The Christchurch chapel/gathering space, Te Manawa Atawhai Catherine McAuley Centre at Villa Maria College, won Hamish Shaw Architects one of five Public Architecture Awards at the 2018 Canterbury Architecture Awards.

In reflecting on the awards, Melania Slemint, convenor of the jury, praised the ability of architects to produce buildings of beauty, which function well and contribute positively to their wider environment. They gave 34 awards in six categories — public architecture, planning and urban design, education, commercial and interior architecture, heritage and housing. 

The awards jury said of the Centre at Villa Maria College: 

“The building’s pleated corten cladding references the memory of Catherine McAuley and her protective shawl and provides an exterior that changes in colour and depth, giving a strong sculptural presence to the building.”

The Centre was opened in December 2017 and is a lasting reminder of the relationship of the Sisters of Mercy with Christchurch.