The School of Architecture celebrated the year’s best student work and high achievers at its Annual Student Awards last Monday.
The Awards held at the Red Lecture Theatre were attended by friends and whānau of ākonga from landscape architecture, architectural studies and interior design, Unitec kaimahi and representatives from industry partners.
“The quality of the works submitted, and the overall level of achievement just gets higher and higher,” said lecturer, Sue Hudson.
“2024 was a standout year where we saw some of the most impressive student work we’ve ever seen. We applaud and commend the sheer hard work and dedication and personal commitment that students demonstrate in doing their very best to get to this point.”
The evening also saw the launch of the school’s Asylum Journal. The 2024 edition marks thirty years of the School of Architecture, and over twenty years of the publication, named for the former hospital building at what used to be the northern end of Unitec’s Mt Albert campus, that originally housed the school.
“We have a group of students who design and put together this wonderful journal for us. It encapsulates much of the year’s work and things that are going on,” explained Head of School, Professor Peter McPherson.
“But it also includes peer reviewed articles, so it’s become a bigger thing than just student work. It’s become a record of ideas and follows how students are understanding design and research right from their first year through to fifth year depending on the programme that they’re in.”
Prof. McPherson also reflected on the year’s student success. Among the achievements highlighted were Master of Architecture ākonga, Ethan Hansell- Hunt winning the Highly Commended award at the 2024 National Student Design Awards for his project ‘Nofoaga Natia (A Hidden Place)’.
“The project aimed to provide locals from the village of Aleisa in Samoa with a place to sell their homegrown produce while also serving as an attraction for both tourists and visitors. At its core, this project was my way of giving back to my family who live there — those who have shaped the person I am today,” said Ethan.
Top student and senior scholar award winner Nikki Clendinning was also recognised for outstanding work.
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture ākonga Lyrick Maiava was another who has excelled in 2024. Highly engaged in research activity, she was awarded best student presentation in the Pacific strand of the ITP Research Symposium.
Industry partners also spoke highly of Unitec students. Roger Green, Managing Director at Maxwell Rodgers Fabrics, one of the award sponsors remarked: “We love partnering with Unitec. I love it when they (students) come into my showroom and we talk textiles, we talk different fabrics, we talk application of what we do. Congratulations to you all, and we look forward to seeing you in the marketplace.”
School of Architecture Student Annual Awards Winners
New Zealand Diploma in Interior Design Level 5 (Residential)
| Architecture Award-Top Student in Residential Interior Design | Tania Maree Malem |
| Architecture Award-Highly commended performance in Residential Design | Emma Jane Valarie Stewart |
| Architecture Award-Outstanding performance in Residential & Kitchen & Bathroom Studios | Tania Maree Malem |
| Architecture Award – Outstanding performance in Computer Aided Design | Vivin Huang |
| Architecture Award – Outstanding performance in Building Material Technologies | Tania Maree Malem |
| Dulux Prize Best Use of Colour in a Residential Project | Rachel Madison Sweeny |
New Zealand Diploma In Interior Design (Commercial) L6
| Architecture Award-Top student overall in Commercial Interior Design | Roma Juliette Tallon |
| Architecture award-Highly commended performance in Commercial Interior Design | Jordan Swee Townley |
| Architecture Award-Outstanding performance in Commercial Design Studio | Roma Juliette Tallon |
| Architecture Award – Outstanding performance in Computer Aided Design | Roma Juliette Tallon |
| Architecture Award – Outstanding performance in Building Material Technologies | Jordan Swee Townley |
| Dulux Prize Best Use of Colour | Roma Juliette Tallon |
| Maxwell Rodgers Award for Commercial Textiles Selections and Specifications | Juanita Santino Broughton |
| Inzide Commercial Flooring Award for Commercial Flooring Selections and Specifications | Rebecca Susan Adele Diana |
| New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture – Landscape Design | |||
| Unitec excellence in landscape design award | Top Student in the New Zealand Certificate in Horticultural Services (Landscape Design) | Carla To |
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| New Zealand Diploma in Landscape Design | |||
| Unitec excellence in landscape design award | Top Student in the New Zealand Diploma in Landscape (Design) | Karyn Hollister | |
| Garden Design Society of New Zealand | Top Design Student | Anna Wilcock | |
| Unitec Award for Plant Excellence | Georgina Barnes | ||
| Bachelor of Landscape Architecture | |||
| Landscape Architecture Excellence Award – 4th Year | Outstanding final year project | Nikki Clendinning | |
| Landscape Architecture Communication Award | Best Oral presentation in Final Year | Lyrick Maiava | |
| Landscape Architecture Excellence Award – 1st Year | Outstanding Performance in 1st year | Isla Bailie | |
| Landscape Architecture Award for Promotion of Discipline | Contribution to Programme and Discipline | Rose Todd | |
| Landscape Architecture Award for Contribution to Student Social Life | Contribution to Student Social Life | Julianne Buys | |
| Unitec Landscape Architecture Award for Contribution to Student Academic Life | Contribution to Student Academic Life | Lyrick Maiava | |
| Boffa Miskell Excellence in Indigenous Design | Excellence in Design | Rosie Rolls | |
| LandLAB Excellence Award | Excellence in Design for Urban Landscapes | Jyoti Prakash | |
| NZILA Award of Excellence | Overall Excellence in 2nd Year | Isabelle Cushman | |
| NZILA Award of Excellence | Overall Excellence in 3rd Year | Yingxuan Lin | |
| NZILA/Dr Frank Boffa Supreme Award | Overall Excellence in 4th Year | Blake O’Connor | |
| Category | Year | Name |
| Winner | Year 1 – Studio | Dylan Quayle |
| Highly Commended | Year 1 – Studio | Hayley Jonkers |
| Highly Commended | Year 1 – Studio | Harrison Chambers |
| Winner | Year 2 – Studio | Jacob Alexander |
| Highly Commended | Year 2 – Studio | Campbell Reelick |
| Highly Commended | Year 2 – Studio | Yiduo JIang |
| Winner | Year 3 – Studio | Parizad Cooper Wood |
| Highly Commended | Year 3 – Studio | Hangyul Jeon |
| Highly Commended | Year 3 – Studio | Yi Zhu |
| Winner | Year 4 – Studio | Renee Veltman |
| Highly Commended | Year 4 – Studio | Phu Quy Dang |
| Highly Commended | Year 4 – Studio | Asieh Dadashi |
| NAME OF AWARD | CRITERIA (SUMMARY) | NAME |
| The David Turner Award | To encourage or recognise excellence in a multi-unit housing design research project proposal or completed project that includes consideration of the environment and the common good. | Jack Williams |
| NZACS – Award for Excellence | NZACS – Professional Business Management | Sinead McClay |
| NZACS – Award for Excellence | NZACS – Professional Studies | Arlene Sisarich |
| Studio2 ARCHITECTS
Top Student Award |
Award to Top Student in the Technology Strand | Rui Li |
| DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
Top Student Award |
Award to Top Student in all Architecture Theory and Critical Courses | Madison Carkeek |
| DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
Top Student Award |
Award to Top Student in all Architectural Representation | Campbell Reelick |
| DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
Best student in Architectural History Courses |
Best student in Architectural History | Emily Young |
| Team Architecture Scholarship Award | Design in 1st year Masters | Sinead McClay |
| Warren Architectural Education Charitable Trust | Top Student in Year 2 (BAS) | Matthew Calvert |
| Warren Architectural Education Charitable Trust | Top Student in Year 3 (BAS) | Zane Chang |
| Warren Architectural Education Charitable Trust | Top Student in Year 4 (MARCP) | Tamara Kiseleva |