Restoration of first land sighted by Captain Cook wins award

9 April 2013

Restoration of first land sighted by Captain Cook wins supreme landscape architecture award

The restoration of Nick’s Head Station in Gisborne, the first land to be sighted by Captain Cook, has been awarded the George Malcolm Supreme Award at the 2013 New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects (NZILA) Resene Pride of Place Awards.

The “Nick’s Head Stewardship Plan” won the national award for the transformation and restoration of the 1,200 hectare sheep station. Work included more than 40 hectares of wetlands restoration, the planting of more than 250,000 native trees, the introduction of a predator-proof fence to create a sanctuary for nesting birds and the re-introduction of tuatara, weta and geckos.

The entry was also recognised with a Sustainability Award of Excellence for its adherence to the principals of custodianship and stewardship in farming and the NZILA Award of Excellence for highlighting that landscape restoration can be beautiful as well as highly functional.

Renee Davis, Lead Judge – Design, at the NZILA, says: “The restoration has transformed the degraded coastal wetlands and eroded hills of Nick’s Head Station to the area it was 600-700 years ago. The works have honoured the needs of local iwi to connect with the land and shows what can be achieved through collaboration with a range of stakeholders. An outstanding landscape legacy has been created at Nick’s Head that can be enjoyed by all New Zealanders.”

Charlie Challenger Supreme Award: “Earthquake Cities on the Pacific Rim”

Understanding community use of open space in the aftermath of an earthquake and how it can aid recovery saw Victoria University’s School of Architecture take out the Charlie Challenger Supreme Award.

The “Earthquake Cities on the Pacific Rim” project by Senior Lecturer Martin Bryant and Associate Professor Penny Allen was the result of five years of research undertaken across four continents around the Pacific Rim including the San Francisco earthquake (1906), Napier (1931), Kobe, Japan (1995), Concepcion, Chile (2010) and Christchurch (2010/11).

The entry looked at the central role of landscape in earthquake planning and recovery and how future urban planning could be more responsive to community needs.

Sally Peake, Lead Judge – Planning, at the NZILA says: “This work represents cutting edge research in the field of landscape architecture, sustainability and urban design. It is expected to be of national and international interest and will put landscape architecture at the forefront of disaster planning and management.”

Resene Colour Award of Excellence: Te Whero Island and the Eastern Viaduct

Leading visitors from Auckland’s Viaduct through to the newly created waterfront spaces at the Wynyard Quarter in an innovative way has seen the Auckland team at Boffa Miskell win the Resene Colour Award of Excellence this year.

Rather than using traditional signposting, the “Te Whero Island and the Eastern Viaduct” project used different coloured stripes on the ground to ‘map' the way to the Wynyard Quarter, making the journey brighter, more fun for visitors and it also ensures people don’t get lost along the way.

Renee Davis, Lead Judge – Design at the NZILA, says: “This project illustrates how a fun and innovative use of colour can provide the lynchpin to an entire urban design response. It is a clever approach to pedestrian circulation and shows how colour can be an uplifting contributor to public spaces. Open spaces are often devoid of vibrant colour and the judges believe this project highlights the potential of a less restrained approach to colour in the city.”

Sustainability Award of Excellence: Carbon and Environment profiling of hard landscape material

Exploring ways the landscape architecture profession can reduce its carbon and environmental footprint saw a Christchurch team win a Sustainability Award of Excellence.

The “Carbon and Environment profiling of hard landscape material” entry from a team at Lincoln University looked at how landscape architects can reduce the effects of global warming by reviewing design materials and the team encouraged members to change behaviours to reduce the environmental impacts.

Sally Peake, Lead Judge – Planning, at the NZILA says: “This project exemplifies the role and importance of research for landscape architects and the contribution universities can make to the profession. This project provides specialist information and knowledge about key aspects of sustainability and the importance of sustainable design in landscape projects.

Commenting on all of the award winners, Stephen Brown, President, of the NZILA, says: “The work of landscape architects is all around us in the planning of our cities, the design of our open spaces, the protection and management of our environmental landscapes and the conservation of New Zealand’s heritage. On behalf of the NZILA, we wish to congratulate all of the winners at the 2013 NZILA Resene Pride of Place Awards for their excellent work in creating and enhancing the fantastic outdoor spaces where we live, work and play.”

Last night’s award ceremony, held at the Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki, saw more than 110 awards handed out to members of the NZILA around New Zealand and across the world.

The New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects (NZILA) is the internationally recognised professional body of qualified landscape architects in New Zealand. Its objective is to promote the profession of landscape architecture throughout New Zealand, and to promote the appropriate and sustainable protection, planning, design, intervention and management of our landscapes.

The NZILA Resene Pride of Place Awards are held every two to three years and are open to NZILA members locally and internationally. There are three entry categories: Landscape Design, Landscape Planning and Student entries. The five award categories are as follows:
1. Supreme Awards
• George Malcolm Supreme Award for an entry in the Landscape Design category
• Charlie Challenger Supreme Award for an entry in the Landscape Planning category
2. Resene Colour Award of Excellence
This is a special Award of Excellence selected from all the entries put forward in the landscape design category that demonstrate an advanced integration of colour with the design
3. Sustainability Award of Excellence
This is a special Award of Excellence selected from all the entries put forward in the design and planning landscapes categories that demonstrate an advanced integration of sustainable principles
4. NZILA Award of Excellence
5. NZILA Distinction Award

ENDS

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