For design 101, go to university

A Geoff Richards Architects-designed home in Seacliffe Ave, Takapuna.

When it comes to architectural excellence in Auckland, the education sector is winning hands down.

Three Auckland tertiary institutions have picked up honours in the 2005 New Zealand Institute of Architects Resene Awards, prompting northern regional judging co-ordinator Christina van Bohemen to praise the continuing contribution of education bodies to the city's architecture.

"Universities are taking a long-term view and investing in buildings that will go some distance and really work with the rest of their campus," said the architect.

The winning education projects are Auckland University's student amenities complex (Warren & Mahoney architects), Auckland University of Technology's art and design building (Jasmax) and Unitec's school of landscaping and plant science staff studies building (Mitchell & Stout).

The Britomart transport centre, Villa Maria's winery and distribution centre at Mangere and Wairakei Lodge at Taupo were the other commercial projects to pick up northern awards.

Three residential projects in Auckland collected awards. A home at Seacliffe Ave in Takapuna, designed by Geoff Richards Architects, had a beautiful series of living spaces offering clifftop views, calm reflective social spaces and discretely concealed private rooms, according to the judges.

A home in Herne Bay by Stevens Lawson Architects was picked for carefully worked layering of spaces and a Piha Beach house by XSite Architects was praised for mixing the play of sea and sky with opportunities for quiet reflection.

Christina van Bohemen said quality architecture in Auckland was probably the exception.

"That is a shame, particularly when you think of a lot of the building that is under construction at the moment ... there is a lot of construction under way at the moment in the centre of town that doesn't feel [as if] it is going to add to enriching the urban fabric," she said.

The chairman of the Property Council's urban strategy committee, Patrick Fontein, a private property developer, acknowledged a lot of the apartment buildings springing up in Auckland lacked quality architecture compared to the "extremely creative architecture" going into public buildings.

He said well-designed apartments were possible even at the lower end of the market, but it required greater commitment by developers, architects and the council.

Maurice Matthewson, who has just retired as Auckland University's director of property services and oversaw the winning student amenities complex, said the university aimed to provide buildings that performed well and contributed to Auckland's streetscape.

AUT vice-chancellor Derek McCormack said the institution had collected a clutch of awards as part of an eight-year, $180 million building programme. It aimed to build buildings in a durable style.