Presented by Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects, the national awards are chosen from projects that have received a Regional Architecture Award within the past three years. 

Designed by Warren and Mahoney with Woods Bagot and Moller Architects in association for SkyCity Entertainment Group, Te Tumu has turned a once vehicle-dominated part of Auckland’s city centre into a civic destination for international business events, cultural gatherings and public life. 

Judges citation – Te Temu is a significant project for Auckland and Aotearoa New Zealand. The collective design team has successfully navigated the considerable challenge of delivery a building of this complexity. The vertical stacking of large clear span conference spaces, heritage retention and complex loading requirements. The interiors celegrates the structural solution, while visual connections between vertically separated spaces make movement intuitive and efficient. Significant artworks enrich the urban and public experience. Together, these elements create a civic building that balances technical ambition, functional clarity and a strong public presence, making an important contribution to the city and international visitation 

The 32,500-square-metre centre includes a 2,850-seat plenary hall, more than 8,000 square metres of flexible exhibition space and 33 modular meeting rooms, so it can host anything from small breakout sessions to major international conferences. 

The name Te Tumu, meaning “the foundation”, was gifted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and speaks to a strong base from which growth stems. That idea carries through the building, where large-scale works by leading artists are part of the spatial experience. 

“This recognition reaffirms the role Te Tumu now plays in the life of the city,” says Woods Bagot Associate Principal Eric Buhrs. “It is a building for Auckland as much as for the visitors it welcomes, and we’re proud to have contributed to a project that sets a new standard for civic design in Aotearoa.” 

The award caps a strong year for Te Tumu. It also won the Public Architecture and Interior Architecture categories at the 2026 Auckland Architecture Awards, Civic Interior of the Year at the 2026 New Zealand Interior of the Year awards, and the Holmes Tourism and Leisure Property Award at the 2026 Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards. 

View the full list of winners on the NZIA website.