New Zealand’s premier properties announced
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Media release
New Zealand’s premier properties announced
A superbly renovated four bedroom family home in Karori, Wellington and the newly built Columba College’s sports centre
in Dunedin took out top accolades at the national Registered Master Builders 2006 House of the Year and RMB Commercial
Project Awards, in association with PlaceMakers.
The 2006 PlaceMakers Supreme Award and House of the Year was awarded to N.T Stevens Limited for their spectacular
renovation of a two storey residence which boasts breathtaking 180 degree views of Wellington Harbour, exquisite black
and white marble tiling, spacious living spaces and a stunning staircase linking the levels.
Judges described the property as a "heroic renovation" and called the overall workmanship "impeccable."
"The quality of the structural work by N. T Stevens Ltd assured a stable base for the extremely fine attention to
detail, which is characteristic of the whole house. A particularly appealing feature of the home is the bath which is
positioned perfectly for magnificent views of Wellington’s beautiful skyline and harbour," judges stated.
The RMB Commercial Project of the Year went to Dunedin-based builders Naylor Love Limited for their Columba College
Sports Centre, an impressively designed and executed gymnasium which makes clever use of classroom galleries and natural
light. Particular attention was paid to sustainability, with special awareness of Dunedin’s often cool winter climate.
Judges noted the acoustics, passive lighting and ventilation ensures the gym is incredibly user-friendly. "This building
enthuses and inspires those that use it - the contractor has done a remarkable job," judges said.
Chair of the national judging panels, Graham Coe, said the judges were "blown away" by the standard of the workmanship
and design diversity of the buildings entered in this year’s awards.
"Some of the properties we viewed not only exhibited commonsense basics but were just faultless," Mr Coe said.
Mr Coe noted the days of design standardisation are truly over and that nowadays clients desire more individual designs
that make the most of their properties view, sun and other attractive attributes.
"The quality and superb design of the properties in this year’s House of the Year competition reflected the strength of
the relationships between the client, architect and builder.
This competition, which has been embraced by a huge number of builders from all over New Zealand, really raises the bar
and sets the benchmark for quality building. I believe the New Zealand building and construction industry is in
extremely fine steed indeed," Mr Coe said.
Mr Coe said the competition demonstrated the huge range of options consumers had when it came to building and it was
very encouraging to see the regional spread of winning properties.
Levels of excitement were high at Saturday night’s black-tie gala event as the capacity crowd of more than 900 waited
with bated breath to find out who built the Registered Master Builders 2006 House of the Year and the RMB Commercial
Project of the Year.
Registered Master Builder Federation chief executive Pieter Burghout said: "The National Gold Reserve Award recipients
represent the very best of New Zealand's building industry – across the range of residential homes through to commercial
buildings – and the national judges had a tough job determining the best of the best – namely tonight's ultimate
winners."
David Edwards, Chief Executive of principal sponsor, PlaceMakers said: "Working in partnership with the Registered
Master Builders Federation to present and support New Zealand's premier building event is an honour.
"The calibre of this year's competition entries demonstrate the excellence, quality and high standard of building in New
Zealand. PlaceMakers congratulates each and every National Gold Reserve winner and this year's national award winners,"
he said.
The 100 finalists – National Gold Reserve Award winners – were selected from 703 entrants in 20 local competitions held
throughout June, July and August.
They were vying for the following national titles:
PlaceMakers Renovation up to $250,000
PlaceMakers Renovation over $250,000
New Homes under $250,000
New Homes $250,000 - $350,000
New Homes $350,000 - $450,000
New Homes $450,000 - $600,000
New Homes $600,000 - $1 million
New Homes over $1 million
Nulook Builder’s Own Home Award
James Hardie Show Home Award
Housing New Zealand Community Development Award
QBE Insurance Retail and Business Project
QBE Insurance Health Project
Department of Building and Housing Education Project
Seismic® Industrial/Utility Project
Seismic® Tourism and Leisure Project
2006 RMB Commercial Project of the Year
2006 PlaceMakers Supreme Award – the Registered Master Builders House of the Year
The Registered Master Builders 2006 House of the Year and RMB Commercial Project Awards are supported by principal
sponsor PlaceMakers; and supporting sponsors James Hardie, GIB Living Solutions®, Pink® Batts® Ultra , Mico Bathrooms,
Housing New Zealand Corporation, Nulook, Future-Proof Building , QBE Insurance, Seismic® and the Department of Building
and Housing
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About the Registered Master Builders 2006 House of the Year and RMB Commercial Project Awards, in association with
PlaceMakers
This is New Zealand’s premier residential and commercial building awards programme. In its 16th year, these nationwide
awards recognise excellence, quality, and innovation in the building industry.
