A pioneering Porirua housing development designed to support Pacific families into home ownership has won a national property industry award.
Our Whare Our Fale, at Castor Crescent in eastern Porirua, was named winner of the Community and Affordable Housing Property Award at the Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards on Thursday night.
Led by Central Pacific Collective in partnership with Ngāti Toa Rangatira, the development aims to create a culturally grounded pathway to home ownership while strengthening community connections.
The first stage of the project has delivered 18 affordable, sustainable homes on a 3,000-square-metre site. The homes are centred around a shared malae and common fale, reflecting Pacific village design principles and encouraging intergenerational living and community connection.
The wider programme is planned to deliver up to 300 homes for Pacific families in Porirua.
Property Council New Zealand chief executive Leonie Freeman said the project demonstrated how housing could be designed around people and communities rather than simply providing homes.
“Our Whare Our Fale is grounded in Pacific ways of living, but its lessons are much wider,” Freeman said.
“This project shows how housing can be designed around family structure, shared space, financial confidence and community leadership.”
Chief judge Andy Evans said the judges were impressed not only by the homes themselves but also by the project’s wider approach.
“It brings together affordable housing, cultural design, financial literacy and local leadership in a way that directly supports broader social outcomes,” Evans said.
He said the development stood out for creating a practical pathway to home ownership while remaining deeply connected to the local community.
The project was developed by Central Pacific Collective, constructed by Southcoast Construction, and designed with architectural leadership from Elyjana Roach of Central Pacific Collective, with support from First Light Studio.
Sustainability features, including solar energy systems, were also recognised as helping improve long-term affordability for residents.
The Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards are now in their 36th year and celebrate excellence across New Zealand’s built environment.