This year’s Supreme Award was taken home by Bradnam’s Windows and Doors and Metro Performance Glass Auckland for the Ministry of Primary Industries’ (MPI) building project in Auckland. The project also won two category awards. Judges described the building as “a synthesis of design, fabrication and installation”, and they praised the joint winners for their strong collaboration. 

Working closely with Williams Architects and Macrennie Commercial Construction, the completed project includes over 1800m² of high performance glass including a four-sided curtain wall of 250m² of digitally-printed glass.

Kenneth van der Goes, commercial branch manager for Bradnam’s Windows and Doors, says, “It’s one of those projects you’d describe as ‘magic’,” he says. “It’s not often you get the chance to show off just what the industry can do, but I think the MPI building is a testament to the diversity of what we can achieve.” He notes that the design was incredibly complex and involved matching each piece of glass perfectly to create the whole façade. 

The winner of the Residential Over $175k category was a project equally complex in nature; Di Bella Cascata in Queenstown with windows and glass by Vistalite Otago took home this award. The building uses panoramic windows to capture views of the surrounding landscape. The judges were particularly impressed by this project because, despite much of the exterior being glass, heavy glazing techniques were used to ensure the thermal integrity of the building. 

Michael Brenssell, owner of Vistalite Otago, says that innovation in windows and glass is what made a project like Di Bella Cascata possible. The project used the Pacific Thermal Suite along with argon double and triple-glazing to ensure the home was protected from the extreme high’s and low’s in temperature that Queenstown can experience.

He says, “A building that’s 65 per cent glass like Di Bella Cascata wouldn’t have been feasible in Queenstown even just a decade ago.”

The Window and Glass Association of New Zealand‘s national awards have been celebrating innovation and excellence in the industry for over 10 years now and the organisation is increasingly impressed by the breadth and intricacy of entries.

CEO Brett Francis says, “The technical complexities involved in our winning projects, as well as many of those who entered but didn’t win, are becoming typical in the industry as more and more projects look to incorporate bespoke glass and window solutions within their design.”

This year’s judging panel included Tony van Raat, Head of Architecture at Unitec, Auckland, Joanne Duggan, director of marketing at the New Zealand Green Building Council and Laurie Barker, former president of the Association.

Full list of winners:

• Supreme Award: Bradnam’s Windows and Doors and Metro Performance Glass Auckland for Ministry for Primary Industries building, Auckland

• Residential Over $175k: Vistalite Aluminium Otago for Di Bella Cascata, Queenstown

• Residential $75k to $175k: Ellison’s Aluminium for Arrow House, Queenstown

• Residential $25k to $75k: Rylock Waikato for Design Builders Waikato show home, Hamilton

• Residential Under $25k: Altherm Taranaki for Hancox Cottage, New Plymouth

• Commercial Over $100k: Bradnam’s Windows and Doors for Ministry for Primary Industries building, Auckland

• Commercial Under $100k: Omega Aluminium Kapiti for QE Park Visitor Centre, Kapiti Coast

• Best Use of Glass: Metro Performance Glass Auckland for Ministry for Primary Industries building, Auckland

• Glass Innovation: Glassforce for The Glasshouse, Christchurch

• Designing with Glass: Glassforce for Te Manawa Atawhai Catherine McAuley Centre

• Industry Innovation: Viridian New Zealand for their glass and double-glazing measurement app

• Window Manufacturer’s Showroom: Window Innovation, Christchurch

• Allan Sage Memorial Award (for outstanding performance by an industry member who has recently completed their qualification): Asher Takao, Gisborne Glass

• Architectural Aluminium Joinery Apprentice of The Year: Shevonne Evans, Gateway Glass and Aluminium Ltd, Waikato

• Most Promising Glass Apprentice: Ethan Taylor, Viridian Glass Nelson.