This project recently won the 2021 Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZIA Architecture Multi-Unit Award and Excellence at the 2021 Property Council New Zealand Property Industry Awards.

Just over two years ago, Home was given the opportunity to sit down with the team at Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities and Monk Mackenzie to imagine a new community for this Onehunga site. We pushed the envelope, working hard to balance efficiency and cost, with design and enhanced standards for healthy homes.

Despite dramatic (and needed) changes to fire standards post consent, two Covid-19 lockdowns, international supply disruptions, and some significant local infrastructure upgrades, what we imagined over two years ago became a reality for 16 families just before Christmas 2020.

These developments take a massive team of incredibly passionate and hard-working people working in partnering organisations to make them a reality. With the completion of this latest project, we are continuing to set a new benchmark for beautiful, well-designed social housing.

Design can used a tool for positive change. These kinds of projects really help to displace the ‘not-in-my-backyard’ mentality. This is especially important during our current housing crisis and the increasing need for social housing for many kiwis.

We would like to thank the following people from our partnering organisations:

• Pankaj Chhiba at Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities
• Craig Ireland at Bonisch Consultants Limited
• Norman Disney & Young Passive Fire Solutions
• Dan Wu at Hampton Jones
• Rohan MacMillan at MacMillan Plumbing
• Craig Wright at Wright Wire Electrical
• Kade Hutchinson at Empire Scaffolding

We also want to praise the hard work of individuals from our own team:

• Mark Kirby
• Marvin Fernandez
• Damien Francis
• Matthew Hanna and
• Moegammad Soeker