Winners of the 2014 Best Design Awards were announced in Auckland, 10 October, and a Parnell, Auckland, workplace has walked away with top accolades in the Spatial division.

Furniture design and manufacture company, IMO Group, was awarded the top prize, the Purple Pin, for its new Kenwyn Street headquarters. IMO Group transformed an empty 865m² interior into a multifaceted, industrial space to incorporate all of the business operations, provide an inspiring workplace and attract new clients. 

A large steel and glass structure outlines four distinct areas within the building: a showroom, an office, an assembly area and a dispatch area. The space had to be welcoming, inspirational, and articulate the brand aesthetic and attention to detail. A strong, industrial palette of materials was used to reference the building’s Wool Store heritage and reinforce a hands-on approach. 

The Fisher & Paykel Product Development workplace was runner up and a Gold Pin recipient. The East Tamaki, Auckland, project designed by Custance Design was previously an electronics factory. Now, the space has been reformed into one of the largest single office floors in New Zealand, with clean lines and raw materials including aluminium and sheet glass.

An outstanding level of craft was recognised in eight other projects which received Gold Pins.  Te Kaitaka ‘The Cloak’ by Fearon Hay Architects was awarded a Gold Pin in the Built Environment category for its complements to the up-and-coming urban precinct. The Sugar Club by Jasmax, Charlie & George by CTRL Space and Ortolana by Cheshire Architects were all awarded Gold Pins in the Hospitality category. Shed 10 by Jasmax won a Gold Pin in the Public and Institutional Spaces category and in the Sustainable Spatial Design category, Te Mirumiru by CASA won a Gold Pin. The Nike Lab by Switch won a Gold Pin in the Exhibition Installations and Temporary Structures category, and so did Field by Out of the Dark.