NZIA 2008 award for enduring architecture.

An ambitious attempt at low-cost living by Christchurch City Council built in 1978. The units turn their back on the less-than-serene Brougham St and included some innovative features for the time including solar water heating. The Smurf-blue paint job is an unfortunate deviation from the original white.

The NZIA say:

This 1978 development presents an inventive and humanistic approach to the architectural endeavour of community housing. A fine-grained assembly of forms is generated from a thoughtful study of the relationships of living units and the urban issues of a long narrow site along a busy road. The fact that this housing is still used is a testament to the quality of the design and a gesture towards sustainability.