Lanes win architecture award

Our Brougham St redevelopment’s officially one of the best designed in the country.

It’s earned our architect South by Southeast a Te Kāhui Whaihanga (New Zealand Institute of Architects) Award.

South by Southeast received the Canterbury Architecture Award in the Housing: Multi Housing category at an event at the Christchurch Town Hall on Friday night.

The Brougham St development was the only community housing design to receive an award.

The judging panel had this to say about the ambitious project we opened in Korimako, Hoiho and Karoro lanes last year:

“Replacing earthquake damaged council housing, this 90-home development cleverly balances site constraints, community needs and tenant privacy.

“The development consists of a range of one to four-bedroom homes, set across a 1.6ha site it two storey groupings. 

“Robust brick veneer and metal cladding is offset of soft and colourful landscaping, which connects courtyards, laneways and carparks across a larger site circulation, in an open, park-like setting.

“Putting the needs of its tenants at its heart, the positive social and environmentally sustainable outcomes of this project meet the principles of manaakitanga that guide the Trust’s work.”

The project rose to the top in a list of impressive entries – judging panel convener Jane Rooney, of Architectus, said the judges were spoiled for choice.

“We were impressed with the creativity and commitment of architects, especially given the challenges presented by Covid over the past two years,” she said on Friday.

“Luckily, we were able to visit the short-listed projects in person and were able to experience how the spaces felt.”

The judges were also impressed with the level of community engagement and spirit evident in the projects. Many were re-builds undertaken in the 10-years since the earthquakes.

ŌCHT chief executive Cate Kearney congratulated South by Southeast and the wider project team for a development whose design has sustainable tenancies at its heart.

The team worked closely with tenants and ŌCHT staff, and re-examined existing complexes, to design a socially and environmentally sustainable community of outstanding homes.

“We really wanted the project to show what community housing can be, not what it used to be. The award absolutely demonstrates this,” Cate said.

“We’re building for the long-term, for sustainable buildings and tenant benefit, and the design team really engaged with our drivers.

“The project delivered spaces that’ll be great homes for decades to come.””

ŌCHT general manager property and development Ed Leeson said the focus on innovation, livability, sustainability and community living delivered the best of urban residential design in a community housing context.

“Like us, South by Southeast wanted to deliver homes that take community housing forward, to show what community housing can be, not what it used to be.

“It was a pleasure to collaborate with a team that took our vision to heart and delivered such a standard-setting, user-centred and future-focused design.”

One hundred and fifteen people now live in the three interconnected communities of 1-4 bedroom homes that comprise the development.

The first community, Korimako Lane, opened in January 2021. Karoro Lane opened in April 2021 and Hoiho Lane opened in July, 2021.