A Good Contractor is Hard to Find - here's how to look

<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let's face it - If you are a meticulous designer, then you want your work to be as close to perfect as possible.  And for that to happen, you need to put your trust and intellectual property in the hands of other people to execute it.  Of course, there are a select few who do their own work, but often clients want to keep these parties separate to avoid conflicts of interest.  So whether you are an Architect putting your faith in a GC or a Graphic Designer sending a new campaign off to the printer, your credibility often lies in the hands of others. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In recent years, the economy has forced a lot of good companies out of business.  Rising operating costs combined with less clients makes it hard to stay in business.  As credit defaults increased, small business owners found it hard to get credit and buy new equipment.  Expansion was at a stand still.  Business Owners who had managed their companies for years now found themselves applying for jobs at Home Depot just to get benefits for their families.  </span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now that the economy seems to have turned a corner, there appears to be huge shortage of skilled labor, particularly for smaller projects.  As an architect, I find it almost impossible to find a small contractor who wants to do a budget kitchen renovation or a dormer installation.  Anyone still in business is focused on the larger projects where the economies of scale make it more appealing.  I recently completed a 450 SF master suite addition where we had to bid the job to more than a dozen contractors just to find one that was qualified and had decent pricing.  So what do you do when you need to find a great contractor who can work on a budget and has decent ethics and values?  Well, I have a few suggestions:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1- Form alliances - Just like on Survivor, you need to partner with other companies to make your work more appealing.  A contractor might not be interested in your one small job, but he might be interested in the ten jobs you can give him in a year.  If they perform well for you, make it clear you will give them all of your work.  </span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2- Trade time for quality - I know that every client wants to be done with a project yesterday, but good work truly can't be rushed.  There are a few solo practitioners out there who are 'old school' and do good work but they are generally slower and keep costs down by avoiding too much overhead.  These guys also tend not to have web sites but are listed in the phone book.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3- Ask people you trust - It may sound obvious and silly but every community group takes care of their own. Whether it's a church or a school, referrals need not always come from your work colleagues.  If you get a referral from the Pastor, it will likely be a solid one.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4- Hang out where the workers are - I have met alot of contractors at the building department while applying for permits.  These guys are the ones DOING work so they are always good people to talk to when you need a referral.  You can also observe how the people behind the counter talk to them and whether they get a 'Hi, can I help you' or a 'Hey Steve, how's it going?'.   I would not however, go to the Home Depot parking lot and look for workers there unless you don't care about how it comes out.  It needs to be a legitimate spot.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of course, alot of people search online for people to work with at sites like Angie's List or through Linked In.  I have personally found that people who are trolling for work online or spending alot of time with online promotion are generally not out doing work.  Or if they have a larger staff, the cost of the work is usually more.  Someone has got to pay for all that marketing, right?  Of course, there are always exceptions, but I find the best contractors are often busy through word of mouth marketing.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So the next time you need to find someone to build your masterpiece, consider the above and don't give up if it takes a few tries to find the right partner.  It will definitely be worth the wait.</span>

A Good Contractor is Hard to Find - here's how to look

Let's face it - If you are a meticulous designer, then you want your work to be as close to perfect as possible.  And for that to happen...

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Canterbury's NZ Institute of Architects' awards

