Winner
Scragg Home, Tasman
Tasman Homes Ltd (builder)

The wonderful use of natural timber caught the judges’ attention in this large country home. Designed to evoke the New Zealand villa of old, it is sheathed in Lawson cypress with macrocarpa finishing. Mud-brick interior walls and floors of polished concrete add to its good use of natural products and provide a passive solar effect. The design was also complimented for its functional layout and relaxed feel. Woven bamboo interior linings set off the exposed wooden trusses in the living areas.

Runner Up
Clearwater Place, Blenheim
Hadrian Construction Ltd (builder)

This traditional but modern design features vaulted ceilings and quality finishings, and has been built to make the most of its vineyard views. Due to the high water table, it is constructed on a thick ribraft floor and is clad in natural clay bricks finished with a matching mortar for a flush look. Schist has been used for the chimney and the entryway posts.

Best Commercial/Cultural Building

Winner
NMIT – School of Tourism, Hospitality and Wellbeing
Marc Barron, Jerram Tocker Barron Architects (architect)

The NMIT Nelson School of Tourism, Hospitality and Wellbeing won this category with a well-thought-out design that the judges felt maximised energy efficiency. This large-scale building features a striking façade of cedar sunshades along the sunny north side, a patinated copper tower marking the entry and large windows on the south frontage to showcase NMIT activities to the street. The sunshades and east-west orientation allow for maximum solar efficiency, aided by high levels of insulation. Good natural lighting, natural ventilation and cooling, and solar water heating all add to the building’s excellent eco rating.

Runner Up and Judges special commendation

Branford Park Toilets
Arthouse Architecture (architect)

The public toilet block in Branford Park was described by judges as being “fun and funky”. Part of a larger project to provide more user-friendly conveniences around Nelson city, the toilet block features bright colours and stainless-steel artwork alongside its very functional design. On a more practical note, the building has a secure service core, natural ventilation and large roof overhangs.

Best Eco Building

Winner
Solabode, Arapeta Place
Mark Fielding, Ecotect Ltd, (architect)

This Solabode design shows how a small home can provide maximum eco efficiency without a big price tag. Covered in a 50% recycled cardboard cladding and sitting on a thick concrete slab, the design allows for excellent retention and recycling of heat – even on days without sun. Thermal efficiency is increased through the use of adobe walls and 100% wool insulation. Kitchen and bathroom joinery is made from untreated, varnished plywood, and building materials are all local and non-toxic. Judges were pleased with the simple yet good use of a small area, and its low carbon footprint.


Runner Up
J & B Baden House, Nelson
Mark Fielding, Ecotect Ltd (architect)

This contemporary passive solar design features hidden eco features and good use of space. With an insulated concrete slab floor, large areas of glass and due-north orientation, this home stays warm easily, even with a double-height central space. Internal thermal mass walls, rainwater harvesting and solar water heating add to its eco rating.

Best Home Build Company Home

Winner
Hoddy Rd
Russell Campbell, In Haus (builder)

This large contemporary home is built as three adjoining pavilions with individual mono-pitch rooflines. Each has a northerly aspect and oversized soffits for maximum winter sun efficiency. The house sits on an insulated slab and is clad in vertical cedar. Judges praised its excellent use of untreated Douglas fir framing timber, and the ‘hidden’ garaging that does not have internal access, giving separation between vehicle and living zones. They also praised the exceptional finish and detailing of the home, which is laid out to maximise views across Tasman Bay and to Mapua and the western ranges.

Best Interior Design

Winner
The Olive and the Goose, Westdale Road, Mapua
Richard Carver, Redbox Architects and Harris Builders (architect)

This very successful renovation won two categories: Best Interior Design and Best Renovation. The largely rebuilt house replaces an older one and features recycled hardwood bridge beams in the large double-height entry lobby and living areas, recycled internal Balinese doors and a Japanese garden. Serving as both a private home and a lodge, there is a private owners’ retreat and large yoga/tango room on the upper floor, with guest accommodation, living areas and outdoor entertaining area downstairs. Interior polished-concrete floors and stone fireplaces are enhanced by a neutral colour palette, and bathrooms have been finished in mosaic tiles. There is polished jarrah tongue-and-groove flooring upstairs, and the bespoke interior joinery features a 100mm thick Caesar stone benchtop.






Runner Up
Selbourne Avenue, Richmond
Stephanie Millar and Susan Elliot (owner)

Judges described this home as “edgy and modern”. Making good use of sculptural lighting, the décor is strong and minimalist with black joinery, white walls and pale oak and tile flooring. There are no trims or mouldings. Brightly-coloured artwork completes the look. Coloured LED lighting provides accent colour and highlights the architecture.

Best Renovation

Winner
The Olive and the Goose, Westdale Road, Mapua
Richard Carver, Redbox Architects and Harris Builders (architect)

See winner of category 7, Best Interior Design

Runner Up
Pugh Road, Hope
Russell Stevens, R V Stevens Ltd (builder)

What was once a plain house has been transformed into a very modern home featuring strong columns, linear board and stucco cladding, and interesting angles. These help marry the old building to the new and give the house a new identity. Most of the retained areas of the original house had to be realigned, repacked or re-battened, and the owners lived in the house throughout the four-month renovation. Judges described it as an “incredible transformation with great vision”.