From tiny houses and a Coromandel bach to Auckland's new $1 billion PwC Tower at Commercial Bay - Te Kāhui Whaihanga the New Zealand Institute of Architects has just named 26 national award-winning new,
NZ's 26 best building projects named: Institute of Architects' national award winners out
![Anne Gibson](https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/nzme/e0de7024-0172-42f3-9af8-6387088c9929.png)
Anne Gibson
The winning work at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Photo / Dennis Radermacher
RTA Studio and Irving Smith Architects won the third commercial prize for Rotorua's new SCION Innovation Hub Te Whare Nui o Tuteata: "The architects have successfully embraced their client's uncompromising desire to maximise the use of wood, resulting in benchmark-setting innovation in timber construction."
![The new $1b PwC Tower at Commercial Bay. Photo / supplied](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/JX74WX3EN2LGPOUJPDNRYRLUWA.jpg?auth=0ffe378bcad31051d9280d0556eb50cc4c668173c27f42ca2dd101929f88b1c5&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
Education award category winners were Christchurch's Te Hohepa Kōhanga Reo by Bull O'Sullivan Architecture and Auckland's New Shoots Early Childhood Education Centre by Copeland Associates Architects.
Warren and Mahoney Architects won a heritage award for the Christchurch Town Hall.
![The transportable house in Auckland. Photo / Ross Keane](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/7BCYWT4C2TT6M6J5GACADDVI4A.jpg?auth=71b2cddb70135a93762815489b4c5ba300c14470c77c6af57a6b6ae7c587119d&width=16&height=9&quality=70&smart=true)
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Te Ao Mārama and Cenotaph Galleries by Jasmax, FJMT, designTRIBE and Salmond Reed Architects also won a heritage award.
The museum added a gong for Public Architecture to its trophy cabinet today, while Tuitui, the cafe and bistro designed by Jack McKinney Architects that sits in its southern atrium, won the Hospitality award.
Housing awards went to studio LWA for a suburban infill site in Westmere, to Team Green Architects for a Lake Hayes place, a beach house at Te Arai by Fearon Hay Architects, Crosson Architects house at Kūaotunu in the Coromandel and Awaawaroa by Cheshire Architects on Waiheke Island.
![Hotel Britomart - a commercial award winner. Photo / supplied](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/ARJUUDTIBYFJIOCQXAXVG7H7BM.jpg?auth=fb8f30b015d9adbce281568ca644052ecd621768a87f87d96996a5b92bee00f6&width=16&height=16&quality=70&smart=true)
A former office-turned-home on Christchurch's Oxford Terrace by Dalman Architects and changes to an Auckland place by Crosson Architects won addition and alterations awards.
Multi-unit housing awards went to two Kāinga Ora projects: at Rangiora by Rohan Collett Architects and Waterview Court by Ashton Mitchell.
Two other category wins went to Warren and Mahoney Architects for the University of Auckland's Waipārūrū Hall, and to Architectus for Bedford Apartments and Bedford Terraces in Christchurch.
Hotel Britomart won an interior award.
![Scion Innovation Hub - a commercial award winner. Photo / supplied](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/VZGBA3246LEVH6FYIFMRXSCSHA.jpg?auth=01b432cf9a79f94055d79ef7945341a0a68e7336ffb54ceef350b69dd4ea0077&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
Māori architect Anthony Hoete won an international award for the London Costa Street design of a built-to-rent block of houses on the former site of what has been called "the most expensive shack in Britain".
Commercial Bay and One Central also won planning and urban design prizes.
Tennent Brown Architects and Architects 44 won a public award for Gisborne Airport. Klein won in the same category for Tiaho Mai Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit at Middlemore Hospital.
Jurors were convenor Sharon Jansen of Sharon Jansen Architect, Grant Edwards of Edwards White Architects, John Hardwick-Smith of Athfield Architects and Gary Lawson of Stevens Lawson Architects.