<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The winners have been announced at the NZ Institute of Architects Awards for the Canterbury region, and one building in particular has won big: Athfield Architects' conversion and redesign of the Christchurch Civic Council Offices and Chambers (both images below) won awards in the categories of Public Architecture, Sustainable Architecture, Interior Architecture, Planning and Urban Design (for its connections with surrounding buildings and the streetscape). Incidentally, New Zealand Green Building Council chief executive Alex Cutler chose it as her favourite building in our current issue.</span>  <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMRAJm0mYuaAF310TX6shK2Pd2P1d1q_QT0Y-TcbrQfYpzAG2sP-who4WXMfpvw9mz4dSnO0-rv5UfYVhQ-WnsBhDZofrdCkTGsso_Dh2B0VDkNISf4sUph2JXnHtTGUNVyz-E0gxG-M/s1600/Christchurch+Civic+Building+by+Athfield+Architects-Sustainable+Architecture+Award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMRAJm0mYuaAF310TX6shK2Pd2P1d1q_QT0Y-TcbrQfYpzAG2sP-who4WXMfpvw9mz4dSnO0-rv5UfYVhQ-WnsBhDZofrdCkTGsso_Dh2B0VDkNISf4sUph2JXnHtTGUNVyz-E0gxG-M/s640/Christchurch+Civic+Building+by+Athfield+Architects-Sustainable+Architecture+Award.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgnpkL0NQotJIVAUR_lVThzvBPHErjdBtgbRYjWuyjdoWB3YEFPMjsmXIeHeV8KFS542kCcd_-DC0ISdRjWXE2TRzq4vjYq1BAIQoKganzjbNtPgwkHzNKYSRBpYiEgIA6tAzEwGAeHY/s1600/Christchurch+Civic+Building+by+Athfield+Architects-Public+Architecture+Award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgnpkL0NQotJIVAUR_lVThzvBPHErjdBtgbRYjWuyjdoWB3YEFPMjsmXIeHeV8KFS542kCcd_-DC0ISdRjWXE2TRzq4vjYq1BAIQoKganzjbNtPgwkHzNKYSRBpYiEgIA6tAzEwGAeHY/s640/Christchurch+Civic+Building+by+Athfield+Architects-Public+Architecture+Award.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">RTA Studio's Black Estate winery at Waipara (below) won a Commercial Architecture award. Photo by Stephen Goodenough. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY68tUFYto_0PGBQgM11lq-8LHSqxSTgNyr_yKJQwJTEw6Llh_AzRfIwzs7zP9_B_OkFCqjxEAv6JJQd0-9seZdeXhm4uqHQm12AkgpbWNSBG6zx_-FWcPklfvfadEusXLHXvcebZHi-4/s1600/Black+Estate+Winery+by+RTA+Studio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY68tUFYto_0PGBQgM11lq-8LHSqxSTgNyr_yKJQwJTEw6Llh_AzRfIwzs7zP9_B_OkFCqjxEAv6JJQd0-9seZdeXhm4uqHQm12AkgpbWNSBG6zx_-FWcPklfvfadEusXLHXvcebZHi-4/s640/Black+Estate+Winery+by+RTA+Studio.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This one's in our current issue: Chris Wilson of Wilson & Hill's own family home, winner of a residential award. Photo by Stephen Goodenough. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdPdpAIOIhju3G1qP-eWVCyH6ymcRyZGsjghJTQuFe59Yzl250Uvb7gnmDMkXLGX7XyDDaQ5ueSl0huQj_bSx5f15Wra4i043_athQFKxXKyVZ5zF3K9CGNrp0bjtNGudiRknjII-fKE/s1600/House+Glandovey+Road+by+Wilson+&+Hill+Architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdPdpAIOIhju3G1qP-eWVCyH6ymcRyZGsjghJTQuFe59Yzl250Uvb7gnmDMkXLGX7XyDDaQ5ueSl0huQj_bSx5f15Wra4i043_athQFKxXKyVZ5zF3K9CGNrp0bjtNGudiRknjII-fKE/s640/House+Glandovey+Road+by+Wilson+&+Hill+Architects.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This house in Fendalton (below) by Sheppard + Rout Architects also picked up a residential award. Photo by Diederik van Heyningen. