Beca places four projects as finalists at 2021 ACE Awards

We are delighted at the news four of our projects have been recognised as finalists at the 2021 ACE New Zealand Awards.

Exchange 106 in Kuala Lumpur, the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake response for Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, Te Hono - New Plymouth Airport Terminal, and the 36th America's Cup Infrastructure Project have all been selected as finalists by the ACE Award judges. Winners will be announced on 8 September 2021 at the award function in Auckland.

Exchange 106
Exchange 106 in Kuala Lumpur sits 445.5 meters above ground and is the 22nd highest building in the world. Conceptualised, designed and constructed by our Auckland-based team for client Mulia Property Development, the building was designed concurrently with the build to meet tight timeframes. The exceptionally complex office and apartment building was completed in four years with a project team, comprising Beca and other consultancies, spread across the globe. Exchange 106 has received a Green Building Index Gold Award for its high level of sustainability, particularly in the reclaim, treatment and reuse of wastewater for toilet flushing and cooling tower make-up.

2016 Kaikōura earthquake response at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University
In response to the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake response, we were hired to fix and strengthen the damaged lift shafts of the Rankine Brown building at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. ACE Award judges recognised us for our innovative base isolation scheme for the existing lift shaft, resulting in the Rankine Brown building now being one of the most resilient in the University’s portfolio.

Te Hono – New Plymouth Airport Terminal
Conceived as a strong architectural and cultural gateway to the Taranaki region, Te Hono, the New Plymouth Airport Terminal was brought to life by our Design Practice in a collaborative co-design process with local hapū Puketapu. Through the course of the project, we provided project management, architectural and engineering design services for the client, Papa Rererangi I Puketapu Ltd - New Plymouth Airport. Te Hono means “to connect”, and is located on ancestral land that was confiscated from iwi in the 1960s. Sixty years later, the architecture of the terminal puts mana whenua (territorial rights) at its heart – with Puketapu’s cultural narrative interwoven throughout the form and function of the terminal. The ACE Award judges recognised Beca for our partnership and co-design approach with Puketapu, to establish an inclusive design process that would both acknowledge and transcend the conflicts of the past.

36^th America’s Cup Infrastructure Project
As part of the Wynyard Edge Alliance, consisting of Auckland Council, Panuku, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Beca, Tonkin + Taylor, McConnell Dowell and Downer, we were responsible for designing and building the infrastructure needed to host the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland in 2021. Alongside our Alliance partners, we took a collaborative approach to scope and developed creative solutions to complex challenges. Our involvement in the design and construction of the 2000 America’s Cup infrastructure around Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour, including Halsey Wharf, enabled the team to draw on an unmatched depth of technical insight for the project.

The ACE Awards celebrate the excellent work delivered by consultants and engineers to create vibrant and sustainable outcomes for their communities, and we are proud to be standing tall amongst our peers for the work we deliver and partner on for our clients.

ACE New Zealand is a firm-based membership association that represents consulting and engineering organisations throughout Aotearoa. Founded in 1959, they play a critical role in the design and delivery of the nation's construction, infrastructure and built environment sectors.

For more on the ACE New Zealand awards 2021, visit - https://www.acenz.org.nz/2021_ace_awards