Celebrating our people and projects

Last night we celebrated the people in property, recognising excellence and innovation in our region. There was so much to celebrate and our team were thrilled to walk away with six awards across the categories including the Supreme Award and the Judges’ Choice Award.

The Rotorua property community punched well above its weight at tonight’s Property Council New Zealand Central Property People Awards, with the people behind several of Rotorua’s most exciting property developments taking home both category and Supreme awards.

The Colliers Project Leaders Supreme Award and the Chow:Hill Architects Urban Design Award were awarded to the Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment Team, who have successfully transformed Lake Rotorua’s shores into a world-class destination that seamlessly marries the natural beauty of the land and the lake.

Working closely with local iwi and mana whenua Ngāti Whakaue, the project team – consisting of Rotorua Lakes District Council, Veros, AECOM, Isthmus, Tonkin + Taylor, and SEG – have delivered an ambitious lakefront masterplan that honors Rotorua’s rich history and unique cultural identity. Visitors embarking on their hikoi across the site are immersed in the whenua’s history and its profound significance to local Māori.

Judge Brian Squair of Chow:Hill Architects says, “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.”

Meanwhile, the team behind the QE Health and Wellness Facility, also located in Rotorua, took home the Boffa Miskell Excellence in Sustainability Award while Rotorua’s Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa Team shared the Harkness Henry Judges’ Choice Award alongside BCD Group’s Sam Simpson. Hamilton’s Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library Project Team won the Veros Best Team Award.

The CKL Property Professional of the Year Award was won by Adele Hadfield, strategic director at Veros, who was praised for her visionary leadership and enormous impact.

“Adele’s boundless passion, unwavering commitment to community, and her development of team and client growth make her an outstanding ambassador for her organisation, her profession, and the property industry at large”, says Squair.

Property Council chief executive Leonie Freeman says “it is a great pleasure to be able to celebrate and recognise the people behind the local projects and developments in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions. At its core, property is about creating spaces for people and communities to live work and play, which is even more reason to celebrate these dedicated property professionals who are shaping our regions, one project at a time.”