COLORSTEEL Awards 2025 celebrates the contrasting materials of a Queenstown brewhouse & a man shed for classic cars

The recent 2025 COLORSTEEL Awards highlighted the depth of talent across lifestyle, residential and commercial projects with a focus on material integrity, precision and design clarity.

Gantleys’ Brewhall by Yoke took out the COLORSTEEL Commercial Building of the Year, referencing Queenstown’s local schist materiality and gabled form, combining it with the sharp and slick language of a COLORSTEEL roof.  

“We like to design to the vernacular here,” explains Yoke’s Camden Pyke. “The original building dates from about the late 1800s and has a schist cladding and a metal roof, and we wanted to take some of that language through.”

To keep the building as legible as possible, Yoke focused on a couple of key moments: one is the seamlessly integrated gutter, the other is the COLORSTEEL roof, which transitions to schist “bookends” at either end of the building. 

“There's quite a complicated flashing detail in there that the use of steel has made simpler, and we've then contrasted the COLORSTEEL with a raw steel that will age over time and get a bit of rust through it as the building kind of patinas.”

This material palette is extended in the interior, with steel elements, including the shelving behind the bar.  

COLORSTEEL Awards judge Stacey Farrell said Gantleys’ Brewhall stood out from the other commercial entrants because of the masterful way they handled the materials. 

“As you enter, there’s a steel form that just brings you in,” shares Stacey.  “The gutter detail was incredibly successful in being incorporated and accentuating the form of the building - it was quite a journey, the entry got you excited, and as you moved through the spaces, it all just worked.”

In the lifestyle category, the Kahikatea Home Workshop by Coresteel North Harbour stood out and was named the COLORSTEEL Lifestyle Building of the Year.

The project, which features a three-bay garage designed to house the owner’s car collection, connects to a double-storey workspace with a gabled roof that imitates the form of the main residence. 

Awards judge Rod Newbold said: “It started out in concept as a simple steel-framed shed and transformed into something that supports both lifestyle and living areas in a very nice manner.”

The garage, complete with car hoists, allows the owner to work on vintage cars, while outside, uplighting draws out the strong monochromatic palette of the COLORSTEEL cladding and roofing. 

Andrew Boyd of Coresteel North Harbour explained that the client needed a large space to house a classic car collection as well as a man shed that could also support working from home. 

As such, the building features double-height joinery at the front, with an office that sits on the top floor. Customised flashings and concealed fixings create flat panels with no oil canning, and the dark COLORSTEEL surfaces read as part of the joinery. 

Andrew says the Coresteel team promotes COLORSTEEL as the cladding and roofing of choice to their clients because it’s New Zealand-made and manufactured for our environment. 

“We can be confident to stand behind it - as far as maintenance and durability, it's certainly a product of choice for us.” 

In the residential category, the Residential Building of the Year was awarded to Pablo House by Kerr Ritchie Architects, recognised for its stunning detailing and precise application. 

In the roofing categories, Roofer of the Year - Corrugate Profile was awarded to Norseclad. Samuel Abraham of Northland Coastal Roofing received Roofer of the Year - Trapezoidal Profile, while Argie Manuel of Metalhartt Roofing won Roofer of the Year - Tray Profile. Argie Manuel also achieved the title of Supreme Roofer of the Year in recognition of exceptional attention to detail and technical execution.

Winning a COLORSTEEL Award signifies far more than receiving a trophy. It represents years of honing skill, long hours on the tools and an unwavering commitment to quality. The 2025 Judges observed a clear pride in New Zealand-made materials throughout this year’s entries. 

COLORSTEEL has been manufactured locally for more than 40 years by New Zealand Steel, and remains New Zealand’s favourite roof thanks to its durability, versatility and proven performance in demanding conditions.

The awards evening has become a key gathering on the industry calendar, with attendees coming together not only to recognise outstanding projects but also to share the values of craftsmanship, collaboration and community that continue to shape New Zealand’s construction sector.