Amanda Harkness is the deputy editor and interior editor at Architecture NZ and a former editor of Houses magazine. Her writing has a strong focus on interior projects, ranging from commercial and hospitality to retail and residential. This is Amanda’s third year as convenor of the Interior Awards jury.

What’s one of your favourite interior spaces, either here in Aotearoa or overseas, that’s inspired you or your design thinking?

Last October, Melbourne-based architect John Wardle was the guest speaker at the Te Kāhui Whaihanga Resene Sir Ian Athfield Memorial Lecture Series. I’d written about his practice’s Limestone House in Houses years ago – it wasn’t yet complete but was promising to demonstrate impressive sustainability credentials with the help of prefabrication – so I was keen to see him present the studio’s body of work. The projects are marked by their use of craft, their collaborative nature and their incredible attention to even the smallest of details. While Wardle’s work is beautiful and experimental and has undoubtedly made an immense contribution to the built environment, one of my favourite spaces was his own home workspace. The study is filled with natural light, book-lined walls, collected objects and comfortable seating. Victorian ash to the floors and ceiling exudes warmth and a deep corner window seat references one found in Louis Khan’s Norman Fisher House.

What do you think we might see more of this year?

I’d say we’re likely to see a continuation of what we’ve been seeing since even pre-Covid, which is a growing sense of warmth and informality in workspaces. And perhaps more of a handcrafted aesthetic, including artworks, ceramics and natural materials. We’ve had a pretty rough few years globally so it would be great to see some more playfulness and colour in both residential and commercial spaces.

What key piece of advice would you give to those thinking of entering the awards?

The narrative and the story behind the design are always of interest - as judges, we’re naturally curious and are keen to learn about the journey. For our finalists, bear in mind that your presenting time is limited so, while the journey is important, it’s a matter of being succinct too. And I know it’s easy to say but I hope our presenters are able to relax and enjoy the process as much as we enjoy being presented to.