Landmark PwC Tower Reigns Supreme At The Property Industry Awards

Precinct Properties’ landmark 97,500 sqm PwC Tower, part of the mixed-use Commercial Bay development, has won the Supreme Award at the 2021 Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards.

The Property Industry Awards are unique in that they recognise not just innovative design and construction, but also assess nominated projects on their economic and social contribution, sustainability, vision, and owner and user satisfaction. Competition for the 2021 Supreme Award was fierce, with 109 properties from around the country vying for the top accolade.

The judges described the property as a premium development occupying a gateway position on Auckland’s waterfront, saying “Commercial Bay not only provides an iconic focal point, but it also seamlessly connects multiple public access points along the evolving waterfront.”

“At the heart of this mixed-use development is the striking 39 level PwC Tower. This complex, mega project extends to 97,500 sqm of built form, with construction involving extensive demolition of the former Downtown Shopping Centre, deep excavation below sea level and the construction of City Rail Link tunnels, alongside construction of the tower and retail and hospitality in three distinct buildings.”

Property Council chief executive Leonie Freeman described it as “a brave and challenging development, with clear economic and social benefits to the city and its community.”

The project also took home Best in Category for the RCP Commercial Office Property Award, beating Excellence winners Foodstuffs North Island’s new Auckland Airport hub and Rotorua’s Scion Innovation Hub.

The Hotel Britomart scooped two Best in Category awards, winning both the Naylor Love Heritage and Adaptive Reuses Property Award and the Holmes Group Tourism and Leisure Property Award. Judges called it a seamless and stylish assimilation of old and new, and congratulated Cooper and Company for its “respectful, innovative, and striking addition to an important district”.

Middlemore Hospital’s Tiaho Mai Acute Mental Health Unit won Best in Category in the Warren and Mahoney Civic, Health and Arts section, with judges remarking, “the new acute adult mental health inpatient unit harnesses the benefits of light, fresh air and connection to nature, to create a stress-reducing, healing environment. It places service users’ dignity and choice at its heart, while maintaining safety and connectedness to culture and the communities of Counties Manukau Health.”

In the residential sector, Auckland’s The Pacifica apartment development by Hengyi Pacific won the Templeton Group Multi-Unit Residential Property Award while Avant Group’s Kotuitui community won the Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities Community and Affordable Housing Property Award.

Other winning projects included the University of Otago/Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo Faculty of Dentistry that was awarded the Greenstone Group Education Property Award; Foodstuffs North Island’s new hub at Auckland Airport won the Resene Green Building Property Award; Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s new offices, won the CBRE Industrial Property Award and Countdown Rototuna, received the Yardi Retail Property Award.

Remarking on the challenges of bringing large-scale events to life in COVID times, Property Council chief executive Leonie Freeman said, “after a nail-biting 12 months when we’ve had to cancel, reschedule or pivot many of our 80 in-person events to virtual, it is a huge relief to finally award this year’s winners, albeit not in the format we’re accustomed to.”

About the Property Industry Awards

The prestigious Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards are presented to outstanding property projects, developments or substantive refurbishments across New Zealand. The Awards recognise properties that provide an outstanding return and/or delivery of service potential on investment of funds. For some this means a return on speculative investment; for others it means creating a development that supports productive activities, which creates value for both owners and users.

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