New Zealand’s premier properties announced

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Media release

New Zealand’s premier properties announced

A superbly renovated four bedroom family home in Karori, Wellington and the newly built Columba College’s sports centre in Dunedin took out top accolades at the national Registered Master Builders 2006 House of the Year and RMB Commercial Project Awards, in association with PlaceMakers.

The 2006 PlaceMakers Supreme Award and House of the Year was awarded to N.T Stevens Limited for their spectacular renovation of a two storey residence which boasts breathtaking 180 degree views of Wellington Harbour, exquisite black and white marble tiling, spacious living spaces and a stunning staircase linking the levels.

Judges described the property as a "heroic renovation" and called the overall workmanship "impeccable."

"The quality of the structural work by N. T Stevens Ltd assured a stable base for the extremely fine attention to detail, which is characteristic of the whole house. A particularly appealing feature of the home is the bath which is positioned perfectly for magnificent views of Wellington’s beautiful skyline and harbour," judges stated.

The RMB Commercial Project of the Year went to Dunedin-based builders Naylor Love Limited for their Columba College Sports Centre, an impressively designed and executed gymnasium which makes clever use of classroom galleries and natural light. Particular attention was paid to sustainability, with special awareness of Dunedin’s often cool winter climate.

Judges noted the acoustics, passive lighting and ventilation ensures the gym is incredibly user-friendly. "This building enthuses and inspires those that use it - the contractor has done a remarkable job," judges said.

Chair of the national judging panels, Graham Coe, said the judges were "blown away" by the standard of the workmanship and design diversity of the buildings entered in this year’s awards.

"Some of the properties we viewed not only exhibited commonsense basics but were just faultless," Mr Coe said.

Mr Coe noted the days of design standardisation are truly over and that nowadays clients desire more individual designs that make the most of their properties view, sun and other attractive attributes.

"The quality and superb design of the properties in this year’s House of the Year competition reflected the strength of the relationships between the client, architect and builder.

This competition, which has been embraced by a huge number of builders from all over New Zealand, really raises the bar and sets the benchmark for quality building. I believe the New Zealand building and construction industry is in extremely fine steed indeed," Mr Coe said.

Mr Coe said the competition demonstrated the huge range of options consumers had when it came to building and it was very encouraging to see the regional spread of winning properties.

Levels of excitement were high at Saturday night’s black-tie gala event as the capacity crowd of more than 900 waited with bated breath to find out who built the Registered Master Builders 2006 House of the Year and the RMB Commercial Project of the Year.

Registered Master Builder Federation chief executive Pieter Burghout said: "The National Gold Reserve Award recipients represent the very best of New Zealand's building industry – across the range of residential homes through to commercial buildings – and the national judges had a tough job determining the best of the best – namely tonight's ultimate winners."

David Edwards, Chief Executive of principal sponsor, PlaceMakers said: "Working in partnership with the Registered Master Builders Federation to present and support New Zealand's premier building event is an honour.

"The calibre of this year's competition entries demonstrate the excellence, quality and high standard of building in New Zealand. PlaceMakers congratulates each and every National Gold Reserve winner and this year's national award winners," he said.

The 100 finalists – National Gold Reserve Award winners – were selected from 703 entrants in 20 local competitions held throughout June, July and August.

They were vying for the following national titles:

PlaceMakers Renovation up to $250,000

PlaceMakers Renovation over $250,000

New Homes under $250,000

New Homes $250,000 - $350,000

New Homes $350,000 - $450,000

New Homes $450,000 - $600,000

New Homes $600,000 - $1 million

New Homes over $1 million

Nulook Builder’s Own Home Award

James Hardie Show Home Award

Housing New Zealand Community Development Award

QBE Insurance Retail and Business Project

QBE Insurance Health Project

Department of Building and Housing Education Project

Seismic® Industrial/Utility Project

Seismic® Tourism and Leisure Project

2006 RMB Commercial Project of the Year

2006 PlaceMakers Supreme Award – the Registered Master Builders House of the Year

The Registered Master Builders 2006 House of the Year and RMB Commercial Project Awards are supported by principal sponsor PlaceMakers; and supporting sponsors James Hardie, GIB Living Solutions®, Pink® Batts® Ultra , Mico Bathrooms, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Nulook, Future-Proof Building , QBE Insurance, Seismic® and the Department of Building and Housing

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About the Registered Master Builders 2006 House of the Year and RMB Commercial Project Awards, in association with PlaceMakers

This is New Zealand’s premier residential and commercial building awards programme. In its 16th year, these nationwide awards recognise excellence, quality, and innovation in the building industry.

