Tauranga’s landmark timber city Council building takes top prize at 2026 Property Industry Awards

Mareanui, the home of Tauranga City Council has taken the top honour at this year’s Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards, receiving the Rider Levett Bucknall Supreme Award at a ceremony held in Auckland this evening.

The eight-storey, 10,400sqm commercial office building located at 90 Devonport Road was recognised as the standout project in a highly competitive field of 133 entries.

Developed by Willis Bond, owned by Property Income Fund, constructed by LT McGuinness and designed by Warren and Mahoney, Mareanui is Tauranga City Council’s new home and brings administration staff together under one roof for the first time since 2014.

In addition to the Supreme Award, Mareanui also received the Resene Sustainable Building Property Award and the RCP Commercial Office Property Award, making it the most highly awarded project of the night.

Property Council New Zealand Chief Executive Leonie Freeman says Mareanui represents the kind of project the Awards were created to recognise; commercially disciplined, deeply collaborative and significant beyond the building itself.

“Property has always been about more than bricks, mortar and balance sheets. At its best, it shapes the way people work, connect and participate in their city,” says Freeman.

“Mareanui is a powerful example of that. It brings civic life back into the heart of Tauranga, gives Council staff a high-performing workplace, and shows what can be achieved when public and private sector partners work with real clarity around long-term value.

“What stood out to the judges was not one feature in isolation. It was the full equation: the commercial outcome, the environmental performance, the quality of delivery, the relationship with mana whenua, and the wider impact on Tauranga’s city centre.”

Mareanui has been described by judges as a benchmark for low-carbon commercial development in New Zealand. The building uses more than 2,700m³ of Cross Laminated Timber and 900m³ of Laminated Veneer Lumber sourced from Rotorua and Nelson, materially reducing the use of conventional steel and concrete while creating warm, biophilic interiors.

The project achieves a 60% reduction in lifecycle carbon emissions and stores more than 2,700 tonnes of CO₂. It holds a 6 Star Green Star Design rating and is targeting 5 Star NABERSNZ and WELL Gold certification.

Freeman says the win also speaks to a wider shift in the sector.

“Sustainability is no longer an optional extra or a badge added at the end of a project. The strongest developments are now proving that environmental performance, commercial discipline and community benefit can sit together,” she says.

“That matters in a sector of real national consequence. Construction activity is forecast to return to growth from 2026, and the decisions being made now will shape the quality, resilience and carbon profile of our cities for decades.

“Mareanui gives the industry a credible, replicable model. It shows that low-carbon construction can be delivered at scale, in a regional centre, with a strong commercial outcome.”

Chief Judge Andy Evans says Mareanui stood out for its balance of ambition and execution.

“This is a project that could easily have been defined by complexity, but instead it has been defined by alignment,” says Evans.

“The relationship between developer, contractor, consultants, occupier and mana whenua is evident throughout the building. It was delivered on time, under budget, fully tenanted and pre-sold, while also setting a new expectation for sustainable commercial office development.

“For the judges, Mareanui was not just an excellent building. It was a project that lifts the standard for what commercial development can look like in New Zealand.”

This year’s Awards were held at the New Zealand International Convention Centre, which was also recognised on the night, receiving the Holmes Tourism and Leisure Property Award. As one of the first major industry events to take place in the new venue, the evening offered a fitting showcase of the country’s property sector: celebrating the projects shaping New Zealand while gathering inside one of its newest landmark developments.

Now in their 36th year, the Property Council Awards celebrate excellence in design, innovation and investment across the built environment. The Awards recognise projects that deliver outstanding returns or service potential on investment, while creating value for owners, tenants and the wider community.

ENDS

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