Biophilic Design Awards 2026
‍Ten Awards. Global Recognition

Lush planting throughout Fifty Albert transforms transitional spaces into immersive moments of calm within the urban environment. Working with Mansons TCLM, the planting strategy spans the lane way, atrium, interior spaces and communal zones, introducing softness, texture and movement alongside concrete finishes and structured architectural forms. Dense tropical planting softens the laneway’s architectural scale, with layered fern plantings, tree ferns and metal planters creating privacy and visual relief for pedestrians. Inside, Kentia palms, Monstera and Calathea bring warmth to contemporary corridors and breakout areas, reinforcing a people-focused design philosophy where nature is woven into every transition between spaces.

• 2026 Diamond Award — Green Roof / Rooftop Gardens

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Interior greenery at 30 Daldy Street introduces softness and natural texture into the contemporary architectural setting, complementing warm material finishes while strengthening the connection between occupants and the built environment. Working with STACK Interiors, the planting spans the atrium, reception, wellness spaces and communal areas, with a layered mix of tropical planting and integrated planters creating depth throughout. A signature illuminated moss wall set against timber and red brick anchors the reception, while large-format installations of Monstera, ferns and tropical foliage define key areas and create a restorative experience for staff and visitors.

• 2026 Platinum Award — Grand Design

At Pacific Lakes Retirement Village, considered planting adds softness, texture and movement throughout the shared spaces, maintaining a refined aesthetic while enhancing the relaxed atmosphere of this later-living community. Working with Peddle Thorp and Space Studio, the planting scheme spans dining, lounge and circulation spaces, creating environments that feel calm, welcoming and socially connected. Within the conservatory, conceived as a winter garden, the planting introduces vitality and calm into the light-filled interior. Statement plants in textured ceramic vessels feature a sculptural palette of Kentia palms, fiddle-leaf figs, split-leaf philodendrons and Strelitzia, positioned as focal moments that complement the architecture without overwhelming it.

• 2026 Platinum Award — Conservatory

At Taranaki Hospital, considered planting transforms the new east wing into a calming, nature-connected space for recovery. Working with Warren and Mahoney, the design uses nature as a metaphor for healing, with a guiding narrative that imagines patients and staff progressing through the building like water flowing toward recovery. Dense, layered planting throughout includes palms, Ficus, Monstera and ferns, with a signature double-height courtyard of native tree ferns visible from treatment areas above. Bronze and terrazzo planters, timber staircases and curved seating soften the interior environment, while full-height glazing onto the courtyard connects patients to sky and weather. The design engages all three of Stephen Kellert’s biophilic design categories, with the biophilic elements linked to reduced patient stay duration and improved staff wellbeing. Nature here is medicine.

• 2026 Gold Award — Grand Design

Lush, layered greenery across open-plan workspaces, social zones and a signature living green wall brings warmth and life to the One NZ headquarters in Auckland. Working with STACK Interiors, the planting complements the contemporary workplace design and fosters a stronger connection to nature for everyone who works there. Bespoke hanging plant rings create a floating green ceiling overhead, engineered to maximise views of nature without impeding floor space. The Forest Floor product introduces thriving greenery into central corridors, while interior and exterior green walls, planted months in advance and nurtured to maturity at the Outside In plant nursery, were immediately impactful from the day of installation. The planting palette evokes local forest textures, with full-height proportions, layered foliage and cascading forms integrating seamlessly with the architecture, water feature and lighting.

• 2026 Gold Award — Office Design

The Branch Hub at Bishop Ranch transforms a once hard-edged corporate social space into a lush indoor garden inspired by the Californian landscape. Designed as a place for people to meet, pause and connect, the interior planting introduces organic form, layered greenery and natural colour to create an environment that feels both energising and restorative. Sculptural freestanding planters define circulation, frame social zones and establish a rhythm of movement and stillness, allowing people to experience the space much like walking through a park. Central to the project is a family of bespoke freestanding containers designed by Workshape, fabricated in New Zealand with complex double-curved geometry. The light weight aluminium planters integrate seating, planting and safety detailing within are fined, furniture-grade finish. Advanced digital modelling informed planter form, species selection and grow-light placement, ensuring long-term plant health, acoustic comfort and ease of maintenance.

• 2026 Platinum Award — Free-Standing Container Plantings