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wQeYpQDlFWMYymUHqu8Vi1eCmsCbpbQLYV3F_TqBY_D_zGB9PJVWyDNSsgoGqPB52MApNEB7VM8zWaylWYbQ218WrbHnUjAJgUgGAgDxENS7HAe_xqRB4ijv5tXlBQunwaRkQ_R3T2M/s1600/Poynder+Ave+House+by+Sheppard+&+Rout+Architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wQeYpQDlFWMYymUHqu8Vi1eCmsCbpbQLYV3F_TqBY_D_zGB9PJVWyDNSsgoGqPB52MApNEB7VM8zWaylWYbQ218WrbHnUjAJgUgGAgDxENS7HAe_xqRB4ijv5tXlBQunwaRkQ_R3T2M/s640/Poynder+Ave+House+by+Sheppard+&+Rout+Architects.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Buchan Group's Re:START container shopping precinct (below) won an award in the Planning & Urban Design category. It also won a Resene Colour Award. Photo by Murray Hedwig. </span> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0a3Of8qG6c52EFIjrjgrrkfX-_qGYSbhWPLkpGkn_ZG83bYqH27ogGQXHlbMpd56brsvwNa-XJiUqFytgBzfQvumC0ZOa53SW37wGhVXCBL-jKYF-kSd9mrtnK0oDKmR8lzGWZmxTIg/s1600/Re+START+by+The+Buchan+Group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0a3Of8qG6c52EFIjrjgrrkfX-_qGYSbhWPLkpGkn_ZG83bYqH27ogGQXHlbMpd56brsvwNa-XJiUqFytgBzfQvumC0ZOa53SW37wGhVXCBL-jKYF-kSd9mrtnK0oDKmR8lzGWZmxTIg/s640/Re+START+by+The+Buchan+Group.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Modern Architecture Partners won a residential award for this house in the Redcliffs area (below). Photo by Lisa Gane. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPA8sE3eYvGI2Nsdzk_HQNg-dNbf3x85pRfiJpALSp3TsTnucOOcTSD39JenRVJG0zyGbFN_60L50VqoPZxLzOF6_JHqR2-7MxkMHdmLdGm8zHc01FG5FwAG69RivblWCS0SDmkWKQfZs/s1600/Redcliffs+House+by+MAP+%282000%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPA8sE3eYvGI2Nsdzk_HQNg-dNbf3x85pRfiJpALSp3TsTnucOOcTSD39JenRVJG0zyGbFN_60L50VqoPZxLzOF6_JHqR2-7MxkMHdmLdGm8zHc01FG5FwAG69RivblWCS0SDmkWKQfZs/s640/Redcliffs+House+by+MAP+%282000%29.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Christchurch's Court Theatre by Fulton Ross Team Architects (below) won a Public Architecture award. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQfuKB66-qBL4X25lV3Si2MWIsOtRgthR1MQarxsdjce9V8j-2IGpDDl1FHV7nd0-V5SaL1XR48eOCf7mFrejmMwUyxwzbVYU1O8yUZt3cnIR263m_0BqiLpINK3MXR84kMQeFeoKlWY/s1600/The+Court+Theatre+by+Fulton+Ross+Team+Architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQfuKB66-qBL4X25lV3Si2MWIsOtRgthR1MQarxsdjce9V8j-2IGpDDl1FHV7nd0-V5SaL1XR48eOCf7mFrejmMwUyxwzbVYU1O8yUZt3cnIR263m_0BqiLpINK3MXR84kMQeFeoKlWY/s640/The+Court+Theatre+by+Fulton+Ross+Team+Architects.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Finally, another residential award for Wilson & Hill Architects for the prefabricated Smart House (below). Photo by Stephen Goodenough. </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFbA8kBVBLUojYMFd57F391tlMYSjMFIMLakx086faHLf4QuH6BA1DvutAuGeuHc_iQYHdXezXZRqxdRB-zaLTVGX8lx1wvEQQQWu1ynjeYXpT0C71zSyJWagvjROGpujnm0uraHF93c/s1600/Smart+House+by+Wilson+&+Hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFbA8kBVBLUojYMFd57F391tlMYSjMFIMLakx086faHLf4QuH6BA1DvutAuGeuHc_iQYHdXezXZRqxdRB-zaLTVGX8lx1wvEQQQWu1ynjeYXpT0C71zSyJWagvjROGpujnm0uraHF93c/s640/Smart+House+by+Wilson+&+Hill.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />

