Structural Snapshots

New Zealand’s best new buildings range from a bus shelter in Queenstown and an office tower in Auckland, to an opera house in Oamaru, houses on Waiheke Island, and an apartment in New York City, according to the New Zealand Institute of Architects’ official awards programme. These are among 24 projects recognised in the 211 New Zealand Architecture Awards, New Zealand’s premier architecture competition. The winner will receive the 211 New Zealand Architecture Medal, and will be announced on 2 May. The New Zealand Architecture Awards indicate the breadth of work undertaken by the country’s architects, and offer a snapshot of the state of the country’s architecture, says Awards jury convenor, Wellington architect Hugh Tennent. “The Awards are evidence that New Zealand architecture is in a healthy and vibrant state, despite current economic and financial difficulties,” Tennent says.