Student wins New Zealand Concrete Society prize
Victoria University student Georgia Sanson has been awarded a New Zealand Concrete Society prize worth $5000.
Victoria University student Georgia Sanson has been awarded a New Zealand Concrete Society (NZCS) prize worth $5000.
Georgia is in her fifth year of study towards a Masters of Architecture.
Her research project in the NZCS competition focused on ways medium-density housing can engage with the history of a site and integrate between built and natural landscapes. It’s part of her Masters theses and involves a residential urban design scheme based on the former Women’s Reformatory Prison at Pt Halswell on Watts Peninsula.
Her exploration reinterprets the former prison site plan into a residential development using concrete as the principle material. The relationship between public recreational space, private open space and communal areas are central concerns.
Georgia says she’s deeply honoured to be a recipient of an NZCS Concrete Prize, particularly for the recognition of her project by the judges.
“Using predominantly concrete has proved an exceptional choice of material not only for the way it engages with the military essence of my site, but for its strength, durability and insulation as a way of the future for medium density housing.
“Sincere thanks to my supervisor Morten Gjerde for his assistance and passion towards my design research investigation and to the NZCS for selecting me.”
Georgia was nominated by Morten Gjerde, a senior lecturer at Victoria’s Urban Design School of Architecture, who says her work is highly relevant to Wellington and the country as medium-density housing can help provide the housing that will be necessary in the coming decade.
He says Georgia’s proposal achieves impressive clarity and that her work is clear and resolved due to her strong presentation skills and because of her thorough research and critical thinking.