CARTERS Commercial Project Results

H T M L Code
National Category Winner:

Project: Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga Archives New Zealand

Entrant

LT McGuinness

Project Partners

Aurecon (Engineer), Warren and Mahoney (Architect/Designer)

Owned By

Dexus

Te Rua Mahara is a project of national significance; culturally, architecturally, and technically. Purpose-built to safeguard Aotearoa’s most precious records, the facility combines seismic innovation with cultural expression and engineering precision. It features New Zealand’s largest triple-pendulum base isolators, 55-metre-deep foundations, and an airtight, high-performance outer skin embossed with bespoke Maori patterning. Despite protest disruptions and highly complex sequencing, LT McGuinness delivered the project safely, on time, and within budget. The result is one of New Zealand’s most resilient and airtight public buildings: a legacy project that embodies collaboration, strength, and the enduring protection of national taonga.

Judges comments

Built to protect some of New Zealand’s most important heritage records, Te Rua Mahara o te Kawanatanga Archives New Zealand is a project of real national significance. The judges recognised the care taken to create a building that could protect fragile documents, film, and photographs to the highest standards, while also responding to very demanding earthquake requirements. This was a complex project from start to finish, with challenges across the structure, the interior, the bridge connection to the National Library, and the exterior design. What stood out was the way those demands were met without losing sight of the building’s cultural importance, with the exterior developed in partnership with local iwi to reflect the treasures held within. The result is a thoughtful and highly accomplished building, delivered with precision, respect, and a clear sense of purpose.

 

Project: AFFCO Horotiu

Entrant

Foster Construction Group Ltd

Project Partners

DHC (Structural Engineer), DHC Structural I Civil (Civil Engineer), Foster Construction Group Ltd (Construction Company/Project Manager/Quantity Surveyor), Initia (Engineer), RDT Pacific (Project Manager), Sheppard & Rout Architects (Architect/Designer)

Owned By

AFFCO New Zealand

Designed for AFFCO, this fit-out is as much about identity as it is about space. The material palette, native timber, leather, wool, and concrete, reflects the company’s rural heritage, creating a workplace that feels authentic, grounded, and proudly New Zealand. Timber finishes were sourced from a single batch to ensure consistency across joinery, doors, and linings, reinforcing the project’s attention to detail. Precision sequencing was critical, particularly around the installation and protection of glulam and structural steel elements. Close coordination between trades and consultants, including detailed integration of structure and services during shop drawing phases, ensured minimal rework and seamless delivery. Completed on budget with no major safety incidents across more than 800 inductions, the result is a cohesive, legacy workplace that translates AFFCO’s long-held vision into a modern, enduring home for its people.

 

Project: Ngāi Tahu Ōtepoti

Entrant

Naylor Love Dunedin Limited

Project Partners

Naylor Love Dunedin (Project Manager), Naylor Love Dunedin Limited (Construction Company), RCP (Project Manager), Warren and Mahoney (Architect/Designer)

Owned By

Dowling Street Limited Partnership

Across a 3.5-metre level change in central Dunedin, Ngai Tahu Otepoti took shape within centimetres of neighbouring heritage buildings. Establishing the structure required deep beams and extensive piling to stabilise poor ground conditions before vertical construction could progress. More than 100 precast panels were then craned into position with minimal boundary clearance, each lift sequenced precisely to suit the confined urban setting. Overhead, restricted ceiling cavities and long service runs called for disciplined coordination to prevent clashes and protect programme. Engagement with more than 30 neighbouring properties ensured disruption was managed transparently throughout delivery. Electric crane use, material reuse, and daylight-harvesting systems support operational efficiency, resulting in a carefully integrated addition to a sensitive city block.

 

Project: 55 Bridge Street

Entrant

Coman Construction Limited

Project Partners

Aesculus Project Management Ltd (Project Manager), Amanda Young Archaeology (Client Representative), Barnes Beagley Doherr Ltd (Quantity Surveyor), BCD Group Ltd (Engineer), Brian Perry Civil Limited T/A Piletech (Engineer), Coman Construction Ltd (Construction Company), Environlink Ltd (Civil Engineer), Irving Smith Architects Ltd (Architect/Designer), Jacksons Engineering (Electrical Engineer), Staig and Smith Ltd (Civil Engineer), Structex (Structural Engineer), Swanney Geotechnical and Civil Engineering Ltd (Civil Engineer)

Owned By

Tinline Nelson #2 Limited

Thirty thousand carpentry hours sit behind this new Nelson CBD workplace, a three-storey commercial build shaped as much by coordination as craft. Rising from reclaimed waterfront land, the project carefully balanced past and present, removing an 1860s structure while preserving original foundations under archaeological guidance. A timber structural system delivers a ‘carbon better’ outcome, reducing embodied carbon by approximately 500 tonnes compared to a conventional steel and concrete build. Natural ventilation, generous daylighting, deep canopies, and perforated screens reduce heat loads, supporting a targeted 4.5-star NABERS rating. Lightweight timber floors were enhanced with a detailed acoustic overlay system using recycled rubber pads to ensure performance without compromising design intent. The result is a future-ready workplace that blends craftsmanship, sustainability, and technical precision within a tightly constrained urban site.