2006 Registered Master Builders House of the Year winner

Winner – PlaceMakers Supreme Award and 2006 Registered Master Builders House of the Year

Winner – PlaceMakers Renovation Award over $250,000

Winner – GIB Living Solutions® Award

NT Stevens Limited, for a property in Karori, Wellington.

Contact: Neale Stevens, 04 475-8612, 027 443 4641

Entry Number: WN-2-205

About the winning project

This property was a solid but unspectacular 1940s three-bedroom suburban house a soundly built home but one quite lacking in style and unworthy of its magnificent site, which has stunning 180° views of Wellington city and the harbour beyond.

The clients’ instructions to the architect were to provide additional interior space, a new garage, add to the quality and character of the original home, and to take every opportunity to maximise the views and the sun.

In recognising this property for the Supreme Award, the judges believe that the combined skills of the contractor and architect delivered much more than the clients’ brief. The design extends the house towards the street on two levels, providing a new entry, kitchen and family room at ground level and a master bedroom, en suite bathroom, dressing room and study upstairs. The staircase was cleverly relocated, having been totally rebuilt.

None of this work could commence until a new garage had been constructed in a deep excavation to the north, so that one of its well-tanked walls could provide the foundation for the new north wall of the family room. The garage roof also forms a large terrace that the house opens on to. All linings were removed, front and back concrete garage walls were cut out and large windows installed.

The new entry from the rear is tiled diagonally in black and white marble and provides a magnificent view of the harbour. The quality of the structural work by N T Stevens Ltd assured a very stable base for the extremely fine finishing work which has been applied to the project, which is characteristic of the whole house. Nowhere is this better shown than the excellent work around the staircase. The walls are panelled while the staircase itself has turned wood balusters and a stained mahogany handrail finishing in a coiled, hand-carved wreath - something indeed for traditionalists. Matching the stairs, the walls of the entry hall, the passage and the cloakroom have elegantly raised and moulded panelling.

Other features the judges noted include the tile work everywhere being beautifully executed; all windows are painted timber with weather seals, the house is fully centrally heated. There is a new terracotta tile roof which has been placed over building paper and will be very watertight in a severe environment, parging and lead soaker application is extremely well done and everywhere the attention to weatherproofing is noticeable and very detailed.

Judges comments:

"This is a heroic renovation The judges found the workmanship impeccable in a project with a high degree of difficulty and which must have required considerable co-ordination of all those involved. The clients now have a stunning two-storey family home very appropriate for one of Wellington’s very special sites - a worthy winner of the Supreme Award."

RMB Commercial Project of the Year winner

Winner – RMB Commercial Project of the Year

Winner – Department of Building and Housing Education Commercial Project

Naylor Love Limited, for the Columba College Marsh Sports Centre, Dunedin.

Entry Number: SOG-19-184

About the winning project

Great attention was paid in the design of this impressive gymnasium to sustainability, with particular awareness of Dunedin’s often cool winter climate. Passive lighting, high level natural lighting coupled with highly reflective ceilings have been combined with natural ventilation - actuated louvres supply much-needed fresh air to the complex. Gas-on-demand water heaters supply the showers.

The sports centre has obvious mass and is sited on a urban ridge. The PC panels are painted for low visual impact, while the materials and texture are used to give a scale to the structure and integrate it with the suburban neighbourhood.

The gym is idealised as a box for playing games. Light, colour and projections are minimised to enhance the game playing experience, and a control room gives staff great visual surveillance of activities occurring in most ground floor areas.

