The Rotorua Lakefront Development project received two more prestigious awards over the weekend, this time in recognition of the exceptional landscape design that has given life to the project.

The lakefront redevelopment and landscape architects Isthmus were recognised in the Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces category as well as receiving the George Malcolm Supreme Award at the Resene New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architecture Awards on Friday night.

The Awards celebrate and reward excellence, recognising the creativity, technical capability and diversity of skills that Landscape Architects provide.

The judges were looking for projects that; provided a sense of place, expressed the natural and cultural context of an area, used innovative planning and design solutions, showed environmental stewardship, and were of high quality and performance.

The redevelopment was summed up by the Institute, highlighting the connections that were integral to the project’s design.

"This project goes beyond good landscape design, it has drawn people together to understand and reestablish the spiritual and cultural connections between land and water, including wider connections to Te Arawa that are given form through a new relationship with lake edge," says NZ Institute of Landscape Architects.

"Visually strong whilst considering climate resilience and restoring ecological potential, the Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment is beautifully and intelligently crafted from the scale of the entire site through to the consistent attention to detail and detailing that leads you on a journey through this landscape."

Up against projects such as Te Ara Awataha Northcote’s new greenway, Pūtahi Park in Whangarei and Hamilton City Council’s Te Kaaroro Nature Precinct, the project team was beyond proud to come away with the wins.

“It’s fantastic to have such an impactful project acknowledged at the NZILA awards,” says Isthmus Associate Landscape Architect Travis McGee.

“We set out to create a world class lakefront, reflective of the unique characteristics of Rotorua, and for the people of this place. We are proud to have achieved that vision, to see the space thriving with activity, and to witness the positive impact this place has had on local people.”

Credited as a driver of the project’s success was the close collaboration with mana whenua Ngāti Whakaue. Isthmus developed a co-design partnership with Ngāti Whakaue, creating the vision and concepts using expert knowledge to enrich the space with a cultural narrative that shares and celebrates its stories and history.

The vision for the redevelopment was to create a space for locals of all ages and abilities to feel at home, reflecting the unique character of Rotorua, embedding the city’s rich culture and redefining the connection with the lake.

Every space across the redevelopment has been carefully considered, creating a seamless design that enhances visual and physical connections, weaving the cultural narrative inspired by historical events and practices.

Rotorua Lakes Council is thankful to the dedicated project team – Isthmus, council staff, representatives from local iwi and mana whenua Ngāti Whakaue, Te Arawa Lakes Trust, local artist Lyonel Grant, Kānoa - Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit, Veros (Project Management) and DCA Architects of Transformation.

The wider project team included consultants Tonkin & Taylor (Engineering), AECOM (Quantity Surveyor), SEG (Electrical), Wildlands and main contractors Campbell Infrastructure and HEB Construction, with assistance from local companies Sefton Electrical, Infracore and many others.

New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architecture Awards:

· Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Award
Public parks or gardens, open space, recreation and sport facilities/spaces.

Strategic projects relative to recreation, amenity, cultural and heritage landscapes, tourism and the non-urban environment in general.

· George Malcolm Supreme Award

This award recognises the most outstanding achievement in landscape design. A winner will only be selected from the winners of the relevant award categories and awarded if the entry attains this standard of excellence.

These wins are the second awards received for the lakefront project. The redevelopment was recognised late last year as part of the Property Council’s New Zealand Central Property People Awards, also taking home the Supreme Award on that occasion.

The project team is now awaiting results from the Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards in June. The Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment has been named as a finalist in the Civic, Health & Arts category.

Background information on the Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment

In 2018, a $19.9 million Government investment from Kānoa – RDU was announced for the project. This funding, alongside $20.1 million from Council, aimed to transform this recreational, economic and cultural resource

In July 2020, an additional $1 million investment from Kānoa - RDU was announced to progress work on the cultural design foundation for the lakefront project.

This work consisted of artwork, interpretation and design from local artists, including carved pou. This artwork was installed at the lakefront in early 2022.

The lakefront design reflects the heritage and deep connection of Ngāti Whakaue and Te Arawa to the Rotorua Lakefront and the project has been made possible through the support of our partners, the Gifted Reserves Committee (Pukeroa Ōruawhata Trust) and Te Arawa Lakes Trust.

Together, our vision was to develop the lakefront into an outstanding recreational area that will benefit locals, support tourism and encourage private investment.