Hunt On For National Architecture Award Winners

A jury will travel the country next week to select which architects will win this year's prestigious National Architecture Awards.

The projects shortlisted as finalists for the 2001 New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA)-Resene National Awards for Architecture include a mix of commercial and residential buildings. They include six houses, an apartment building, two art galleries, a South Island school, the foyer of the Royal Sun Alliance building, (Auckland's tallest building), the refurbished Civic Theatre and Wellington Airport.

The finalists were shortlisted from the regional level of the NZIA awards that drew entries from architects throughout New Zealand.

The National Awards jury, which includes National Convenor, architect Geoff Richards, three regional jury convenors and a prominent Australian architect, will visit the finalists' sites from 1-6 April to decide which will receive National Awards for Architecture. Joining Geoff Richards on this year's jury are Malcolm Walker (northern region), Chris Kelly (central region), John Blair (southern region), plus Australian architect and contributing editor of Architecture Australia magazine, Kerstin Thompson from Melbourne.

The National Awards for Architecture are the most difficult architectural awards to win, Mr Richards said, because they must adhere to benchmarks that are based on the highest international standards.

"They are about excellence," he said, "and very few projects have all of the ingredients required to achieve those standards."

National and Regional Award winners will be announced at a gala dinner in Wellington at Te Papa on 25 May.

The 2001 NZIA-Resene National Awards for Architecture finalists are:

Northern Region

Motorua Island House, Bay of Islands, by Pete Bossley Architects Ltd

Bambury House, Western Springs, Auckland, by JASMAX

Dowell House, Takapuna, Auckland, by Patterson Co-Partners Architects

The Point Apartments, central Auckland, by Craig Craig Moller Architects & Interior Designers

Civic Theatre, Auckland, by JASMAX

Royal Alliance Centre (Foyer), Auckland, by Noel Lane Architects

Teachers' Support Service Centre, Epsom, Auckland, by Architectus: Bowes Clifford Thomson

The New Gallery Building, Auckland, by Mitchell & Stout Architects

Hall House, Te Puna, Tauranga, by Manning & Associates

Central Region

Gallery for NZ Academy, Wellington, by Herriot + Melhuish Architecture Limited

Labone Cabin, Wairarapa, by Architecture +

Wellington International Airport by Craig Craig Moller Architects & Interior Designers

Gallery for NZ Academy, Wellington, by Herriot + Melhuish Architecture Limited

Southern Region

Sumner House, Christchurch, by Noordanus Architects

Longbeach School, Ashburton, by Peter Beaven Architects

Ends

For further information:

Geoff Richards

Geoff Richards Architects Ltd

National Awards Convenor

Tel: 09 446 0800 or Mob: 021 684 937

Mattie Wall

Regional Services Manager

NZIA

Tel: 09 623 6089 or Mob: 025 270 3292

Jane Parlane, Auckland Communications Company,

Tel: 09 5201148 or Mob: 021 912 631

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