Two recently completed Auckland Council buildings were finalists in the World Building of the Year awards
Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery and the MIT Manukau & Transport Interchange were finalists in the awards announced in Singapore on November 6. The two buildings on 30 October 2015 won awards at the 2015 New Zealand Architecture Awards (NZAA).
The Manukau interchange building was commended by the NZAA jury for its advancement of two agendas – access to tertiary education and public transport in south Auckland.
"The architects did well in overcoming construction challenges and financial obstacles that could have derailed the whole project.”
Te Uru a 'tour de force'
The Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery, in Titirangi, won an award in the public architecture category.
The new gallery is "a tour de force," the jury said. "A lot of architecture has been squeezed out of a modest budget."
Te Uru receives core operational funding from Auckland Council through Waitākere Ranges Local Board.
“The new Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery is a unique building, with wonderful spaces inside and a bold streetscape, says Sandra Coney, Chair, Waitākere Ranges Local Board. “The Waitākere Ranges Local Board is proud to support Te Uru with ongoing funding.
“It is a great addition to arts and culture out west and draws visitors from all over the region. We are extremely pleased with the recognition the building has received from the New Zealand Institute of Architects.”
Station a major milestone for Manukau
When Manukau Station opened in 2012 it was the first new rail connection to be built in Auckland in 82 years. It is now electrified and electric train services have been running regularly since August 2013.
The recent opening of the $100 million Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) Campus to the public was a major milestone for Auckland Transport as the approach to the new Manukau Station is transformed and another transport interchange nears completion.
Commuters and students can access the station through an atrium the size of a rugby field with soaring views through six floors of the 14,000-square-metre education facility above.
