The winners of the ADNZ/Resene 2007 National Design Awards were announced at a gala dinner on Friday 12 October at the Couran Cove eco-tourism resort on South Stradbroke Island off the Brisbane coast.

The ADNZ/Resene Design Awards were conceived to showcase the work of New Zealand's growing number of architectural designers. Architectural Designers New Zealand Inc (ADNZ) was formed in 1966 to promote and develop the professional skills and services offered by its members, who are all specialists in building design and construction.

The awards acknowledge design excellence in residential, commercial and industrial projects, with a Supreme Winner award presented to the best overall design. In 2007, for the first time, two extra awards - the James Hardie Distinctive Design Award and the Gerard Roofs Design Award - were added to the existing 12 judging categories. They give ADNZ members even further scope to demonstrate their design talents by showcasing projects with a strong emphasis on the roof design or on the use of James Hardie cladding products.

The judging panel for this year's national awards comprised Paul Blackler, LBPB board member and general manager of Armitage Construction; Anthony Leighs, the president of Canterbury Registered Master Builders; Adrian Law from Trends Publishing International; and Henrietta Hiatt from Resene. Glen Patterson judged the James Hardie Distinctive Design award, while Grant Williams judged the Gerard Roof design award.

While the high standard (and record number) of entries this year impressed the judges, one designer in particular stood out from the rest. Cymon Allfrey from Christchurch-based design practice Stanley-Joblin and Allfrey, won a staggering six awards, five of them for the same project, the Shaw House in Christchurch. This design demonstrated Cymon's all-round talents, winning him the Supreme award, the Trends Residential New Single Dwelling - Over 250sqm Award, the Applico Kitchen Award, the Fabbian Bathroom Award and the Elephant Plasterboard Residential Interiors Award.

Located on the ridge of Monks Spur in Christchurch's Port Hills, the Shaw House enjoys dynamic easterly views of Redcliff's township and the distant city to the west. The brief was to create a home that was positioned to offer protection to the outdoor spaces from the prevailing easterly breeze, that accessed the diverse views, and was designed with a solid structural appearance, a strong contemporary line and consistent interior design.

In announcing Cymon Allfrey as the winner of the Supreme Award, the judges praised his entry as 'outstanding, visually stunning and an original design' saying 'whichever angle you look at this home it is stunning - exterior and interior. It stood out as an entry from the beginning.'

'It demonstrates an excellent balance of materials, complemented by appropriate positioning to take advantage of the natural setting and views,' said the judges.

The interior of the house was designed to meet the brief for a contemporary interior employing clean, minimalist lines yet providing the functionality and spatial separation requested between parents and teenagers. It also responded too the need for a strong relationship between indoors and outdoors.

The judges were impressed by the result achieved: 'The living spaces are elevated to the first-floor level to maximize the potential views. The design shows a great use of public and private spaces to achieve the brief, with excellent geometry to create a logical flow. The contrasting palette of materials gives a cohesive finish to all spaces.'

Of the home's winning kitchen design, the judges commented on the refreshing modern look that moves away from island seating, and uses modern materials with clean lines and streamlined cabinetry.

'The kitchen design offers a great link into the extended living areas thanks to the continuity of materials,' said the judges. 'The extra ceiling height allowing for natural light is a very pleasing design element.'

They were equally impressed by the home's master ensuite, which won the Bathroom Award and was designed to enable both morning and evening bathing with views from Redcliffs across to McCormacks Bay.

For the Trends Residential New Single Dwelling - Over 250sqm Award, Cymon Allfrey pipped entries from Dunedin-based Gary Todd, of Gary Todd Design, for his McLellan House project on McArthur Ridge in Alexandra, and Noel Jessop's Burton-Ashton Residence in Hamilton. Contemporary yet unobtrusive, both finalists were commended for their strong relationship with their very different surrounding environments.The work of another designer also caught the judges' eye, winning the Thermakraft Residential New Single Dwelling - Up to 250sqm, as well as the Resene Colour Award and being placed as a finalist in the First-Time Entrant Category. Chris Tate's Tinopai Rd residence on a bush-covered lot in Titirangi, Auckland, came with its share of challenges and limitations. Extremely steep in two directions, the 800sqm site is slip sensitive, flood prone and protected as a Managed Environment. Chris's design was based on an interpretation of Philip Johnson's 1949 'Glass House' - a simple glass box was dropped beneath the forest canopy to form a bridge of sorts, linking the two sides of the gully.

Impressed with Chris Tate's creative design solution, the judges called it a 'stand-out entry - a compact, visually stunning, user-friendly home suspended in the bush. Irresistible.'

As winner of Resene Colour Award category, Chris used a palette of black and white to highlight the exterior environment, and wallpaper for a touch of elegance.

Finalists in the Residential New Single Dwelling - Up to 250sqm were two Dunedin-based designer companies: Gary Todd and Steve King of Gary Todd Design for the Farry Residence, a contemporary apartment-styled residence with a single-level open-plan layout, and neutral interiors to emphasize the spectacular city and harbour views; and Michael Stevenson from Stevenson Design for Tustin House in Milton, which the judges described as 'very clever' and 'well matched to the client brief.'