Canterbury's NZ Institute of Architects' awards

The winners have been announced at the NZ Institute of Architects Awards for the Canterbury region, and one building in particular has won b...

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NZ Institute of Architects Nelson/Marlborough awards

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The New Zealand Institute of Architects' awards season is now in full swing, with another fine batch of buildings being recognised in the institute's Nelson/Marlborough Architecture Awards. First up, something you will have seen in our December/January 2012 issue: the Brancott Estate Heritage Centre (below) by Fearon Hay Architects, a winner in the commercial architecture category. Photo by Patrick Reynolds. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9aTCeQAgqVAlpnXzgDvnaB0LvUk20MkOMRoocNX-B4GcgBH9o0DH3C2b1A6UVEpeKie_wx75ZT6jYBv-8Oa454lqRb0y9kS59EbEfADG3DPPJ2eiN_Nkra3AIEKJdQwiOprkr8aa6uA/s1600/Bancroft+Estate+Heritage+Centre+by+Fearon+Hay+Architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9aTCeQAgqVAlpnXzgDvnaB0LvUk20MkOMRoocNX-B4GcgBH9o0DH3C2b1A6UVEpeKie_wx75ZT6jYBv-8Oa454lqRb0y9kS59EbEfADG3DPPJ2eiN_Nkra3AIEKJdQwiOprkr8aa6uA/s640/Bancroft+Estate+Heritage+Centre+by+Fearon+Hay+Architects.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>  <br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Cloudy Bay's The Shack (below), by Tim Greer and Paul Rolfe, also picked up an award in the commercial architecture category, and was featured in our August/September issue. Photo by Mike Rolfe.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhQojiP7GO9Jaw-pZwEImSfyLjiaYnPlQDqg4aq0RzphxCT1Tt1pFitr5A3bAEncxRrnpHEsaKf-zt97SR8M-dysNtkBB37LC1WXCmlffCaU8R-Y1PrtgjvphoMJacv6Roeh-7vU1fRU/s1600/Cloudy+Bay+Shack+by+Paul+Rolfe+Architects+and+Tonkin+Zulaikha+Greer+Architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhQojiP7GO9Jaw-pZwEImSfyLjiaYnPlQDqg4aq0RzphxCT1Tt1pFitr5A3bAEncxRrnpHEsaKf-zt97SR8M-dysNtkBB37LC1WXCmlffCaU8R-Y1PrtgjvphoMJacv6Roeh-7vU1fRU/s640/Cloudy+Bay+Shack+by+Paul+Rolfe+Architects+and+Tonkin+Zulaikha+Greer+Architects.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This holiday home (below) by Min Hall and Arthouse Architects won an award in the residential category, and will be featured in our next issue. </span> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRXzmM2xJw3kRB8mjIVuSBKv3bHHInqX9CskCWxPhySiRLhsOOG9MQ_wxSsrm7XjPFBl275s9b2up3DWo_-IHvnX67r9KYL2_2V8s4lzEGp9DyVcqVUCNZs9HsxuRtH5DD9OsxJHCUhD0/s1600/House+for+Tree+Lovers+by+Arthouse+Architects-resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRXzmM2xJw3kRB8mjIVuSBKv3bHHInqX9CskCWxPhySiRLhsOOG9MQ_wxSsrm7XjPFBl275s9b2up3DWo_-IHvnX67r9KYL2_2V8s4lzEGp9DyVcqVUCNZs9HsxuRtH5DD9OsxJHCUhD0/s640/House+for+Tree+Lovers+by+Arthouse+Architects-resized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A home by Redbox Architects (below) also won a residential award. Photo by Elspeth Collier.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG75BokuPlyuSmStKOPggIRzzlgLwUNnkqdV6eTZge2fNKe-ZzZhTeLbPJhXRZaUuAoJUd-o8dEMvtwF0e6dUXwKYC0vF0jIebo_SCJWdnCd6ftCOaVa8ZVwGxNMm-ConLRP0dbLfp-KA/s1600/Carver+House+by+redbox+architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG75BokuPlyuSmStKOPggIRzzlgLwUNnkqdV6eTZge2fNKe-ZzZhTeLbPJhXRZaUuAoJUd-o8dEMvtwF0e6dUXwKYC0vF0jIebo_SCJWdnCd6ftCOaVa8ZVwGxNMm-ConLRP0dbLfp-KA/s640/Carver+House+by+redbox+architects.