New Zealand's Supreme Design for 2017

This year's winner of one of the most coveted New Zealand architectural design awards sizes up at just 74m² – confirming not only do smaller, sustainable urban homes mean a more simple life – they can look incredible too.

Two little inner-city Christchurch cottages designed by Mitchell Coll of Coll Architecture have won the 2017 ADNZ | Resene Architectural Design SUPREME AWARD at a ceremony held at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa on Friday night [27 October 2017].

‘Madras Street’ by Mitchell Coll of Coll Architecture was judged New Zealand’s most outstanding project from 100 entries, representing the design and architecture industry, and evaluated by a panel of esteemed experts. It also won the Residential Multi-Unit Dwelling Architectural Design Award and Residential Interiors Architectural Design Award.

The exceptional design comprises two compact adjoined town houses – just 74m² each – on a 300m² central city site. The rusted ‘Madras Street’ workingman’s cottages were declared “an exemplar for urban living”, by the ADNZ judges.

Mitchell Coll said he designed the homes specifically for young professionals with energy efficiency, sustainability and durability at the forefront of all design decisions made, “while making no compromises with aesthetics”.

“Floor plan and volume efficiencies were made where possible to keep energy and costs to a minimum, for both building and running the home,” he said.

The ADNZ judges were impressed the inner-city cottages – reminiscent of ‘Christchurch school’ houses – required no maintenance, because basic materials such as corten steel were utilised. Any constraints they said, had been turned into advantages.

“This project has a clear conceptual intent which is carried through successfully from the overall concept right through to the smallest details, the judges said.

“From the volumetric proposition to realisation on site, this design has been handled deftly throughout.”

ADNZ CEO Astrid Andersen said as well as being a career catapulting win for Mitchell Coll, to have compact multi-units win the ADNZ Supreme Award is of national significance.

“It is very exciting that the Supreme winner is just 74sqm. This win is game-changing for the industry and opens the door for New Zealand to lead the way in multi-unit compact home design. It also represents a growing trend, as more New Zealanders experience the benefits of compact city living. We are thrilled to see such an exceptional example of compact multi-unit home design associated with ADNZ and leading a change in New Zealand home design,” Andersen said.

In addition to the SUPREME AWARD, six designs throughout New Zealand were presented with seven national awards.

The 2017 winners of the National ADNZ | Resene Architectural Design Awards are:

Mitchell Coll of Coll Architecture for Madras Street – Residential Multi-Unit Dwelling Architectural Design Award, Residential Interiors Architectural Design Award and SUPREME Architectural Design Award (CHRISTCHURCH CITY) Pippin Wright-Stow of F3 Design for Lyttelton Landing – Residential Compact New Home – up to 150m² Architectural Design Award sponsored by Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (LYTTELTON, CHRISTCHURCH) David Maurice of LTD Architectural Design Studio for Back Country House – Residential New Home between 150m² and 300m² Architectural Design Award (PUHOI, AUCKLAND) Cymon Allfrey and Don Roy of Cymon Allfrey Architects for Mt Pleasant Home – Residential New Home over 300m² Architectural Design Award (MT PLEASANT, CHRISTCHURCH) Jason Higham of Higham Architecture for Green Alterations – Residential Alterations and Additions Architectural Design Award (RANGIORA, CANTERBURY) Allan McIntosh of Buildology for 17 O’Neill – Resene Colour in Design Award (PONSONBY, AUCKLAND)Media release: 2017 ADNZ | Resene Architectural Design Awards Media Release

Story by: ADNZ | RADA