The outstanding design and functionality of the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa was awarded 2023 Nelson/Marlborough Architecture Awards Winner, Commercial Architecture, by the New Zealand Institute of Architecture.
The judges particularly liked the sensitive response to place and the wider environment exhibited by the centre, while providing a focal point for a number of separate elements.
Gerald Hope, Chief Executive, Marlborough Research Centre said on the night he was “unexpectedly honoured to receive the award on behalf of the New Zealand Wine Centre”. He specifically recognised Jerram Tocker Barron Architects and Evans Jones Construction for completing a magnificent building where work and collaboration take place. “The staff love it!”
“The build took place interrupted by the duress of lockdowns, logistics and Covid. In the end the building is a space where researchers, innovators and educators can mix, mingle and share.”
The judges acknowledged the complex relationship between existing buildings on campus and found that the new addition seamlessly draws them all together. The large verandah not only draws users in from the surrounding courtyard with its strong entrance statement - it also provides a collaborative public space.
A series of communal spaces have been designed with a strong focus on acoustic performance. This is achieved using both ceiling and wall panels, creating an aesthetically pleasing and highly functional interior.
The centre is a well-used functional place where the brains trust of viticulture and wine education, research, innovation, industry and sector agencies are drawn together daily to exchange ideas and to collaborate.