88 | Arthouse Architects Nelson ARCHITECTURE Accolades for timber design The project, completed in partnership with Sheppard & Rout Architects, recently won the Education category at the 2026 Nelson and Marlborough Architecture Awards. PHotos: Jason Mann Photography. T T Kelly Deeks Award-winning architecture and national recognition are reinforcing Nelson’s reputation as a leader in sustainable timber design, with Arthouse Architects’ work on Tāwhaki Nui a Hema Motueka High School’s maths and horticulture classroom block earning accolades at both regional and national level. The project, completed in partnership with Sheppard & Rout Architects, recently won the Education category at the 2026 Nelson and Marlborough Architecture Awards and was named a finalist in the Sustainable Development category of the New Zealand Timber Design Awards. Arthouse Architects registered architect and project lead Renée Williamson says the recognition reflects years of refining mass timber construction while delivering buildings that are both environmentally responsible and designed around the people who use them. “This project demonstrates what can be achieved with timber technology in New Zealand. We may be a small country, but we punch well above our weight when it comes to timber engineering.” The collaboration grew from an existing relationship between the two practices, whose directors had worked together on the New Zealand Institute of Architects Board. Forming a joint venture for the previously completed and award-winning Waimea College project enabled the firms to combine their expertise and share resources. Both Sheppard and Rout and Arthouse Architects use the same design software, allowing staff in different offices to work simultaneously on the same CAD file throughout the design process. Renée says that level of collaboration made it easier to draw on the strengths of each team, from technical detailing through to interior design and project leadership. Tāwhaki Nui a Hema builds on lessons learned from Waimea College, another mass timber education project delivered by the partnership. One of the biggest advances came during construction. Experience from Waimea College helped the team develop improved methods of protecting exposed timber from moisture, while refining many of the structural junctions and detailing required for large, engineered timber buildings. The result is a flexible two-storey classroom block that can adapt as teaching methods change. Internal partitions can be removed to create larger open learning environments, while the modular design could be replicated on other school sites. Renée says the project metrics were also used in a Ministry of Education sustainability trial and comfortably exceeded its environmental targets. While large timber buildings can cost more than conventional steel and concrete construction, the team has since explored hybrid structural options that could make similar designs more affordable without sacrificing sustainability. Beyond its technical achievements, the project was shaped by a strong cultural narrative developed alongside mana whenua, particularly Ropata Taylor. Inspired by the story of Tāwhaki’s ascent to the heavens, the building incorporates subtle design references throughout, from cladding colours representing the legendary vine tendrils to repeated groups of ten integrated into interior wall patterns. Timber portals reference the surrounding forests, while carefully selected finishes evoke the dappled light of the forest floor. Renée says having a clear story to guide every design decision helped create a building that connects students with both their environment and local history. “It gives students a warm, healthy place to learn, and it also strengthens that connection to nature, culture, and place.” The project has become one of New Zealand’s leading examples of sustainable education design and demonstrates that innovative timber architecture can be delivered from regional New Zealand. “It’s proof that even from a small town like ours, you can create buildings that are leading the way nationally.”
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