S.I. architects take top design awards

Press, 30 May 1985, Page 5

S.I. architects take top design awards

Two South Island buildings and three architectural firms have received national awards for outstanding design in the 1985 Institute of Architects’ Pilkington Group design awards. Awards were presented at the institute’s conference in Palmerston North last evening to the Christchurch architects, Warren and Mahoney, the Dunedin architects, McCoy and Wixon, and a Queenstown architect, John Blair. Mr Blair received an award for his base amenities building at Coronet Peak. The building was praised by the institute's president, "Mr Terry Boon, as "cleverly (dealing) with the function of processing people in an entertaining way. “This building is. a celebration of the spoft- of ski-

ing and the environment of Coronet Peak and Queenstown,” he said. Mr Boon commended the redevelopment of Otago Boys’ High School, designed by McCoy and Wixon. as a skilfully ' executed redevelopment. He said that it successfully combined the old and new buildings into a complex which perpetuated the solid, permanent image which was much a part of the tradition of the longestablished school. "By its demonstration of innovative responses to rigid departmental constraints, this project sets new standards for the design of school buildings in New Zealand,” he said. Warren and Mahoney received an award for St Patrick’s Church, Napier, a building in which “the interior space is truly splen-

did and the attention to design details and cameo surprises make this building a significant development in Warren and Mahoney’s work,” Mr Boon said. The awards are presented each year. The architect, client, and builder each receive a plaque and certificates of merit. Other national awards were presented to the Wanganui Education Board's chief architect. Tyl von Randow, for the Feilding playcentre; the Structon Group of Architects, of Wellington, for the Colonial Mutual head office and shopping complex: and Athfield Architects, also of Wellington, for a private house, Custance House, in Havelock North. A display of the more than 30 entries will tour > New Zealand next yea£