 

Project: Network Tasman

Entrant

Scott Construction

Project Partners

Cost Consult LTD (Quantity Surveyor), Irving Smith Architects (Architect/Designer), RE Projects (Project Manager), Scott Construction (Construction Company), Vector Structural Engineering (Structural Engineer)

Owned By

Network Tasman

Network Tasman’s new headquarters demonstrates how engineered timber can perform at commercial scale. Constructed predominantly from locally manufactured mass timber, the building features a fully suspended timber floor supported by screw piles, an uncommon solution at this size that reduced structural weight and foundation demand. Exposed LVL rafters, glulam posts, and timber linings required careful protection through a prolonged winter build. Daily moisture monitoring, temporary weatherproofing, and coordinated service integration ensured the structure remained uncompromised. Early contractor involvement supported detailed refinement and timely procurement of prefabricated elements. Delivered as a carbon-neutral facility, the completed headquarters reflects disciplined timber construction and a practical commitment to low-carbon regional development.

 

Project: 90 Devonport Road

Entrant

LT McGuinness

Project Partners

Dunning Thornton (Structural Engineer), Warren and Mahoney (Architect/Designer)

Delivering New Zealand’s first large-scale office building constructed entirely from engineered timber, 90 Devonport Road represents a bold shift in commercial construction. The precision-crafted timber frame provides seismic resilience while significantly reducing embodied carbon, with off-site manufacturing improving build quality and shortening on-site timeframes. Constructed on a tight inner-city site, disciplined logistics and early contractor involvement were critical to coordinating cross-laminated timber components and maintaining programme certainty. The project also invested in its local community, partnering with Huria Trust to establish an apprenticeship programme that supported ten students into construction careers. Visually striking yet grounded in its natural surroundings, the building stands as a proof point for modern timber construction in Aotearoa, combining performance, sustainability, and social impact at commercial scale.

 

Project: Auckland Heliport - New Police Facility

Entrant

Macrennie Commercial Construction Ltd

Project Partners

Brown & Thomson (Structural Engineer), Herbst Maxcey Metropolitan Architects Ltd (Architect/Designer), Macrennie Commercial Construction Limited (Construction Company)

Owned By

Hanger 31 Limited

Constructed within a live operational heliport, this facility demanded constant coordination to ensure uninterrupted service for NZ Police and Advanced Flight. Daily helicopter movements shaped every stage of delivery, with crane lifts, material drops, and trade access carefully timed around flight schedules. Working inside a confined hangar added further complexity to sequencing and safety management. A defining feature is the multi-functional external steel stair tower, providing emergency egress, access to the rooftop helipad, and a fast-rope training platform for tactical exercises. Built on a former landfill, the project also required deep piling, gas management systems, and careful handling of contaminated ground conditions. The completed facility strengthens the NZ Police’s aerial response capability while demonstrating disciplined delivery in a highly sensitive operational environment.

 

Project: LumberBank Auckland Office Building

Entrant

LumberBank Ltd

Project Partners

Leisurecom NZ Ltd (Construction Company), Lumberbank (Client Representative), Studio Fox Architects Ltd (Architect/Designer)

Owned By

The LumberBank NZ Ltd

LumberBank’s Auckland Office Building demonstrates the discipline required to deliver high-precision prefabrication at scale. Delivered under an integrated design-and-build model, fully finished office pods were manufactured offsite in Cambridge, complete with internal fit-out and prefabricated structural beams, before being transported to Auckland and craned into position. Achieving alignment within a 5mm tolerance between factory-built pods and prepared site foundations required meticulous coordination from design through to installation. Consenting added further complexity, with approvals managed across both Waipa and Auckland Councils to maintain programme certainty. FSC-certified materials and non-CCA-treated timber support long-term reuse and recyclability. The completed building reflects careful planning, precise execution, and a practical step forward in circular, low-carbon construction.

 

Project: PSA House Seismic Strengthening - Stage 2

Entrant

Maycroft Construction

Project Partners

Aurecon (Engineer), BlackYard Engineering (Electrical Engineer), Clendon Burns & Park Ltd (Engineer), Holmes NZ Limited Partnership (Engineer), Maycroft Construction (Construction Company), McKenzie Higham Architects (Architect/Designer), Monastra QS Consultants Ltd (Quantity Surveyor)

Owned By

Public Service Association Te Pukenga Here Tikanga Mahi

Upgrading PSA House to 100 per cent NBS required careful staging inside a tight city footprint. A full-height concrete shear wall was installed through the centre of the building, supported temporarily from the basement while floors above were opened to allow new steel to be lifted into place. A custom winch system was used to hoist members through a removed slab section, with internal bracing added beneath each level to strengthen the hollow-core floors and stabilise the asymmetric layout. When asbestos was uncovered, the team quickly reprogrammed works without losing momentum. Early contractor involvement also led to the building being vacated, improving safety and sequencing control. By strengthening rather than rebuilding, embodied carbon was reduced by two-thirds. PSA House demonstrates how deep refurbishment can deliver long-term resilience while significantly lowering environmental impact.