New buildings were on parade at New Zealand’s Commercial Project Awards, writes
Catherine Harris.
STUNNING NEW buildings in the upper North Island have taken top honours this month in a major construction industry competition. The New Zealand Commercial Project Awards are presented annually by the Registered Master Builders Association. While the supreme award went to Wellington’s Clyde Quay Wharf apartments and its builder, LT McGuinness, a number of other buildings around the country were also recognised. One of them was Waikato’s world-class velodrome, the Avantidrome, which won three awards: the industrial category, a gold and a special award. The eyecatching landmark near Cambridge was built by Livingstone Building NZ and largely funded by the community. Judges said the project team’s commitment to deliver on time and budget was ‘‘second to none’’, given an immovable deadline for installation of the 52,000m timber track. Spanning 77m across and 120m in length, the challenge for the construction team was to ensure it didn’t become ‘‘just another large and obtrusive structure’’. ‘‘Therefore the decision to make the arena’s overall shape mimic that of the track brings a hint of what lies within.’’ Wintec’s engineering and trades block also got special mention, with judges calling it ‘‘inspirational’’. Auckland won three golds, including one for Hurstmere Green, which also took the $2m-$5m category for Kalmar Construction’s rejuvenation of an overgrown and underutilised Takapuna park into an outdoor events area.
In Gisborne, C Company House at Tairawhiti Museum, a memorial to the men of C Company, 28 (Maori) Battalion, won silver in the tourism and leisure category for Bain Construction Ltd and Landmark Homes.