Heavenly Colour Scheme Wins Commendation For Auckland Designer In 2012 Dulux Colour Awards

Auckland based designer, Helen Wilcock of design.spec received a Commendation for her celestial colour scheme for a converted church in the 2012 Dulux Colour Awards, announced on Wednesday night (March 28) at a gala awards ceremony at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne.

Wilcock was commended in the Single Residential Exterior category for the colour scheme she devised for “The Church” - an historic converted kauri church situated in the trendy Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn.
Built in the late 1800s and now serving as a private residence, Wilcock restored the church conversion to its former glory by using a selection of heavenly grey and green tones, which included the custom-made “Church Green” shade, created by Dulux especially for the project.

Wilcock was just one of only 15 New Zealand and Australian designers and architects to be recognised as category winners or to receive a Commendation in the awards. She was also one of just two New Zealand designers to secure themselves two finalist spots at this year’s awards as was she also a finalist in Single Residential Exterior category for her sumptuous colour scheme for a Papatoetoe based Indian restaurant.

Jeff Fearon, from award-winning Auckland based architectural practice Fearon Hay, was the sole New Zealand judge on the highly acclaimed four person judging panel. He said the judges, who deliberated over the final winners for more than six hours, were blown away by the inventive use of colour among the finalists and winners.

Jeff Fearon said ‘The Church’ showcased “a delicate but sophisticated colour palette, which was used carefully on the existing building fabric for a delightful result.”

He said that a growing awareness of the Awards saw more and more New Zealand entries featuring in this year’s programme.

Said Jeff Fearon: “Hopefully with ‘The Church’ receiving a commendation, which is only awarded by the judges for deserving projects, this will encourage more New Zealand architects and designers to put forward their work into this important and inspirational Awards programme over the coming years.”

The Grand Prix award-winning project in the 2012 Dulux Colour Awards was the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne for its innovative use of colour in architecture and design.

Designed by Billard Leece Partnership & Bates Smart, the interior of The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, was also crowned as the winner of the Commercial Interior category, with judges commending how the project showed the possibilities of using colour as a key design element.

Category winners in the 2012 Dulux Colour Awards included an inspirational and alternative colour scheme for a Tasmanian art and sculpture park; a children’s cubby house which featured colour wraps like a “ribboned jewellery box”; plus a Fitzroy Melbourne community housing settlement, which showed how different colours could be used to give a sense of place and community.

Visit all the Dulux Colour Award winners and other entries at www.dulux.co.nz/colourawards