Nelson teacher Craig Martin and Otago Girls High School student Amelia Meredith-Vaughan are the category winners in the 2016 Warren Trust Awards for Architectural Writing.

The annual competition was established by the New Zealand Institute of Architects, with the support of the Warren Architect’s Education Trust, to encourage writing about architecture.

Mr Martin won the Open category of the writing competition, and a $1,500 prize, with his essay on the Aniwaniwa Visitor Centre, the John Scott-designed building near Lake Waikaremoana that was recently demolished by the Department of Conservation.

Ms Meredith-Vaughan won the competition’s Student category and its $1,000 prize with her essay on her family’s own house.

The Warren Trust Awards jury for 2016 comprised convenor John Walsh, communications manager of the New Zealand Institute of Architects; Nicola Legat, publisher of Massey University Press and Jeremy Hansen, editor of new Auckland weekly magazine Paper Boy.

Three highly commended awards, each carrying a $500 prize, were also awarded.

These went to Graeme North, a Warkworth architect; Ellen Anderson, who works for Heritage New Zealand in Wellington and Otago-based Diana Noonan, an experienced author of children’s books.

“Essay writing is not easy,”’ said jury convenor John Walsh, “but many of the competition entrants said they welcomed the opportunity to produce a longer form piece of writing.”

“Writers addressed the subject of an architectural journey to a site that meant something to them, and many of the essays were recollections or appreciations of buildings or places that have significant personal importance.”

More than ninety essays were submitted in this year’s Warren Trust Awards for Architectural Writing.

“It was pleasing that the member of entries increased this year, and it shows that many people have a strong interest in both architecture and writing,” said Walsh.

A selection of essays from the 2016 Warren Trust Awards for Architectural Writing competition will be published early 2017.