The classrooms double as galleries to the gym, with a window layout that maximises natural light and long views without undue heat loss, or unwanted projection of light to the gym floor

Judges comments

"This user-friendly building sets the standard for other educational institutions. Beautifully designed and executed the clever use of classroom galleries, natural light and sustainable materials make it a comfortable and easy place to work and play. The attention to detail with the acoustics, passive lighting and ventilation are impressive. This building enthuses and inspires those that use it - the contractor has done a remarkable job."

National Winners – 2006 House of the Year

Winner – PlaceMakers Supreme Award and 2006 Registered Master Builders House of the Year

Winner – PlaceMakers Renovation Award over $250,000

* Winner – GIB Living Solutions® Award

NT Stevens Limited, for a property in Karori, Wellington.

Entry Number: WN-2-205

Winner - PlaceMakers Renovation Award up to $250,000

Ian McCully Builders Limited, for a property in Nelson.

Entry Number: NN-1-237

Winner - New Homes under $250,000

Key Homes Tauranga Limited, for a property in Papamoa, Tauranga

Entry Number: TG-3-306

Winner - New Homes $250,000 - $350,000

Urbo Homes Limited, for a property in Taupo

Entry Number: TP-4-728

Winner - New Homes $350,000 - $450,000

John Fretwell Builders Limited, for a property in Whakatane.

Entry Number: WH-5-408

Winner - New Homes $450,000 - $600,000

Brackenridge Builders Limited, for a property in Omaha Beach.

Entry Number: AK-6-404

Winner - New Homes $600,000 - $1 million

Andrew W Wallace Builder Limited, for a property in Akaroa.

Entry Number: CB-7-183

Winner - New Homes over $1 million

* Winner - Pink® Batts® Ultra™ Energy Efficiency Award

A J Saville Builder Limited, for a property in Millbrook, Arrowtown.

Entry Number: SOG-8-24

Winner - Nulook Builder's Own Home Award

NM and JN Benton Limited, for a property in Mt Eden, Auckland.

Or Jackie Benton, 021 654 802

Entry Number: AK-9-452

Winner - James Hardie Show Home Award

David Fabish Limited, for a property in New Plymouth.

Entry Number: TK-10-774

Winner - Housing New Zealand Community Development Award

Cox & Sweetman Builders Limited, for a property in Paraparaumu.

Entry Number: WN-11-764

Winners – 2006 Lifestyle Awards

Winner - Heart of the Home Kitchen Award

Nautica Homes Limited, for a property in Dairy Flat, Auckland.

Entry Number: AK-7-358

Winner - Mico Bathrooms Excellence Award

Lindesay Construction Limited, for a property in Russell

Entry Number: AK-8-713

Winner - Future-Proof Building™ Award

Harraway Building Limited, for a property in Wanaka

Entry Number: SOG-8-124

Please note:* Winners of Gib Living Solutions® Award and Pink® Batts® Ultra™ Energy Efficiency Award are noted above, as they have been won by category winners noted earlier in this list.

National Winners – RMB Commercial Project Awards

Winner – RMB Commercial Project of the Year

Winner – Department of Building and Housing Education Commercial Project

Naylor Love Limited, for the Columba College Marsh Sports Centre, Dunedin.

_Entry Number: SOG-19-184

Winner – QBE Insurance Retail and Business Commercial Project

Robinson Construction Limited, for the Cellar Door, Blenheim.

Entry Number: MB-17-453

Winner – QBE Insurance Health Commercial Project

Mainzeal Property and Construction Limited, for Kenepuru Hospital, Porirua.

Entry Number: WN-18-769

Winner – Seismic® Industrial/Utility Commercial Project

Clelands Construction Limited, for the Howard Wright Limited Manufacturing Facility, New Plymouth.

Entry Number: TK-20-639

Winner – Seismic® Tourism and Leisure Commercial Project

Amalgamated Builders (2001) Limited, for the Sofitel Hotel, Queenstown.

Entry Number: SOG-21-158

ENDS

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