Award Winning! Rongopai Renovation blends heritage & contemporary design
We're pleased to announce that Rongopai Reno took home a Regional Architecture Award at the 2026 NZIA Te Kāhui Whaihanga Western Architecture Awards Ceremony under the category ‘Housing - Alterations and Additions’.
Special thanks to Te Kāhui Whaihanga, NZIA and the event sponsors Resene and APL
See all the winners of the 2026 NZIA Western Local Architecture Awards here
Builder: John Kitto Construction Limited
Images: David Hensel Photography
NZIA Jury CitationAotearoa has a strong Californian bungalow tradition, well suited to local climate and craft skills, though many were poorly sited and had dark, separated rooms. This was the case with the Rongopai Reno. The plan has been carefully reworked for modern living, with an elegant arched theme throughout. It feels both rooted in the home’s original era and fresh in its update. Attention to energy use and air movement creates a home that needs little climatic intervention.
