World Architecture Festival Awards 2024 shortlist features two Waikato projects

The Chodge, a holiday home in south Waikato, has been shortlisted for a 2024 World Architecture Festival award.

Hot on the heels of their success at the Waikato Bay of Plenty Architecture Awards, two Waikato projects are now in for global honours.

The Pā at the University of Waikato and The Chodge, a holiday home at Waipamu Station in South Waikato, have been shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival Awards 2024 in Singapore.

The Chodge is the family holiday home of architect Darryl Church, of DCA Architects of Transformation, who had the idea for the design more than 10 years ago, but it only became a reality recently.

The design was inspired by the landscape around Waipamu Station, on the banks of Lake Whakamaru, located south of Tokoroa.

“It’s a unique response to the site where [the house] is located. The shape and form are a response to the farm and woolshed.

“It’s an exploration of the space between inside and outside. I mean, you are either inside or outside, but we were wondering if we could create a third space.”

The Chodge is located south of Tokoroa, between Mangakino and Atiamuri. Photo / Simon Devitt

The outer structure is light-emitting to interiors during the day, but there is a reverse effect at night when the form takes on a glow from interior lighting, illuminating the bones of the structure with an almost x-ray-like effect.

Inside this outer shell is a wooden container for living functions which is cave-like and in contrast to the outside structure.

“It’s quite experimental; it’s essentially a house inside a house,” Church said.

He added the construction hadn’t been “without controversy” at Waipamu Station which is also home to around 50 other houses.

“It fielded some complaints with some saying it’s too bright ... But I think the whole shape fits perfectly in ... the rural context.”

Completing the project last year had been a celebration on a few levels, Church said.

“We had that section for 15 years ... [and] we settled on a concept 13 years ago. But we were so busy and never got around to it ... until about three years ago.”

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“My youngest son Harry built it. When we bought [the section] he was 7. My wife and daughter also helped with the design process and decorating. All our heart and soul went into this.

“[Now that it’s finished] we are super stoked and it’s pretty well used.”

Church said the family was excited about being shortlisted.

“You always enter these awards hoping someone sees what you see.

“But architecture is so subjective, it’s not like the Olympics where I compete and I’m confident in my abilities. It’s up to the judges and what they like. You’re always hopeful [to win] though.”

The inside of The Chodge, designed by architect Darryl Church. Photo / Simon Devitt

At the World Architecture Awards, The Chodge is nominated in the category of Completed buildings - House & Villa - Rural/Coastal alongside 18 other projects.

The other nominees are Village House (Brazil), Touching Eden House (Singapore), Pabellón de la Reserva (Mexico), OH HO Residence (India), No Footprint Wood House (Costa Rica), Meadow House (UK), Living in a Landscape (Ireland), Kārearea house (Queenstown, NZ), Holocene House (Australia), Hillside Residence (Australia), Green-roof Walk (India), Graoni Beach House (USA), GAK House (Brazil), Double-Sided House (Iran), Burnt Earth Beach House (Australia), Bunkie on the Hill (Canada), Barcelona House (Spain) and Al Suave (El Salvador).

The Pā is nominated in the category of Completed buildings - higher education and research - the only nominee from New Zealand.

It opened last year and incorporates a university wharenui and marae, a student hub and home for the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies and the office of the vice-chancellor.

It also includes a carved gateway (waharoa) and gathering space (ātea) for ceremonial events and formal welcomes (pōwhiri).

The World Architecture Festival described the University of Waikato as “the first mainstream university in the world” to redefine the university as a place of bicultural welcome, education, and connection.

The Pā by Architectus, Jasmax and DesignTRIBE in association: a University of Waikato building shortlisted for a 2024 World Architecture Festival award. Photo / Architectus

Adopting the indigenous architectural form of a traditional meeting house and adapting structural elements to generate a contemporary design, the roof of The Pā is generated from the ridge beam (tāhūhū) of a wharenui, however, the timber rafters (heke) extend upward and outward beyond the traditional meeting space.

More than 30 carvers and weavers were involved in creating the artworks.

University of Waikato vice-chancellor Professor Neil Quigley was proud of the nomination.

“[It] is a testament to the hard work and vision of everyone involved in the project.

“There is nothing else like it nationally or internationally. Every aspect of The Pā is bespoke and there is a rich cultural narrative that links the complex to the history and heritage of the site as well as to the different communities that use it today.”

The University of Waikato opened "The Pā", a hub for all students last year. Photo / Stephen Barker, Barker Photography

The $85 million project started in 2019 but was preceded by a planning exercise for the campus as a whole and a vision to reshape the site in 2015.

It was designed by Architectus, Jasmax and DesignTribe under lead architect James Mooney, after consultation with leaders of the Kīngitanga and Waikato-Tainui.

The Pā has been nominated alongside the United in Diversity Campus (Indonesia), UCL East Marshgate - University College London (UK), The Gear, regional headquarters for Kajima Technical Research Institute Singapore (Singapore), Texoversum - teaching, research and innovation centre for cross-cutting technologies in the textile industry (Germany), Saint Teresa of Kolkata - Australian Catholic University, Josai University Sakado Campus Building No.23 (Japan), Indian Institute of Information and Technology (India), Holt Watters Field Camp - Antarctic Ecosystems Research Division (US).

About 800 entries from more than 350 architectural practices are up for prizes at the awards. Of these, 17 are from New Zealand. The winners will be announced in Singapore in November.