University architect wins top honour for social housing project

A project designed by Professor Andrew Barrie from the School of Architecture and Planning has won a major national award for turning a quake-damaged church site in Christchurch into community-funded housing.

At a ceremony on 16 May, the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church project was named best residential project at the 2025 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards. The development, which serves refugees, disabled residents, students, parishioners and church staff, was designed by Barrie and built by Christchurch firm Contract Construction.

The new amenities, recognised with two awards at the ceremony, include 11 apartments and office spaces for community support organisations.

“The project was low budget, built with simple materials handled with care. A few clever choices and careful planning make the housing units unusually spacious,” says Barrie.

The awarded project extended a similarly award-winning first stage of the redevelopment, completed in 2018. It replaced the original heritage church with a new facility that includes worship spaces, parish offices, a hall, kitchen, lounge, meeting rooms, a public cafe and offices for social service agencies.

Churches have long been providers of housing, but this project takes the extra step of seeking to create a community encompassing all aspects of daily life. The entire development is arranged around a central cloister with a vegetable garden, orchard and shared amenities, encouraging interaction among residents, staff and other users.

“The complex is intended to foster a sense of community among its various users – residents, congregation, church and office staff, neighbours and the surrounding community interact in a daily cycle of living, work and service,” says Barrie.

The social housing project was selected over luxury apartments and projects by New Zealand’s largest design firms.

Judges praised the project as “a thoughtful and generous response to the needs of residents and the wider urban community.”