2006 Registered Master Builders House of the Year winner
Winner – PlaceMakers Supreme Award and 2006 Registered Master Builders House of the Year
Winner – PlaceMakers Renovation Award over $250,000
Winner – GIB Living Solutions® Award
NT Stevens Limited, for a property in Karori, Wellington.
Contact: Neale Stevens, 04 475-8612, 027 443 4641
Entry Number: WN-2-205
About the winning project
This property was a solid but unspectacular 1940s three-bedroom suburban house a soundly built home but one quite
lacking in style and unworthy of its magnificent site, which has stunning 180° views of Wellington city and the harbour
beyond.
The clients’ instructions to the architect were to provide additional interior space, a new garage, add to the quality
and character of the original home, and to take every opportunity to maximise the views and the sun.
In recognising this property for the Supreme Award, the judges believe that the combined skills of the contractor and
architect delivered much more than the clients’ brief. The design extends the house towards the street on two levels,
providing a new entry, kitchen and family room at ground level and a master bedroom, en suite bathroom, dressing room
and study upstairs. The staircase was cleverly relocated, having been totally rebuilt.
None of this work could commence until a new garage had been constructed in a deep excavation to the north, so that one
of its well-tanked walls could provide the foundation for the new north wall of the family room. The garage roof also
forms a large terrace that the house opens on to. All linings were removed, front and back concrete garage walls were
cut out and large windows installed.
The new entry from the rear is tiled diagonally in black and white marble and provides a magnificent view of the
harbour. The quality of the structural work by N T Stevens Ltd assured a very stable base for the extremely fine
finishing work which has been applied to the project, which is characteristic of the whole house. Nowhere is this better
shown than the excellent work around the staircase. The walls are panelled while the staircase itself has turned wood
balusters and a stained mahogany handrail finishing in a coiled, hand-carved wreath - something indeed for
traditionalists. Matching the stairs, the walls of the entry hall, the passage and the cloakroom have elegantly raised
and moulded panelling.
Other features the judges noted include the tile work everywhere being beautifully executed; all windows are painted
timber with weather seals, the house is fully centrally heated. There is a new terracotta tile roof which has been
placed over building paper and will be very watertight in a severe environment, parging and lead soaker application is
extremely well done and everywhere the attention to weatherproofing is noticeable and very detailed.
Judges comments:
"This is a heroic renovation The judges found the workmanship impeccable in a project with a high degree of difficulty
and which must have required considerable co-ordination of all those involved. The clients now have a stunning
two-storey family home very appropriate for one of Wellington’s very special sites - a worthy winner of the Supreme
Award."
RMB Commercial Project of the Year winner
Winner – RMB Commercial Project of the Year
Winner – Department of Building and Housing Education Commercial Project
Naylor Love Limited, for the Columba College Marsh Sports Centre, Dunedin.
Entry Number: SOG-19-184
About the winning project
Great attention was paid in the design of this impressive gymnasium to sustainability, with particular awareness of
Dunedin’s often cool winter climate. Passive lighting, high level natural lighting coupled with highly reflective
ceilings have been combined with natural ventilation - actuated louvres supply much-needed fresh air to the complex.
Gas-on-demand water heaters supply the showers.
The sports centre has obvious mass and is sited on a urban ridge. The PC panels are painted for low visual impact, while
the materials and texture are used to give a scale to the structure and integrate it with the suburban neighbourhood.
