Countdown to the 2026 Resene NZILA Awards
Anticipation is building around the 2026 Resene NZILA Awards, with the shortlist released on 30 July.
The Awards Gala dinner will take place on the evening of Thursday 5 November at One NZ Stadium at Te Kaha in Ōtautahi Christchurch as part of the Firth NZILA Wānanga 2026, for which registrations are open now.
Across the Award categories - 15 of them, including the Student category - there are 51 shortlisted entrants. These can be viewed by clicking on the + symbol next to each category in the table below.
Landscape architecture is everywhere
Not surprisingly, successful entrants from the environs of Auckland have the strongest showing for project locations at approximately 16. The regional centres of Queenstown and Tauranga feature as project locations four times each, and Christchurch, Hamilton, New Plymouth and Wellington three times each. Other cities and towns that have a stake in the awards include Kerikeri, Whangārei, Tūrangi, New Plymouth, Levin, Porirua and Westport, as well as outstanding locations such as Fox Glacier and Ti Point on the Matakana Coast.
The range of companies in the running for the awards is extensive, and includes Adrian Morton Landscape Architects, Bespoke, Boffa Miskell, Botanic Landscape Architects, D J Scott Associates, Isthmus Group, Jasmax, LandLAB, Littoralis Landscape Architecture, Lucas Associates, Patch, Reset, Resilio, Winton, Wood, Wraight + Associates and WSP NZ.
As always, each and every shortlisted entry also reflects the direct mahi of clients as well as the collaborators, contractors, communities and project partners who sit behind all of this.
Local government clients feature heavily in the shortlist, spread across more than 20 projects at Auckland Council, Buller District Council, Christchurch City Council, Dunedin City Council, Hamilton City Council, New Plymouth City Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Taupō District Council, Tauranga City Council and Whangarei District Council. Central government clients in the mix of successfully selected projects include the Departments of Conservation, Corrections, Internal Affairs, Kāinga Ora and the NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi, as well as three tertiary education institutions: Auckland University of Technology, Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and The University of Waikato - Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato.
Other landscape architecture clients who are sharing in the glow of this awards shortlist recognition are Auckland International Airport Limited, Auckland Transport, Hounsell Holdings Ltd, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, RealNZ, Springer Nature, Taranaki Foundation, Te Āhuru Mōwai, Te Poari o Kaipātiki ki Kaipara, The Youth Hub Trust, Tūpuna Maunga Authority, and Tūrangitukua Charitable Trust.
What’s next?
Having reviewed a high number of exceptionally strong entries from across the breadth of landscape architecture practice to arrive at a shortlist, the 2026 Resene NZILA Awards judging panel are now entering a phase of site visits for the design stream and final overall deliberations for both design and planning streams. The panel consists of head judge Sam Bourne, guest judges Liz Moncrieff (Planning) and Whare Timu (Design), alongside stream leads Dr Alayna Pakinui Rā (Planning) and Andrew Norriss (Design), and judges Kirstie Thorpe, Hugh Smith, David McKenzie, and Paul Smith.
The 2026 Resene NZILA Awards shortlist
To expand a category click on the + symbol
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Peacocke Strategic Infrastructure Project
Location: Hamilton
Entrant: Adrian Morton Landscape Architects Ltd
Client: Hamilton City Council
Elizabeth Street and Tunks Reserve
Location: Tauranga
Entrant: Isthmus Group Limited
Client: Tauranga City Council
George Street Dunedin Retail Quarter
Location: Ōtepoti Dunedin
Entrant: Jasmax
Client: Dunedin City Council
Whangarei Civic Precinct
Location: Whangārei
Entrant: Littoralis Landscape Architecture
Client: Whangarei District Council
Takapuna Streetscapes
Location: Auckland
Entrant: Reset
Client: Auckland Council
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New Plymouth Foreshore
Location: New Plymouth
Designed by: Isthmus in collaboration with Richard Bain Landscape Architects
The Landing
Location: Purerua Peninsula, Kerikeri
Designed by: The Landing and DJScott Associates Ltd
Waitangi Park
Location: Wellington
Designed by: Wraight and Associates with Athfield Architects
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Waka Moana Daldy Street Taonga Toi
Location: Auckland
Entrant: Graham Tipene and LandLAB
Client: Auckland Council
Dallington Bridge Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor
Location: Christchurch
Entrant: Isthmus Group Limited
Client: Christchurch City Council
Karanga Jump Platform
Location: Auckland
Entrant: LandLAB
Client: Auckland Urban Development Office
Heke Rua Archives
Location: Wellington
Entrant: Boffa Miskell Limited
Client: Department of Internal Affairs
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Auckland Airport – Transport Hub 01
Location: Auckland
Entrant: Isthmus Group Limited
Client: Auckland International Airport Limited
AUT North Campus Heart Courtyard Landscape
Location: Auckland
Entrant: Jasmax
Client: Auckland University of Technology
Ngā Mokopuna (The Living Pā)
Location: Wellington
Entrant: Wraight + Associates Ltd
Client: Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington
