Creative arts building shortlisted for awards

It has been open barely a month, but Massey’s new creative arts building is already receiving accolades.

The College of Creative Arts (CoCA) building, Te Ara Hihiko, on the Wellington campus, has been nominated for two New Zealand Timber Design Awards.

More than 90 entries over nine categories were received for the awards that have now been shortlisted to 38 entries, recognising the best in craftsmanship and expertise in timber design.

The building, designed by Athfield Architects and engineered by Dunning Thornton Consultants, has been nominated for prizes in commercial architectural excellence and engineering excellence categories.

It is the first in the world to use a post-tensioned timber seismic frame, which flexes like a push-puppet toy during earthquakes. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on October 9 at Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology.

Campus registrar Deanna Riach described the awards shortlisting as “a wonderful achievement” and had “fingers crossed” the entry would progress further through the awards’ stages.

The building is also due to feature in an upcoming issue of the architectural and design magazine Trends.