The gym is idealised as a box for playing games. Light, colour and projections are minimised to enhance the game playing
experience, and a control room gives staff great visual surveillance of activities occurring in most ground floor areas.
The classrooms double as galleries to the gym, with a window layout that maximises natural light and long views without
undue heat loss, or unwanted projection of light to the gym floor
Judges comments
"This user-friendly building sets the standard for other educational institutions. Beautifully designed and executed the
clever use of classroom galleries, natural light and sustainable materials make it a comfortable and easy place to work
and play. The attention to detail with the acoustics, passive lighting and ventilation are impressive. This building
enthuses and inspires those that use it - the contractor has done a remarkable job."
National Winners – 2006 House of the Year
Winner – PlaceMakers Supreme Award and 2006 Registered Master Builders House of the Year
Winner – PlaceMakers Renovation Award over $250,000
* Winner – GIB Living Solutions® Award
NT Stevens Limited, for a property in Karori, Wellington.
Entry Number: WN-2-205
Winner - PlaceMakers Renovation Award up to $250,000
Ian McCully Builders Limited, for a property in Nelson.
Entry Number: NN-1-237
Winner - New Homes under $250,000
Key Homes Tauranga Limited, for a property in Papamoa, Tauranga
Entry Number: TG-3-306
Winner - New Homes $250,000 - $350,000
Urbo Homes Limited, for a property in Taupo
Entry Number: TP-4-728
Winner - New Homes $350,000 - $450,000
John Fretwell Builders Limited, for a property in Whakatane.
Entry Number: WH-5-408
Winner - New Homes $450,000 - $600,000
Brackenridge Builders Limited, for a property in Omaha Beach.
Entry Number: AK-6-404
Winner - New Homes $600,000 - $1 million
Andrew W Wallace Builder Limited, for a property in Akaroa.
Entry Number: CB-7-183
Winner - New Homes over $1 million
* Winner - Pink® Batts® Ultra™ Energy Efficiency Award
A J Saville Builder Limited, for a property in Millbrook, Arrowtown.
Entry Number: SOG-8-24
Winner - Nulook Builder's Own Home Award
NM and JN Benton Limited, for a property in Mt Eden, Auckland.
Or Jackie Benton, 021 654 802
Entry Number: AK-9-452
Winner - James Hardie Show Home Award
David Fabish Limited, for a property in New Plymouth.
Entry Number: TK-10-774
Winner - Housing New Zealand Community Development Award
Cox & Sweetman Builders Limited, for a property in Paraparaumu.
Entry Number: WN-11-764
Winners – 2006 Lifestyle Awards
Winner - Heart of the Home Kitchen Award
Nautica Homes Limited, for a property in Dairy Flat, Auckland.
Entry Number: AK-7-358
Winner - Mico Bathrooms Excellence Award
Lindesay Construction Limited, for a property in Russell
Entry Number: AK-8-713
Winner - Future-Proof Building™ Award
Harraway Building Limited, for a property in Wanaka
Entry Number: SOG-8-124
Please note:* Winners of Gib Living Solutions® Award and Pink® Batts® Ultra™ Energy Efficiency Award are noted above, as
they have been won by category winners noted earlier in this list.
National Winners – RMB Commercial Project Awards
Winner – RMB Commercial Project of the Year
Winner – Department of Building and Housing Education Commercial Project
Naylor Love Limited, for the Columba College Marsh Sports Centre, Dunedin.
_Entry Number: SOG-19-184
Winner – QBE Insurance Retail and Business Commercial Project
Robinson Construction Limited, for the Cellar Door, Blenheim.
Entry Number: MB-17-453
Winner – QBE Insurance Health Commercial Project
Mainzeal Property and Construction Limited, for Kenepuru Hospital, Porirua.
Entry Number: WN-18-769
Winner – Seismic® Industrial/Utility Commercial Project
Clelands Construction Limited, for the Howard Wright Limited Manufacturing Facility, New Plymouth.
Entry Number: TK-20-639
Winner – Seismic® Tourism and Leisure Commercial Project
Amalgamated Builders (2001) Limited, for the Sofitel Hotel, Queenstown.
Entry Number: SOG-21-158
ENDS