Entries are now open for the Box 112 Canterbury Heritage Awards 2021. Organisers are encouraging all Canterbury individuals, organisations, and companies involved in heritage restoration, retention, promotion or tourism to submit an entry. The Awards are free to enter.

Chair of the Heritage Awards Trust Dame Anna Crighton said that “the aftermath of the devastation of our heritage from both natural disaster and by man has resulted in some stunning restoration projects which deserve celebration for the survivors. The awards evening is an opportunity for heritage visionaries and enthusiasts to come together, network and celebrate our cultural heritage”.

The biennial Awards were first held in 2010 and have since evolved to reflect the changing heritage landscape of Christchurch. In particular, the Warren and Mahoney Future Heritage Award, recognises a new building showing sensitivity to the streetscape and landscape and one which will secure a cultural legacy for the future.

“As Christchurch, especially in the centre, has been built almost out of recognition the existing heritage and the design of our new builds have become increasingly more significant,” said Dame Anna Crighton.

There are seven Award Categories in 2021: Warren and Mahoney Future Heritage Award, The Stephen Collins Memorial Seismic Award, Heritage New Zealand Outstanding Contribution to Heritage, Moveable Feasts Heritage Tourism Award, Ceres NZ Public Realm Saved and Restored, Domestic Saved and Restored and the ChristchurchNZ Supreme Award (judged from all category winners).

In 2018 the Supreme Award went to the Arts Centre of Christchurch’s The Clock Tower.

The Right Honourable Helen Clark ONZ, former head of the United Nations Development Programme, and former Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage continues as Patron of the Awards. The independent judging panel for 2021 includes Andrew Coleman Chief Executive of Heritage New Zealand, Andrew Marriott structural engineer, Ivan Thomson strategic planner, and Clare Kelly heritage architect. The Category Award Trophies and the Supreme Award Trophies are designed by prominent New Zealand sculptor Neil Dawson.

Entry forms are available to download at the new website: www.heritageawards.co.nz. Organisations and individuals are also encouraged to contact the Award Convenors to nominate heritage projects or organisations. Award entries close 5pm 1 April and the 2021 Heritage Awards Ceremony will be held in Christ’s College Dining Hall on Friday 11 June 2021.

The 2021 Heritage Lectures will be held in the Gloucester Room at the Isaac Theatre Royal on Thursday 11 June. Architect Patrick Clifford, a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, will deliver our 2021 keynote lecture. A director of the firm Architectus and a past adjunct professor at UNITEC in Auckland, Patrick was awarded the NZIA Gold Medal in 2014 in recognition of his career achievements. This is the highest honour awarded to an individual in NZ architecture. Our local speaker will be architect William Fulton of Fulton Ross Team Architects. William specialises in heritage conservation and will speak on local heritage projects. We are looking forward to an illuminating, insightful and collegial evening.

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