2025 Canterbury Architecture Awards Winner
Sumner Post Office
This seaside heritage building has been thoughtfully transformed into a vibrant hospitality venue, preserving its architectural integrity while introducing new life and community purpose. A contemporary red brick extension complements the original structure, offering social spaces at ground level and new tenancies above. A recessed negative detail separates yet unites old and new. Durable materials—including exposed precast concrete and a lightweight steel frame—ensure low maintenance, seismic resilience, and structural efficiency. Sustainable choices reduce waste and environmental impact. An adjacent courtyard has been reactivated for public use. The project demonstrates how adaptive reuse can honour heritage while enriching community life.
- Practice
- AW Architects
- Category
- Commercial Architecture
- Location
- Canterbury
