Rotorua Lakes Council’s lakefront development project won two awards at last week’s Property Council New Zealand Central Property People Awards.
The Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment took home both category and Supreme awards:
Colliers Project Leaders Supreme Excellence Award: This award is presented to a winner in a previous category, who is deemed by the judging panel to be the standout recipient above all other nominees.
Chow: Hill Architects Urban Design Award: This award recognises an individual or project team who have utilised urban design best practice to achieve excellence in a new development or refurbishment.
Rotorua Mayor, Tania Tapsell says the awards reflect the town’s reputation as a world-class destination.
“We congratulate all the teams involved in delivering these projects that help make Rotorua an amazing place to live and visit,” said Mayor Tapsell.
“We’re incredibly proud that the Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment won the Supreme Award. Our community has been a big part of bringing these projects to life. The unique design of our lakefront reflects our cultural identity and aspirations of local children who shared their ideas and helped to shape it into the masterpiece that it is.
“It’s great to see our public spaces thriving and full of locals and visitors. The lakefront is thoroughly deserving of this recognition and we extend our gratitude to all involved.”
Property Awards Judge Brian Squair of Chow:Hill Architects said, “The Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment is a marvellous example of well-considered urban design, the project is meaningful, considerate of its environment and most importantly, brings the community together.
“The project team embraced its role as a transformative force for the community. The space has become a haven for locals, a place that echoes the distinctive spirit of Rotorua and reverberates with a powerful cultural narrative.”
Group Manager – Community and District Development, Jean-Paul Gaston says, “the Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment project team worked tirelessly in developing the project from a vision to its ultimate delivery. These two significant awards recognise the collaborative efforts and hard work that has been invested into this remarkable project for Rotorua.
“There were seven stages included in this project, with the last major works for the project, the construction of a new Whare Waka, now underway. This last critical piece of mahi will enable our community and visitors to view and connect with the Te Arawa Taonga.”
Veros Project Manager, Graham Edward said the recognition of the project team’s hard work was well-deserved.
“The success of this project lay in everyone’s shared vision, collaborative approach, and unwavering commitment – our team at Veros is beyond proud to have played a part in the transformation of the lakefront,” he said.
“Special thanks to the local community who were involved in the project journey, their involvement has created a stronger sense of place for this amazing community asset.”
The project team includes Rotorua Lakes Council staff, representatives from local iwi and mana whenua Ngāti Whakaue, Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Veros (Project Management) and Isthmus (Landscape Architecture), who were the main drivers of the project.
The wider project team included consultants Tonkin & Taylor (Engineering), AECOM (Quantity Surveyor), SEG (Electrical), local artist Lyonel Grant and main contractors Campbell Infrastructure and HEB Construction, with assistance from local companies Sefton Electrical, Infracore and many others.
