Competition for the 2021 Supreme Award was fierce, with 109 properties from around the country vying for the top accolade, but in the end it was Auckland’s new 180m skyscraper that took home the award
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 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.”
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 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 Hub.
Meanwhile, The Hotel Britomart scooped two Best in Category awards, winning both 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 submitters 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 stress-reducing, healing environment. It places service users’ dignity and choice at its heart, while maintaining safety and connectedness to culture and the communities of Counties Manukau Health.”
In the residential sector, Auckland’s The Pacifica apartment development by Hengyi Pacific won the Templeton Group Multi-Unit 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 Wānanga o Otāgo 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.
Remarking on the challenges of bringing large scale events to life in COVID times, Freeman said, “after a nail-biting 12 months when we’ve had to cancel, reschedule or pivot many of our 80 in-person events to virtual, it is a huge relief and a real joy to see the industry gathered once again. I can think of no better way to celebrate New Zealand’s largest industry than with an evening like this.”
The Property Industry Awards are unique in that they recognise not just innovative design and construction, but also assess nominated projects on their economic and social contribution, sustainability, vision, and owner and user satisfaction.
Judging Criteria
Each nominee is assessed against the following criteria
- Economic and financial criteria 30%
- Project vision and innovation (includes degree of difficulty) 20%
- Design and construction 20%
- Owner and user satisfaction 20%
- Sustainability and efficiency of operation 10%
Judges Citations
Warren & Mahoney Civic, Health & Arts Property Award
Middlemore Hospital Tiaho Mai Acute Mental Health Unit, submitted by Klein Architects on behalf of Counties Manukau Health with Precon, Rider Levett Bucknall, Aurecon, Isthmus and Hawkins
Middlemore Hospital’s Tiaho Mai / ‘Shining Light’ represents a radical step-change in design for mental health in New Zealand. The new acute adult mental health inpatient unit harnesses the benefits of light, fresh air and connection to nature, to create a stress-reducing, healing environment.
It places service users’ dignity and choice at its heart, while maintaining safety and connectedness to culture and the communities of Counties Manukau Health. A tikanga Māori approach to recovery is supported by the physical setting.
First impressions have a major impact on the quality and speed of recovery for mental health patients. Tiaho Mai demonstrates what can be achieved when extensive community engagement and co-design inspires innovative architectural solutions.
Greenstone Group Education Property Award
University of Otago/Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo Faculty of Dentistry, submitted by University of Otago/Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo
This 7.5-year project created a new home for the New Zealand’s national centre of dentistry – the University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry. Its central city dental teaching hospital and research institute attracts about 3000 people daily.
Digitally integrated, state-of-the-art facilities in a refurbished heritage building and a new dental teaching hospital, with a linking atrium at its heart, will meet needs for 50 years.
This highly complex, staged redevelopment is a major investment in Otago, a commitment to excellence in dental education and research, and a pledge to keep providing attractively priced dental treatment that recognises patients’ vital role in teaching students.
Naylor Love Heritage & Adaptive Reuses Property Award
The Hotel Britomart, submitted by Cooper and Company
The Hotel Britomart project has seen the seamless and stylish assimilation of old and new, uniting the new hotel building that faces Takutai Square with the refurbished heritage Masonic and Bucklands buildings.
The development is enhanced by the creation of an intimate public laneway running through the building and providing an informal connection from Customs Street to Britomart.
It is a respectful, innovative, and striking addition to an important district, a blend of contemporary and heritage architecture – and public and private space that’s adds another dimension to the Britomart precinct.
Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities Community and Affordable Housing Property Award
Kōtuitui, submitted by Avant Group and Te Ākitai Waioha
Kōtuitui is a neighbourhood of architecturally designed two and three-bedroom homes in a masterplanned scheme that has proven to be extremely popular. With landscaped private grounds that extend out to the streetscape and pocket park, places for children to play and ample parking for residents and visitors.
Careful consideration has been given to the roading to create a quiet, safe, and peaceful community for residents and visitors to enjoy. Kōtuitui’s architectural design and distinctive use of hard-wearing materials is a fresh new urban look and feel for downtown Manukau City.
Every home has been designed for modern living with generous courtyards for entertaining friends and growing families. Each place has been built with quality fixtures including whiteware package, plus a selection of interior finishes and optional extras.
Templeton Group Multi-Unit Residential Property Award
The Pacifica, submitted by Hengyi Pacific (NZ) Ltd
At 57 storeys and 178 metres high, The Pacifica is New Zealand’s tallest residential tower and is a leading example of “world class in New Zealand”.
A full concierge service and valet car parking are available to all residents. Other community facilities include a well-equipped gym, yoga space, pool complex with spa, sauna and steam room, and resident entertainment facilities include a cinema, library and residents’ lounge.
Hengyi’s vision for creating meaningful places for communities to thrive has been realised working alongside PM AECOM, Plus Architecture, and construction firm Icon. The team have created a building that connects and interacts within the city in which it resides, with a nod to Melbourne laneways at ground floor level.
