This year, entrants will be pondering the question ‘How has architecture shaped your world?’. Our talented panel of judges brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the tough task of selecting the winning and highly commended entries to our annual awards programme.
Anahera Rawiri
Anahera (Ngāti Whātua) is a cultural strategist and Kaihautū/Principal at Jasmax, where she is developing the practice’s bicultural design capabilities. Anahera is also a Waitematā Local Board member who advocates for protecting and restoring local natural resources and supports business and urban development. As a member of Waka Māia, Anahera supports the proficiency of te reo Māori and emerging Māori designers in their career development.
Sam Brooks
Sam Brooks is an award-winning playwright, journalist and The Spinoff’s resident feature writer. Noted for his queer and political work, including Burn Her and Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys, he is a recipient of the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award and his works have toured nationally and internationally. During his recent residency at the Michael King Writers Centre, Sam completed a first draft of his new work, This is My Story of Us. Earlier this year, he won the Dean Parker Adaptation Award at the Adam Awards for his queer adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, Em.
Ana Heremaia
Ana (Ngāpuhi) is a designer who co-founded ĀKAU in Kaikohe in 2014. The multi-disciplinary, not-for profit design studio works with tamariki and whānau to realise projects that have tangible community impact. In the 2023 Interior Design Awards, ĀKAU won the Community Impact Award for Te Puna Reo o Manga Tangaroa, a Te Reo Māori early learning centre in Kaikohe. Ana has worked on papakāinga, marae, masterplans and contributed significantly to youth engagement in Te Tai Tokerau.