Wynyard Central East 2 by Architectus took home the Sir Ian Athfield Award for Housing at the 2019 New Zealand Architecture Awards, organised by Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects. 

The jury noted, “In a bold and confident response to a unique opportunity, the architects have produced a sophisticated tripartite multi-unit housing project without local precedent. The prioritising of architectural quality and amenity has benefited the inhabitants of the Wynyard Central East 2 complex while enhancing the public realm of the neighbourhood. The apartment terraces are atypically generous and the inclusion of mews houses is a welcome surprise; on a highly visible site, privacy is well handled, as is ventilation in all dwellings. The successful juxtaposition, around several laneways, and clear articulation of the various forms – pavilions, mews and apartment building – and the rich materiality of the project set a high standard for the development of Wynyard Quarter.”

Architectus project description

The project is part of an integrated, cohesive master plan – the Wynyard Quarter Urban Design Framework – and Architectus has been involved in its creation for the past 15 years. A fundamental premise of that document is to build the character of the Wynyard Quarter into the future. The challenge with adding to the neighbourhood is to respect the character imbued into the precinct by the marine and fishing industries, and the industrial quality that exists in many of the heritage buildings that are retained. Wynyard Central adds to and complements this character.

The master plan’s ambition is to bring the outside in, connect to spaces and uses within the wider waterfront precinct and to form neighbourhoods within neighbourhoods, in the themes of green, gritty and blue. The result will be a precinct with many layers: integrated yet flexible.

Housing has been designed for a variety of residents, with a particular emphasis on the development of family residences, through considered space-planning as well as child-friendly amenities and safe outdoor spaces. Sustainability principles permeate every aspect of the design. Public spaces are celebrated, and ground-floor edges are activated and engaging. Wynyard Central will be home to a mosaic of lives and activity, interwoven and independent, in a thriving waterfront context.

See all the winning projects from the 2019 New Zealand Architecture Awards here.