More than 60 of New Zealand’s top commercial properties will vie for national awards at this year’s New Zealand Commercial Project Awards — double the number of entries from 2015.
Four years into the Awards — an evolution of the Registered Master Builders Commercial Project Awards and open to all New Zealand commercial construction project partners — the competition received 63 entries across eight categories: Education, Health, Industrial, Civic and Commercial, Heritage and Restoration, Retail, Residential and Tourism and Leisure.
The Awards aim to recognise not only the building itself, but also the team behind it.
“It’s fantastic to see such a huge support from the industry as the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards come of age,” Awards spokesperson Greg Pritchard says.
“This year we have many first-time entrants from across the sector, including architects and engineers who have put forward some exciting new projects, while many of our previous winners are back with their latest achievements.
“It’s going to be a tough year for our judges. Every project entered is an example of commercial construction excellence with its own story of challenges overcome, and the best possible outcome for the team and client.”
While this year has seen significant growth across all areas, there has been a particular increase in the industrial category — up from just one entry last year to five for 2016 — while some of the larger categories such as Commercial and Civic have up to 15 entries.
Many of the projects are part of the Christchurch and Canterbury rebuild, including:
• 144 Kilmore Street, located on some of the worst ground following the earthquakes,
• the Ruataniwha Kaiapoi Civic Centre, built to replace its earthquake-damaged predecessor and incorporating a library, service centre, museum and art gallery,
• the University of Canterbury Matariki (Registry) Building, which looks to preserve the heritage of the original building after it sustained serious earthquake damage, and
• the St Margaret’s (which lost 80% of its facilities during the earthquake) rebuild of the College Gymnasium and Chapel.
New entrants include The Buchan Group, with entries across multiple categories such as The NorthWest Shopping Centre in Auckland, and Watts & Hughes Construction, with the Eye Institute in Auckland a state-of-the-art bespoke medical centre.
Sponsored by industry heavyweights PlaceMakers, James Hardie, NALCO, GIB and Allied Concrete, entrants in the Awards vie for gold, silver and bronze awards, as well as national category wins and the coveted supreme award.
There are also four value-based awards, with categories ranging from projects under two million dollars through to over $15 million — and a special award for an “outstanding project or element of a project worthy of recognition”.
Tickets are now on sale for the Awards gala evening to be held at Auckland’s SkyCity Convention Centre on Friday, May 6.
Pre-awards drinks and canapes will be served from 6pm, followed by the awards presentations and dinner.
To view this year’s Awards entrants or to book your tickets, go to www.commercialprojectawards.co.nz.