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Ko Te Pūkākī 2040 - Tirotiro Whānui Regeneration Plan
Location: Auckland
Entrant: Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and LandLAB
Client: Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei
Planting our Place and Waiwhakaiho Wildlink
Location: New Plymouth
Entrant: New Plymouth District Council
Client: New Plymouth District Council
Tūrangi Reserves Management Plan
Location: Tūrangi
Entrant: Taupō District Council and Tūrangitukua Charitable Trust
Client: Taupō District Council and Tūrangitukua Charitable Trust
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Ōtaki to north of Levin: Te Pae o Tararua Highway
Location: Levin
Entrant: Ōtaki to north of Levin: Te Pae o Tararua Highway Project Alliances
Client: NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi (NZTA)
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Te Hurihanga ō Rangatahi - Youth Hub Christchurch - Stages 1 and 2
Location: Christchurch
Entrant: Field Studio of Architecture + Urbanism / Botanic Landscape Architects / Wood
Client: The Youth Hub Trust
The Pā
Location: Kirikiriroa Hamilton
Entrant: Wraight + Associates Ltd and Jasmax
Client: The University of Waikato - Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato
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National Custodial Estate Open Space Guidelines
Location: National
Entrant: Boffa Miskell Limited
Client: Department of Corrections
Queenstown Lakes Blue-Green Network Plan
Location: Queenstown
Entrant: Boffa Miskell Limited
Client: Queenstown Lakes District Council
Westport Master Plan – “Cutting Our Own Track”
Location: Westport
Entrant: Isthmus Group Limited
Client: Buller District Council
Te Āhuru Mōwai – Vision Framework
Location: Porirua
Entrant: Isthmus Group Limited
Client: Te Āhuru Mōwai
Walter Peak Rural Tourism Zone
Location: Queenstown
Entrant: Patch Ltd
Client: RealNZ
Rotokauri Greenway
Location: Hamilton
Entrant: Reset
Client: Hounsell Holdings Ltd / Hamilton City Council
Tauranga Historic Village, Masterplan
Location: Tauranga
Entrant: WSP NZ
Client: Tauranga City Council
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Te Kuru
Location: Christchurch
Entrant: Christchurch City Council
Client: Christchurch City Council
Maungawhau Tihi Boardwalk (Stage 2)
Location: Auckland
Entrant: Isthmus Group Limited
Client: Tūpuna Maunga Authority
Te Rimutahi
Location: Auckland
Entrant: LandLAB
Client: Auckland Council
Te Kopikopiko o te Waka
Location: Fox Glacier
Entrant: Lucas Associates and Botanic Landscape Architects, in collaboration
Client: Department of Conservation | Te Papa Atawhai
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Old Papatoetoe Stadium Reserve
Location: Auckland
Entrant: Bespoke
Client: Auckland Urban Development Office
Destination Kāwaroa
Location: New Plymouth
Entrant: New Plymouth District Council
Client: Taranaki Foundation and New Plymouth District Council
Kaipātiki Reserve + Playspace
Location: Auckland
Entrant: Resilio Limited
Client: Te Poari o Kaipātiki ki Kaipara
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Designing Aotearoa New Zealand with nature: landscape regeneration of Western Waiheke Island
Location: Western Waiheke Island, Auckland
Entrant: DJScott Associates Ltd
Client: Springer Nature
Ko Te Pūkākī 2040 - Tirotiro Whānui Regeneration Plan
Location: Auckland
Entrant: Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and LandLAB
Client: Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei
AT blue-Green Infrastructure
Location: Auckland
Entrant: Resilio Limited
Client: Auckland Transport
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Community Lane
Location: Avondale, Auckland
Entrant: Boffa Miskell Limited
Client: Kāinga Ora
Ayrburn
Location: Queenstown
Entrant: Winton
Client: Winton
Ti Point
Location: Ti Point
Entrant: Wraight + Associates Ltd
Client: Private
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Dunedin Waste Futures
Location: Dunedin
Entrant: Boffa Miskell Limited
Client: Dunedin City Council Waste and Environmental Solutions Team
Mount Maunganui North – Plan Change 33 Landscape Qualifying Matters
Location: Tauranga
Entrant: Isthmus Group Limited
Client: Tauranga City Council
Priority Area Landscape Schedules
Location: Queenstown Lakes District
Entrant: Bridget Gilbert, Helen Mellsop, Jeremy Head and Brad Coombs
Client: Queenstown Lakes District Council
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Te Hononga ki te Awanui | Recreation Connection
Location: Tauranga
Entrant: Boffa Miskell Limited
Client: Tauranga City Council
Te Ara Ki Uta Ki Tai Glen Innes to Tāmaki Drive Shared Path
Location: Auckland
Entrant: Boffa Miskell Limited
Client: NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and Auckland Transport
Te Ahu a Turanga – Manawatū Tararua Highway
Location: Ashhurst to Woodville
Entrant: Isthmus Group Limited
Client: NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi (NZTA), Te Ahu a Turanga Alliance
Te Whau Pathway
Location: Auckland
Entrant: LandLAB
Client: Auckland Council
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aihia - Where moana, whenua and tangata meet
Location: Far North
Student: Olivia Hawtin
University: Lincoln University
Whakaraupō: Interwoven Rhythms - a Chorus of Life
Location: Christchurch
Student: Allessandra Kitley
University: Lincoln University
Mahitahi - Weaving Water, Place & People
Location: Nelson
Student: Josh Whelan
University: Lincoln University
See also the Tuia Pito Ora New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects’ Showcase page here for past Awards winners.