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Wellington's Tennent + Brown Architects picked up two residential awards for homes in the Nelson/Marlborough region, the first for this house in Okiwa Bay (below, photo by Marina Mathews) and the second for the Waiwhero farmhouse (two below, photo by Jason Rothenberg), which is featured in our current issue. </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZu6CYNIPbfjlbkC-rATL59hsyeLPoC-qECRwenkfahDZq25oq8d05kDvsxDBvqnZ1_8cTZiqgPNdgdwHQm5LL3WBp3Q5tezKC0fD_tvGGQ3g0EVAKlRAVbq5B15N7Toy50eEB9oXgg0/s1600/Okiwa+Bay+House+by+Tennent+Brown+Architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZu6CYNIPbfjlbkC-rATL59hsyeLPoC-qECRwenkfahDZq25oq8d05kDvsxDBvqnZ1_8cTZiqgPNdgdwHQm5LL3WBp3Q5tezKC0fD_tvGGQ3g0EVAKlRAVbq5B15N7Toy50eEB9oXgg0/s640/Okiwa+Bay+House+by+Tennent+Brown+Architects.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSmmFW79WFp2XxQhjrAM1hqJP2ItEQUy1Vaeze_ecNJfzE8PuZhbzBmiAy9rGVovozJxQibUmLDp1M3nI2OVhiXQjJRjGL-tTxKgTyMWMe1l2QoyFbWXNrRrPA5eGESnXCHOw9IFc7Os/s1600/Waiwhero+Farm+House+by+Tennent+++Brown+Architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSmmFW79WFp2XxQhjrAM1hqJP2ItEQUy1Vaeze_ecNJfzE8PuZhbzBmiAy9rGVovozJxQibUmLDp1M3nI2OVhiXQjJRjGL-tTxKgTyMWMe1l2QoyFbWXNrRrPA5eGESnXCHOw9IFc7Os/s640/Waiwhero+Farm+House+by+Tennent+++Brown+Architects.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There were two winners in the Enduring Architecture category. The first is a 1961 house by Ernst Plischke, photographed by Patrick Reynolds. </span> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAju6e0L8JMCwXrnEEa8uDssLMJsyBqmk400NtY82B4x_l05-iBuCiVtOZ9zRa5yKntKQWaxBUsdwYwCP05i1DCH6P1Znyg9Vo6skpsxTNIMe8avfiNwU6eskLOaJhZ1akXtUg4-gL5Vw/s1600/House+at+Melrose+Terrace+by+EA+Plischke+%281961%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAju6e0L8JMCwXrnEEa8uDssLMJsyBqmk400NtY82B4x_l05-iBuCiVtOZ9zRa5yKntKQWaxBUsdwYwCP05i1DCH6P1Znyg9Vo6skpsxTNIMe8avfiNwU6eskLOaJhZ1akXtUg4-gL5Vw/s640/House+at+Melrose+Terrace+by+EA+Plischke+%281961%29.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The second Enduring Architecture winner in the region is photographer and publisher Craig Potton's house (below), designed by Hal Wagstaff and photographed by Paul McCredie for our February/March 2011 issue. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLUGJhZHzrcQix4x9ey4DgjJHsD9B0gzFEdjBMWfHyoJ5a_GInb5E8mDNBirhej4GLtkx7okCoISafwttW_UvGdsRZBExabAwYVZPIrPArMnknHNbO823d_bGuEsFvhnqoOr3LmkkKpo/s1600/Britannia+Heights+House+by+Hal+Wagstaff+Architect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLUGJhZHzrcQix4x9ey4DgjJHsD9B0gzFEdjBMWfHyoJ5a_GInb5E8mDNBirhej4GLtkx7okCoISafwttW_UvGdsRZBExabAwYVZPIrPArMnknHNbO823d_bGuEsFvhnqoOr3LmkkKpo/s640/Britannia+Heights+House+by+Hal+Wagstaff+Architect.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Another winner in the residential category: this house (below) by Guy Herschell Architects. </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwoEkpRgHHG3B7sjSObnXW6l1IZoMKLyfJtVLGExt7Xt7Gs7nm-h5alg3D7jDzJqb6cQNqdHZHaoyncvkxGOfenAngAUW_bctLl4yBKq5xUjBevOJffxbBquVXOGn_pBYYVVanbo2UpA/s1600/Radman+Brown+House+by+Guy+Herschell+Architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwoEkpRgHHG3B7sjSObnXW6l1IZoMKLyfJtVLGExt7Xt7Gs7nm-h5alg3D7jDzJqb6cQNqdHZHaoyncvkxGOfenAngAUW_bctLl4yBKq5xUjBevOJffxbBquVXOGn_pBYYVVanbo2UpA/s640/Radman+Brown+House+by+Guy+Herschell+Architects.