A striking home built by John Gavin Construction, in Queenstown has taken out the Supreme House of the Year Over $1 million Award at the 2023 Southern Registered Master Builders House of the Year competition. This incredible home showcases excellent craftsmanship and design, from the exceptionally constructed standing seam and stone cladding to the flawless negative detailing and flush skirtings throughout. They were also awarded the New Home over $4 million Category, Outdoor Living Excellence Award, and a Gold Award.

Hunter & Craig Building & Design were awarded the Southern House of the Year Under $1 million Award, for their beautiful home in Cromwell. This stunning home stood out to the judges for several reasons. It faced the challenge of difficult resource consenting, requiring the home to be concealed from certain vantage points. The Hunter & Craig Building & Design team successfully addressed this by undertaking significant excavation work. Beautiful carved rock steps provide access to a sentimental picnic area within a natural rocky basin. This entrant also took out at the Altus Window Systems New Home $750,000–$1 million Category, Special Award, and a Gold Award.

John Gavin Construction, Winner of the Southern Supreme House of the Year Over $1 million, New Home over $4 million Category, Outdoor Living Excellence Award, and a Gold Award, for a home in Queenstown

Judges’ comment: “This incredible home showcases excellent craftsmanship and design, from the exceptionally constructed standing seam and stone cladding to the flawless negative detailing and flush skirtings throughout. There are impeccable construction features in the interior lining finishes, including the media room with its full timber veneered surfaces and precise geometrical raw-steel panelling.

Accurate finishing to the off-form concrete panel work and foundation planning highlight the project’s complexity. The precisely executed home by John Gavin Construction combines beautifully finished interior elements, resolved planning relationships, and site complexities with elegant functionality. Blending materials and design to create a visually stunning and functionally exceptional home, this is a masterpiece in craftsmanship.”

Hunter & Craig Building & Design, Winner of the Southern Supreme House of the Year Under $1 million, Altus Window Systems New Home $750,000–$1 million Category, Special Award, and a Gold Award, for a home in Cromwell

Judges’ comment: “This extraordinary home is an epic marvel, skilfully carved into the rock and meeting challenging resource consent requirements. Hunkering into the hillside topography, the craftsmanship shines through in the well-executed standing seam roofing and cladding, cleverly capturing stormwater runoff under the decks.

The fully glazed shower enclosure boasts stunning design and execution – a pet project of Hunter & Craig Building & Design. This home exemplifies the design and build formula working at its very best, including showcasing the builder’s prototyped recessed concealment of window treatments. Despite a tight timeline, the result is a stunning Arizona-esque hillside retreat in Bannockburn.”

Form Construction (Lake Hayes), Winner of the Southern Pink Batts Craftsmanship Award, Builder’s Own Home Category, Plumbing World Bathroom Excellence Award, and a Gold Award, for a home in Queenstown

Judges‘ comment: “This exquisitely crafted family home showcases an array of custom-made features and finishes, all skilfully designed and constructed by the builder. Every aspect of the house, from its architectural design to the smallest detail like the kitchen joinery handles, demonstrates a commitment to precision and completion.

The builder’s expertise is further evident in the meticulous site and land stabilisation carried out before the physical construction of the home even began. With its thoughtful floor planning and quality construction, this home combines practicality and functionality to create an exceptional living space for the entire family.”

Caldwell & Highsted, Winner of the APL Environmental and Sustainable Excellence Award, and a Gold Award, for a home in Dunedin

Judges comment: “This home showcases an impressive alignment of rigorous client requirements and the builder’s achievements. The attractive selection of locally crafted construction materials enhances this beautiful home, while emphasising its commitment to sustainability. The extensive use of regional and national products, where appropriate, further highlights support for local industries.

The clever integration of the client’s existing landscape demonstrates thoughtful planning. The home exhibits well-considered attention to the principles of Passive House design and construction, highlighting energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. It stands as a commendable example of environmental and sustainable building practices.”

A J Saville Builder, Winner of the Southern Resene New Home $2 million–$4 million, and a Gold Award, for a home in Arrowtown

Judges’ comment: “This exceptional holiday home is constructed with an abundance of unique custom finishes and features. The flawless external cladding, precise window installations, and integration of rustic timber beams and posts demonstrate detailed construction planning. The thoughtful selection of materials, their impeccable finish, and the skilful floor planning come together in a stunningly executed home.

The attention to detail and craftsmanship is evident throughout the building and is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the A J Saville Builder team in creating this incredible masterpiece.”

Lakes Building Co, Winner of the Southern New Home $1.5–$2 million, and a Gold Award, for a home in Queenstown

Judges’ comment: “This holiday home is well crafted with exceptional attention to detail. Its scale is perfectly suited for its purpose, creating a beautiful retreat. The clever use of Abodo cladding, both on the exterior and interior, demonstrates an innovative approach to construction. The accurate implementation of timber finishes and the elegant use of raw steel elements showcase a refined aesthetic that is striking and precise. The result is a stunning display of accuracy and beauty, elevating this home to a superb standard of building excellence.”

David Reid Homes Wanaka & Central Otago, Winner of the Southern CARTERS New Home $1 million–$1.5 million, and a Gold Award, for a home in Wānaka

Judges’ comment: “This well-designed and expertly constructed home in Wānaka effortlessly caters to the needs of its retired owners, whilst providing ample space for extended family visits and stays. Exhibiting excellent craftsmanship and unified integration of Espan and cedar cladding, both in roofing and exterior finishes, the roof structure is impressively straight and true, especially considering the length of the main mono-pitched area.

The flashings around openings are well crafted, with clever concealment of slab-level WANZ bars. The hidden door leading to the private main suite highlights the fine attention to detail and finishing by the team at David Reid Homes Wanaka & Central Otago.”

W. Hamilton Building, Winner of the PDL by Schneider Electric Smart Home Award, McKenzie & Willis Interior Design Award, and a Gold Award, for a home in Dunedin

Judges comment: “This stunning design showcases a masterful fusion of colour and texture, expertly enhanced by a collection of bold and brilliant artwork featured throughout. The subtle but vibrant accents in the carpet weave further accentuate the colourful theme. The appropriate selection of furniture pieces not only embodies practicality, but also possesses an iconic allure. Carefully crafted lighting arrangements breathe life into every well-considered interior space.

The result is an inspiring creation that effortlessly combines the essence of an art gallery with the comfort and functionality of a liveable space. Congratulations to the W. Hamilton Building team.”

Archi Build, Winner of the Kitchen Excellence Award, and a Gold Award, for a home in Wanaka 

Judges’ comment: “Considering the HOY entry category of this home, this stunning kitchen showcases exceptional design and quality craftsmanship. Its practical layout surpasses expectations, offering a remarkable level of functionality. The selection of materials demonstrates a clever balance between warmth and durability, elevating the overall aesthetic of the kitchen. Its detailing and accurate construction seamlessly integrate it within this family home, resulting in a truly stunning and well-executed kitchen.”

For a full list of 2023 winners head www.masterbuilder.org.nz.

^{The Awards are made possible through the support of Altus Window Systems, Bunnings Trade, CARTERS, GIB, Master Build 10-Year Guarantee, Pink Batts, Plumbing World, Resene and APL Window Solutions.}

^{*ArchitectureNow has requested architect’s names and practice credits for the above projects but at the time of publishing this was not available.}