The Rinnai Residential Alterations and Additions category was won this year by Mark McLeay from Creative Arch for the Bunyard House, located just south of Cambridge. Mark transformed what was once a Mobil petrol station elevated on the banks of Lake Karapiro into a stunning family home using the original footprint and tying the existing Oamaru stone into the design.

'This huge transformation is a credit to the designer,' said the judges. 'This was definitely a challenge, but the designer saw the potential and turned a petrol station into a very attractive modern family home.'

Cymon Allfrey from Stanley-Joblin and Allfrey continued his successful form at these awards placing as a finalist in this category for his design of the French House in Christchurch. The other finalist in this category was Terry Duff from 3 Architecture for the Egnelious House, in Mount Pleasant, Christchurch. 'The designer has taken a tired home and given it a modern facelift,' said the judges.

In the Dynex Residential Multi-unit Dwelling category, the River Road, Hamilton, entry of Adrian Byrne from Byrne Architecture, stood out from the rest as 'a whimsical, funky and thought-provoking design,' according to the judging panel. 'It stretches the boundaries and exhibits an interesting use of spaces. We liked the punched-out steel frontage and the artistic use of stone,' they said.

The finalist in this category was Brian Goodwin of Brian Goodwin Design in Mt Maunganui for 61 Milford Road, North Shore City, which the judges commended as 'well finished with an element of practicality.'

Last year's Supreme Winner, Rotorua-based Darryl Church from Darryl Church Architecture, won the 2007 Trends Commercial/Industrial Award for Trinity House, a facelift of an existing office building, described by the judges as 'funky, with a strong, bold look.'

One of two finalists for this award was Greg Young of Lifestyle Architecture for the Christchurch Top 10 Holiday Park, described by the judges as 'a big job, encompassing great use of product, with the material selection, especially the stonework, giving it a unique look.'

Leighton Watene from Cadlab Draughting Services in Tauranga was also judged a finalist for his design of Dental Plus Surgery in Mount Maunganui, which the judges noted for its warm, friendly atmosphere and interesting combination of materials. The design also netted him a finalist placing in the First Time Entrant category.

Cymon Allfrey won his sixth and final accolade in the 2007 ADNZ/Resene Design Awards in the Gunnersens Commercial Interiors category for his design of the Papanui School Learning Centre in Christchurch.

The brief was to refresh a dated library space into a multi-purpose learning centre to be used simultaneously by a number of different groups. The judges were impressed by his 'creative, eye-catching, interesting and well-executed' solution that incorporated organic, freeform joinery units to create quirky nooks for students to retreat. 'The subdued use of texture and colour ensure that the activity and resources used within the space create a sense of activity and life.'

Cymon Allfrey's practice partner Paul Stanley-Joblin was a finalist in this category for Lyttelton Coffee Culture in Christchurch, a cafè in two attached heritage buildings in the historic port centre of Lyttleton.

Darryl Church received another nod from the judges as a finalist for the Gleghorn, Gillespie and Jensen Offices in Rotorua. They described his design as 'a pleasing environment with an innovative use of materials.'

The Special Projects Award was won this year by Bob Burnett of Bob Burnett Architecture, Christchurch, for his 3D computer rendition of Rolleston House. 'This entry is visually appealing with a high level of realism,' said the judges, who felt this was a home they could see on the landscape sometime in the future.

The First Time Entrant Award acknowledges the work of designers new to the ADNZ/Resene Design Awards. This year it was won by Jo-anne Davis from H Architecture for her design of a home on Tranquility Rise in Howick, Auckland. Jo-anne fulfilled the clients' brief for 'light, light, light!' to create a home incorporating traditional bach material such as concrete block, weatherboard and corrugated iron roofing, which the judges described as 'a very appealing design concept.'

One of two new award categories this year, the Gerard Roof Design Award was won by another Howick designer, Mike Flooks from MF Design for Marine Parade in Auckland. 'Clever design work has enabled the owners to benefit from the views while meeting the tight restrictions,' said the judges. 'Much thought and some left-field ideas have been used to achieve great results.'

Three finalists in this category were Graham Sawell of Pyramidz Architecture in Warkworth for the Morrison Vacation Home; Gary Todd of Gary Todd Design in Dunedin for the McLellan Residence; and Bob Jackson of Jackson and Jackson Architectural Design, for Tom's Hut in Christchurch.

In the other new category, the James Hardie Distinctive Design Award, Phil Stanfield from Emerge Architectural Design, Palmerston North, won for his design of the Ferguson Residence.

A spacious, split-level family home with an original design that blends with its rural surroundings, the judges appreciated the combination of Linea™ Weatherbaords with its horizontal shadowlines and Titan® Façade Panel to create a contrasting modern look.

The finalists were Sue Jackson from Jackson and Jackson Architectural Design, Christchurch, for the Croftwood House featuring extensive use of Linea™ Weatherboard to emphasise the home's horizontal lines; Gary Todd from Gary Todd Design in Dunedin for the Hughes Renovation - a seamless transition between the original weatherbpard and the new Linea™; and Noel Jessop of Noel Jessop Architecture in Hamilton for the Burton-Ashton Residence, a modern container form in weatherboard and plaster with open-plan living.

ADNZ/Resene 2007 National Design Awards full results