Winner of urban design competition announced
Antanas Procuta Architects have taken away the prize for the best urban design for the 1.9 hectare Greenfield site, with Harrison Grierson Consultants of Auckland coming runner-up. Lot 60 forms part of the Victoria Street subdivision and was earmarked by Council for medium density housing.
The objective for entrants was to challenge the traditional nature of subdivision development in Taupo while seeking to fit within the context of the existing residential form and environment.
The competition gave design professionals the opportunity to provide a sustainable solution to shape residential development in Taupo and accommodate the town's future growth. Entrants were to consider providing a mix of housing for retired people, larger families, and singles/couples, inline with recent studies into local market demend and housing needs.
Taupo District Council's Strategic Property Projects Manager, Scott Holdsworth said, “We are looking forward to working with Antanas Procuta Architects to further refine the design and to make the project a reality.”
“This has been a great opportunity for the town to lead the way in urban design, setting a high standard for development in Taupo,” he said.
The assessment panel included Professor of Architecture John Hunt, Urban Designer James Lunday, Owner of Taupo/Turangi Ray White Craig Orr, Scott Holdsworth and councillor's Doreen Blyth and Barry Hickling.
The outcome of the forward-looking Victoria Lot 60 competition demonstrates the importance of design that is an insightful response to site-specific conditions. . . the sort of thing that architects are supposed to be good at. The winning design, by Antanas Procuta Architects, is an instructive engagement with issues that make sustainable suburbia a tough nut to crack.
Antanas Procuta Architects have taken a consistently restrained and disciplined approach to the geometry, materials and details of each individual dwelling, and allowed much of the rich character of the development to grow out of the numerous local inflections of both house and site planning.
Where Antanas Procuta Architects offer real innovation is in the design of individual lots and their dwellings, to achieve density targets without compromising resident amenity.
Professor John Hunt
Competition Advisor and chair of the judging panel.
Download Professor John Hunt's article published in Urban magazine.
View a screenshot of the Taupo Lot 60 site plan or click here to view this and other projects in our portfolio.
Visit the Taupo Lot60 website |
