Twenty-one projects have been shortlisted in the 2020 Western Architecture Awards.

The shortlisted projects were selected from entries in the awards programme of the Western Branch of Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA).

The shortlist was compiled by a jury led by Palmerston North architect Matthew Argyle along with New Plymouth architect Brady Gibbons, Auckland architect Marianne Riley and lay juror Susanna Shadbolt.

“Making the shortlist decided by your peers is a significant achievement,” said jury convenor Matthew Argyle, “and it is really heartening to see what a difference good architecture is making in the communities of our region.”

“The shortlist includes outstanding examples of the wide range of buildings that architects design,” Argyle said.

“The jury was pleased see a strong presence of educational and heritage buildings among the entries we considered,” Argyle said. “Buildings such as the Whanganui War Memorial Centre and the library at Whanganui Collegiate School are a strong part of the architectural fabric not just of their city but also the nation.”

The COVID-19 lockdown has meant that site visits to shortlisted projects by juries around the country have been put on hold. Resumption of the visits or the adoption of alternative means of deciding award-winners are dependent on the national measures adopted to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commercial Architecture

• BDO by Boon 
• Dawson & King by Matz Architects
• Forest360 Office by Dalgleish Architects 
• Roofing Industries by E3Architects
• Te Ao Nui by WSP Architecture
• TSB Customer Engagement Centre by Boon 

Interior Architecture

• Govett Quilliam by Boon 
• Whanganui District Council - Customer Services by Dalgleish Architects and BSM Group Architects in association

Education

• Green School New Zealand by Boon 
• Lepperton School and Community Hub by Robertson Architecture Design
• NPBHS Wharenui by Boon 
• Whanganui Collegiate School - H.G Carver Memorial Library by RTA Studio and archifact-architecture & conservation in association
• Whanganui Collegiate School Administration Building by RTA Studio

Heritage

• Whanganui Collegiate School - H.G Carver Memorial Library by RTA Studio and archifact-architecture & conservation in association
• Whanganui War Memorial Centre Strengthening by BSM Group Architects 

Housing

• G&C House by Ardern Peters Architects 
• Two Peaks by First Light Studio 

Housing - Alterations and Additions

• Westmere House by Dalgleish Architects 

Housing - Multi Unit

• Papaioea Place Social Housing by Boon 

Planning & Urban Design

• Whanganui Collegiate School - Arrivals Precinct by RTA Studio and Wraight + Associates in association

Small Project Architecture

• Iona by Drawingroom Architecture & Design