Setting the standard: Wellington Central Library and The George Forbes Building take top honours at the 2026 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards

 

  • LT McGuinness has taken out the Supreme over $10 million Award for the second year running, this time for Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui (Wellington Central Library)
  • Leighs Construction was awarded the Supreme under $10 million Award for The George Forbes Building (Stage 3) at Lincoln University
  • Challenging projects are in the spotlight, with many entries showcasing strong planning, teamwork and innovation.

 

16 May 2026, Auckland, New Zealand: Two of New Zealand’s most impressive commercial builds have taken top honours at the 2026 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards, with projects in Wellington and Canterbury recognised for their ambition, complexity and quality.

LT McGuinness won the Supreme over $10 million Award for Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui (Wellington Central Library), while Leighs Construction was awarded the Supreme under $10 million Award for The George Forbes Building (Stage 3) at Lincoln University.

This year also saw the Infrastructure Project category presented for the first time, recognising major transport, utilities and public works projects across New Zealand.

Owned by Master Builders, the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards recognise the teams behind the country’s leading commercial builds, celebrating the skill, collaboration and innovation required to bring complex projects to life.

Supreme over $10 million Award

      

In 2025, LT McGuinness won the Supreme over $10 million Award for Ngā Mokopuna, formerly The Living Pā. This year, the team excelled again, taking out the same award for Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui (Wellington Central Library), a rare achievement in the competition’s 13-year history.

The win recognises the successful renewal of one of Wellington’s most important public buildings, a project that has returned a much-loved community icon to the city and helped restore energy to the surrounding civic precinct. Its reopening has been more than a construction milestone, reconnecting Wellingtonians with a central gathering place and breathing new life into a part of the city that had long felt its absence.

“What made this project exceptional was the way every challenge was met with calm, coordinated delivery. From complex engineering to cost control, the team worked collaboratively to achieve an outstanding result,” the judges noted.

By choosing to strengthen and renew the building rather than demolish it, the project has preserved a significant civic landmark while reducing waste, achieving a 5 Star Green Star rating. The LT McGuinness team also took home the Commercial Project Over $25 million Value Award and the Civic Project Category Award, reinforcing its status as one of the country’s most significant commercial builds.

Supreme under $10 million Award

      

Taking out the Supreme Commercial Project under $10 million, The George Forbes Building (Stage 3) was one of the night’s standout winners, also claiming the Commercial Project $3 million to $10 million Value Award. Delivered by Leighs Construction on time and ahead of schedule, the project transformed Lincoln University’s main entrance without disrupting campus life. Outdated areas were removed, new spaces were created, and the arrival experience was reshaped to be more welcoming and intuitive.

The judges particularly praised the level of planning and coordination required to deliver the refurbishment beneath six occupied floors, with work carefully scheduled around classes and daily campus activity. “This was a challenging project that demanded strong communication and control at every stage, and it was delivered with care, precision, and respect for the existing building,” the judges said.

Original brick columns were retained and integrated into the new design, strengthening the connection between old and new, while the finished spaces feel open, light-filled, and inviting.

Master Builders CEO, Ankit Sharma, says this year’s winners reflect the depth of skill, collaboration and innovation shaping commercial construction in New Zealand.

“This year’s entries show the breadth of work being delivered across the sector, from complex civic and education projects to large-scale industrial and infrastructure builds.

This year, the new Infrastructure Project Category shone a light on the major horizontal construction projects helping to keep New Zealand moving, connected and supported, from transport and utilities to public works. These are complex, high-impact projects that demand exceptional coordination and technical expertise, and this year’s winners reflect the calibre of work being delivered across the sector. Congratulations to all the winners and project teams.”

The New Zealand Commercial Project Awards are made possible thanks to the support of Altus Window Systems, GIB, CARTERS, SpecAdvisor and Mitre 10 Trade.

For more information on the competition and to view the full results and projects, visit commercialprojectawards.co.nz.