A trio of companies known as the Ō3 Collective — Jasmax, Aecom and Isaac Construction — was recognised at the South Island Property Awards last night for revitalising the city’s main street and delivering a people-centric, high-value destination.
"The team’s respectful collaboration with mana whenua has given the street a distinctive, place-based identity that sets it apart as a high-value destination for locals and visitors alike," the judging panel said.
The collective was chosen by the Dunedin City Council in 2020 to carry out the design work for redeveloping George St and the surrounding retail area.
An upgrade costing more than $100 million, including replacement of pipes, was completed in May this year.
It featured a Kāi Tahu narrative woven into George St, paving stones shaped like Otago Harbour and a more welcoming environment for pedestrians overall.
The urban design acknowledgement came a week after the Aecom consultancy won a silver award at the New Zealand Association of Consulting and Engineering Awards.
The judges at the South Island Property Awards were also impressed by restoration work at the Dunedin Railway Station and the University of Otago’s Te Rangihīroa residential college development.
The teams behind those projects were the joint winners of the judges’ choice award.
Both teams were celebrated for overcoming significant challenges to deliver impactful projects for the Otago region.
The supreme award went to Christchurch real estate agent Michael Connolly, who was also judged the property professional of the year.
