The $21million, three-storey, 6000sqm building, designed by Michael Wyatt, which opened in June 2015, won the supreme award after judges described it as a "project like no other".
Built by Arrow International (NZ) the building provides a range of guest services, from rentals, ticketing and downstairs retail, to a third-level three-sided wraparound heated deck which features an open fire, dining area, bar and expansive views across Coronet Peak and the Southern Alps.
Judges praised the "total team effort", which resulted in the project being delivered one month ahead of an already tight nine-month construction schedule, despite facing extreme climactic conditions, including wind of up to 150kmh and snow.
"Even with these challenges, the Remarkables team was still able to achieve a very high standard of finishes across all trades," the judging panel said.
"Preplanning across the total project was essential, right down to the special 30mpa mountain concrete mix."
It was a "complex building" which needed to handle 3500 people a day during the ski season, with restaurants, kitchens, a "sophisticated" mechanical plant, ski collection stations, shops, open dining spaces and large full-height double glass windows.
Eight months after it opened at least $100,000 of damage was caused after wind up to 210kmh — described at the time by ski area manager Ross Lawrence as "a once-in-100-year" event — blew out more than 30 double-glazed windows and doors.
As well as being named supreme winner, the building also won the PlaceMakers Tourism and Leisure category award, a gold award and the value award for top property over $15million.
Awards spokesman Greg Pritchard said the team behind the building embodied the pinnacle of what the awards represented — the unstinting teamwork and collaboration which went into creating New Zealand’s top commercial buildings.
The awards are in their fifth year and this year attracted about 80 entrants.
Four entrants — Athfield Architects, Fletcher Construction, Powell Fenwick Consultants and Rider Levett Bucknall — were also named as platinum award winners in recognition of "outstanding achievement in commercial construction by winning five or more national awards".
Other Otago winners were Queenstown’s 1789 Wine and Jazz Lounge (Rilean Construction Central Otago Ltd); the Cardrona Distillery (Amalgamated Builders Ltd), which both won silver awards in the tourism and leisure category; and Oamaru’s Te Pari Products’ factory, warehouse and offices (ChrisBroadhead Construction), which won a bronze award in the same category.
