A Winning Moment for DCA and Our Project Partners
DCA Architects of Transformation is proud to celebrate two recent wins at the 2026 Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects Regional Architecture Awards, with both Hauparu Bay House and Mangapapa School receiving regional recognition.
Hauparu Bay House by DCA Architects of Transformation and Yvette Jay Interior Design in association, was awarded in the Housing category at the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Architecture Awards. Set on the edge of Lake Rotoiti, the home is a calm and carefully considered lakeside retreat, designed to sit quietly within its natural surroundings while opening generously to the water. Its simple form, dark material palette, and strong connection to the lake reflect a design response shaped by landscape, lifestyle, and a deep respect for place.
In Gisborne, Mangapapa School received an award in the Education category at the Gisborne / Hawke’s Bay Architecture Awards. The redevelopment transforms a much-loved community school into a safe, connected, and future-focused learning campus. Co-designed with the school community, the project brings teaching spaces together, improves access across the site, and creates flexible environments where students, staff, and whānau can learn, connect, and thrive.
The project has also received wider industry recognition, with Currie Construction Ltd. receiving a Gold Award for Mangapapa School at the recent New Zealand Commercial Project Awards. This is a fantastic achievement and a credit to the wider project team who helped bring the school’s vision to life.
The two awards reflect the breadth of DCA’s work across Aotearoa, from carefully crafted homes to community-focused education environments. While very different in scale and purpose, both projects share a common thread: architecture that responds thoughtfully to people, place, and the way spaces are used every day.
A huge congratulations to our clients, collaborators, consultants, contractors, and everyone involved in bringing these projects to life. We are incredibly proud to see both projects recognised among the region’s best architecture.
With, Together, For.
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DCA Architects: Nick Chibnall-West, Natasha Caple, James West
BSK: Brad Christie / Structural, Ash Bowtell / Geotech
Interior Designer: Yvette Jay, interiors and fittings
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DCA Architects: Nick Chibnall-West, Darryl Church, James West
Ministry of Education: Nicole Seccombe (Delivery Manager)
Mangapapa School: Paul Sadler (Principal)
Colliers Project Leaders: Elliot Brown (Project Manager)
Construction: Curries Construction Ltd.
eCubed Building Workshop: Conor Fullbrook (MEP Services)
LDE: Rob Haskell (Geotechnical), Scott Langley (Structural), Andrew Appleby (Civil)