The completed development provides high quality apartments, amenities and common areas which appeal to the higher end CBD owner occupier market.
Resene Green Building Property Award
Foodstuffs North Island, submitted by Auckland Airport
The project’s vision centred around a 30-year partnership between Auckland International Airport and Foodstuffs to deliver a transformational environment for Foodstuffs North Island staff and visitors while creating a flagship investment.
The 15ha Landing Drive greenfield development comprises an 8,500m2 5 star Green Star head office & fit out and a 77,500m2 Distribution Centre. The office sits on 2.8ha and was delivered 3% under budget, four-months early. The integrated nature of the Foodstuffs’ business, and the site master plan, means both warehouse and office components sit seamlessly side by side.
Today, Foodstuffs’ vision to co-locate its office and warehouse functions in a world-class environment is a reality. Meeting the landscape at its extremities, the expansive curved fascia and soffit combined with fully-glazed façade presents a sculpted presence. Its striking design, with sustainability, wellbeing and operational efficiency at the forefront, enhances The Landing’s reputation as New Zealand’s leading business park.
RCP Commercial Office Property Award
PwC Tower, Commercial Bay, submitted by Precinct Properties New Zealand
Commercial Bay is a city defining project occupying an entire CBD block on Auckland’s waterfront. At the heart of this mixed-use development is the striking 39 level PwC Tower. The tower is integrated with 120 retailers and hospitality venues, 3 levels of basement car parking and subterranean rail tunnels.
The $1b project extends to 97,500 sqm of built form. The PwC Tower redefines the way in which the occupants work. They have access to an unsurpassed level of amenity. The End of Trip facilities, landscaped Sky Terrace, publicly accessible Sky Lobby, adjoining retail and hospitality make this a world class, commercial environment in New Zealand.
CBRE Industrial Property Award
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, submitted by Warren & Mahoney
The Daniell Building is a new 54,000 sqm manufacturing, workplace, research and distribution facility built for Fisher & Paykel Healthcare at their East Tamaki site in Auckland. It is the fourth building on the campus, set in planted and landscaped grounds and represents an evolution of the existing design language.
The new facility includes workspace to support 700 staff in an open plan environment; over 4000 sqm of manufacturing space, laboratories, cafeterias, car-parking, end of trip facilities; and a dedicated distribution centre to supply Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s global market.
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s purpose is about improving care and wellbeing for people and this building enables the organisation to continue developing and delivering world-leading healthcare solutions, whilst providing their staff with a supportive environment to do so.
Yardi Retail Property Award
Countdown Rototuna, submitted by Woolworths New Zealand Limited
Rototuna is the latest format flagship store in the network, and was a pilot for ‘smart store’, ‘e’ store, accessibility, and staff welfare innovations to improve operational and building performance and create a more convenient customer and team experience.
The project anchors the central ‘spine’ of the town centre, and acts as a catalyst for the development of further retail and community facilities in the Rototuna town centre. The building design responded to the growth in online sales, and as this supermarket was due to open during lockdown, the teams were able to use the building flexibly to open as a dark store and provide ‘pick-up’ and ‘delivery’ support to their network.
Countdown Rototuna has traded above expectations has provided the project team with invaluable leanings, as they continue the evolution of their store format.
Holmes Group Tourism and Leisure Property Award
The Hotel Britomart, submitted by Cooper and Company
The Hotel Britomart project includes the creation of a brand-new hotel building, the refurbishment of the adjacent heritage Masonic and Bucklands buildings and the creation of an intimate public laneway that connects them. It is a respectful, innovative and striking addition to an important district, a blend of contemporary and heritage architecture – and public and private space – that speaks to the history and the future of this important part of Auckland.
Rider Levett Bucknall Supreme Award
PwC Tower, Commercial Bay, submitted by Precinct Properties New Zealand
A landmark, mixed-use development occupying a gateway position on Auckland’s waterfront, Commercial Bay not only provides an iconic focal point, but it also seamlessly connects multiple public access points along the evolving waterfront.
Commercial Bay offers international quality amenities with its mix of over 120 retailers and hospitality venues together with leading commercial office space that resets office rental levels in Auckland.
At the heart of this mixed-use development is the striking 39 level PwC Tower.
This is a complex mega project that extends to 97,500 sqm of built form, Commercial Bay involved 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.
A brave and challenging development, Commercial Bay has resulted in a highly successful outcome on key metrics with a value of over a billion dollars.
The prestigious Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards are presented to outstanding property projects, developments or substantive refurbishments across New Zealand.
The Awards are highly regarded for their focus on efficient use of capital. Projects are awarded for meeting a wide range of criteria to provide an outstanding return and/or delivery of service potential on investment of funds and maximum community benefit for public buildings.
Visit the Property Industry Awards website for more information or to download the full list of nominees.
