Vanessa Carswell wins outstanding achievement design award.
Vanessa was instrumental in working with the contractor and project manager on a constantly changing programme to allow not only fast tracking, but to plan with the agility required when dealing with factors such as working within a military cordoned zone and a severely damaged building.” Peter Marshall
NAWIC is a non profit association of women who work either in the construction industry or for business associations which provide services to the construction industry. Members include architects, engineers, designers, surveyors and project managers.
The award recognises Vanessa’s architectural and design leadership contribution to the Isaac Theatre Royal Rebuild project in Christchurch. She was project architect for the duration of the four year project, from concept design to construction.
Vanessa graduated in architecture from Unitec Institute of Technology and joined Warren and Mahoney in 2001 before leaving New Zealand in 2003 to travel to the United Kingdom, where she remained until 2009. While in London she worked on projects as complex as the restoration of the Grade 11 listed Great Northern Hotel in London and The Core building, part of the Eden Project in Cornwall.
She returned to New Zealand in 2009 to rejoin Warren and Mahoney, and worked on the Isaac Theatre Royal project, one of the most complex heritage projects ever undertaken in New Zealand, from 2011 until its completion late last year.
She says the project was the most complex she had ever worked on as the design had to retain the original proportions of the auditorium while incorporating and hiding all modern services and fire separations.
Innovative techniques were employed to protect and retain the original Oamaru stone and brick facade, decorative elements of the street canopy, the auditorium plasterwork and canvas ceiling dome, and the heritage foyer staircase.
Warren and Mahoney Managing Director, Peter Marshall, said that the NAWIC award was testament to Vanessa Carswell’s dedication and hard work on a technically complex project.
“The Isaac Theatre Royal was one of the first public venues to reopen in Christchurch’s CBD red zone. Vanessa was instrumental in working with the contractor and project manager on a constantly changing programme to allow not only fast tracking, but to plan with the agility required when dealing with factors such as working within a military cordoned zone and a severely damaged building.”
