Massey University Wellington’s new College of Creative Arts won the Engineering Excellence Award at the Timber Design Awards with two Wellington buildings receiving top marks. Stuff.co.nz
This year 93 entries were across the nine categories and this was the largest response in the 30 years the awards have been held.
Judge Pip Cheshire said the Canterbury earthquake could be partly to blame for the increase in entries, because it seemed to have triggered more thinking about timber as a flexible building material.
Science was a growing influence in timber design and construction, as was the sustainability.
Massey University’s new College of Creative Arts was judged winner of the Engineering Excellence Award, singled out for its ability to “rock” during an earthquake.
Its structural system includes several world-leading technologies, including the world’s first multi-storey post-tensioned timber frame.
The building is designed as a series of pre-fabricated components that allow the interfaces between connections to rock open and closed during an earthquake, before springing back into their original position.
Post tensioned precast concrete walls provide further earthquake resistance, behaving in a similar rocking fashion and allowing the building to sway.
Scots College’s new, “tubular” Hodge Sports Centre was also successful, highly commended for its commercial architectural excellence.
Designed by Athfield Architects, laminated veneer lumber portals frame a spacious interior covered by polycarbonate cladding.
The curves of the portals create small spaces between the portal legs for seating and storage while a pod at the southern end of the building houses changing rooms, offices and a mezzanine training and viewing area.
The northern end of the building opens up to the sports fields beyond, to enable interior and exterior classroom activities.
The winners:
• Residential Architectural Excellence – Under Pohutukawa
• Commercial Architectural Excellence – Auckland Art Gallery
• Engineering Excellence – Massey University College of Creative Arts
• Exterior Innovation – Hut on Sleds
• Interior Innovation – Wood Family House
• Timber Innovation in Business – TUMU ITM Building Centre Napier
• Indigenous Timber – Auckland Art Gallery
• Canterbury Rebuild Innovation – Hollow Timber Rounds
• Sustainability Award – Hauraki Rail Trail Bridges
