Steel Construction New Zealand names 2026 award winners

Steel Construction New Zealand has announced the winners of its 2026 Excellence in Steel Awards, recognising projects across six categories.

More than 300 people from the structural steel industry attended the Wellington event, where 17 finalists were chosen from more than 50 submissions.

Grayson Engineering won both the Supreme Award and the Over $10M category for BNZ Theatre in Hamilton. The project redevelops the former Waikato Regional Theatre site, combining a new performing arts venue with the retained façade of the former Hamilton Hotel.

Built on a constrained city-centre site, the project was divided into eight structural zones, including the heritage building, foyer, flytower and river-view deck. Steel Construction New Zealand said each zone required a separate fabrication and construction response.

In the $3M to $10M category, Jensen Steel Fabricators won for 2 Devonport Road, a seven-storey mixed-use development on Tauranga's waterfront. The building adds about 7,000 square metres of commercial, retail and hospitality space to the city centre.

Structural steel was used throughout to support open floorplates and large glazed sections facing Tauranga Harbour and Mauao.

Eastbridge won two categories. It took the $1M to $3M award for Te Reinga Bridge, a 90.5-metre single-span weathering steel bridge built after Cyclone Gabrielle damaged the previous crossing, and the Under $1M award for Muriwai Bridge 1, a new shared crossing on the Muriwai Downs Golf Course.

Te Reinga Bridge uses a network arch system, with twin steel arches above the deck linked by hangers. The arrangement was designed to span the crossing efficiently while reducing material use.

Muriwai Bridge 1 stretches 90 metres across a steep gully and carries pedestrians, golf carts, maintenance vehicles and services. Its steel structure was fabricated in transportable modules and assembled on site by crane to reduce disruption to the surrounding landscape.

Sable Engineering won the Standalone Residential category for Takapuna House, a 1,500-square-metre beachfront development spread across two former properties in Auckland's Takapuna. The scheme comprises four connected buildings using a mix of structural steel, timber, blockwork and cross-laminated timber.

Whakatiki Engineering received the Earthquake Strengthening award for work on the Carillon Bell Tower at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington. The 52-metre heritage structure, opened in 1932, houses 74 bronze bells with a combined weight of more than 70 tonnes.

The strengthening system was installed largely out of sight within the tower, allowing its Art Deco design and acoustic role to be retained.

Judges said the standard of entries had continued to rise, making selections more difficult this year as the range of projects widened across building types and budgets.

"Judging this year's awards was exceptionally challenging, reflecting the remarkable quality of entries across the board," said Darren O'Riley, general manager of Steel Construction New Zealand.

"The calibre of work highlights the maturity, sophistication and forward-thinking approach of New Zealand's structural steel sector," O'Riley said.

Mark Fletcher, chair of Steel Construction New Zealand, said the awards reflected the work of teams across the sector, not just the finished projects.

"These awards are about people," Fletcher said.

"Behind every entry are teams who have solved problems, managed risk and taken pride in their craft, often in demanding conditions. Their work strengthens our industry's reputation and shows the value of skill, teamwork and care."