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Wellington's Parsonson Architects picked up a residential award for this house in the Wairau Valley (below). Look out for it in one of our upcoming issues. Photo by Paul McCredie. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmhdItapMZKpxmFMC-jLnmiRGKFxG101WtKKJQfB3Em1iw_m-kOesWv0PGyd5KcmhkZApXrtsfWnaY4IfQzqjHX72OW3SPMIOsNdjAdkMdpExVELAcSyHLjIMsRCbRm3qeBtJ_6hv_Lw/s1600/Wairau+Valley+House+by+Parsonson+Architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmhdItapMZKpxmFMC-jLnmiRGKFxG101WtKKJQfB3Em1iw_m-kOesWv0PGyd5KcmhkZApXrtsfWnaY4IfQzqjHX72OW3SPMIOsNdjAdkMdpExVELAcSyHLjIMsRCbRm3qeBtJ_6hv_Lw/s640/Wairau+Valley+House+by+Parsonson+Architects.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This house (below) by Palmer & Palmer Architects picked up a residential award. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6pFYZ_q_QPPv-5sk494VfWwbY5MomM9sQRW_lkcTs2LRyabj9s93en_FWiVvINJMMdq0hRsB1FLDm_n4-FJA05_SOKfvH-dhBg5KrFmKblL8-hZ7jbQhs4g-hnudmVsUp917DcS62ek/s1600/Twenty+One+House+by+Palmer+&+Palmer+Architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6pFYZ_q_QPPv-5sk494VfWwbY5MomM9sQRW_lkcTs2LRyabj9s93en_FWiVvINJMMdq0hRsB1FLDm_n4-FJA05_SOKfvH-dhBg5KrFmKblL8-hZ7jbQhs4g-hnudmVsUp917DcS62ek/s640/Twenty+One+House+by+Palmer+&+Palmer+Architects.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Saxton Pavilion (below) by Arthouse Architects picked up a Public Architecture award. Photo by Oliver Weber. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlSH24jelFejOlODXkEX9QyjmA8EQfLW3n30RLPEiES46ONVJUHVFvCnlJl5eGchyHW726L1_kJ70ne9AncFPl5mUsYGdZgQQzdpmsCfAV9APaqRL2AU5s7SqjC__k3oMBMgWBw5DCi8/s1600/Saxton+Pavilion+by+Arthouse+Architects-resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlSH24jelFejOlODXkEX9QyjmA8EQfLW3n30RLPEiES46ONVJUHVFvCnlJl5eGchyHW726L1_kJ70ne9AncFPl5mUsYGdZgQQzdpmsCfAV9APaqRL2AU5s7SqjC__k3oMBMgWBw5DCi8/s640/Saxton+Pavilion+by+Arthouse+Architects-resized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And finally, Arthouse Architecture picked up a third award (this time for sustainability) for their Victory Primary School redevelopment (below). </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqWBRcMOcGX0Qfd6o-ZYzDfsgjNBg4-xvBUq7QZsQKZRVu1QlNJ7c_cFsZMTlYocpKkpUGrRFrPyPH_V1P1p8-Ndg2zrk-MoBYB7pB9M05XYFbHN1NXVzlRuvfRLkxJTIH4VRzlrLp9c/s1600/Victory+Primary+School+Redevelopment+by+Arthouse+Architects-resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqWBRcMOcGX0Qfd6o-ZYzDfsgjNBg4-xvBUq7QZsQKZRVu1QlNJ7c_cFsZMTlYocpKkpUGrRFrPyPH_V1P1p8-Ndg2zrk-MoBYB7pB9M05XYFbHN1NXVzlRuvfRLkxJTIH4VRzlrLp9c/s640/Victory+Primary+School+Redevelopment+by+Arthouse+Architects-resized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />

NZ Institute of Architects Nelson/Marlborough awards

The New Zealand Institute of Architects' awards season is now in full swing, with another fine batch of buildings being recognised in th...

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