International Plantscape Awards 2026
‍Eight Awards. Global Recognition

B:HIVE+ is a two-level coworking hub within the AIA Tower at Smales Farm, designed by Jasmax around a triple-height atrium that forms the social heart of the building. Outside In’s plantscape design transforms this central space into an immersive, nature-connected environment, layering greenery across multiple levels to create moments of calm, refuge and connection within a dynamic, high-use workplace.

Designed to support wellbeing at scale, the planting delivers a sense of lushness and continuity while meeting the technical demands of a large atrium environment. Lightweight planter systems and a custom forest-floor substrate reduce structural load, improve acoustics and enable safe long-term maintenance. Closely integrated with the architecture, the planting responds to natural light, materiality and movement throughout the day, creating a restorative interior landscape that supports focus, collaboration and everyday use.

• 2026 Diamond Award — Atrium / Garden Plantings, Interior
• 2026 Platinum Award — Replica / Hybrid

Orewa Sands is a senior living complex designed to reflect and celebrate its coastal setting, bordered by bush-clad slopes and a natural stream. The living wall installation forms a green arrival experience at the building’s entrance, creating an immediate sense of calm and connection to the surrounding landscape. Twin vertical gardens frame the entry sequence, drawing visitors through a moment of compression into an open lobby beyond, mirroring the natural transition from forest edge to clearing.

Inspired by the form and rhythm of native bush, the planting palette evokes local forest textures while using species suited to interior conditions. Full-height proportions, layered foliage and cascading forms integrate seamlessly with the architecture, water feature and lighting to create an immersive, multisensory experience. Designed for long-term performance, the living walls incorporate accessible irrigation, ground-level maintenance and integrated grow lighting, ensuring the greenery remains healthy, safe and visually rich over time. The result is a welcoming, restorative threshold that anchors the building in its natural context and enhances everyday wellbeing for residents and visitors alike.

• 2026 Platnium Award — Design

Will is an Exterior Squad Lead whose work plays a critical role in maintaining some of Outside In’s most technically complex sites, including the multi-level green walls at Westfield Newmarket. With a strong horticultural foundation shaped through his family’s nursery business in the United States, Will combines deep plant knowledge with a practical, solutions-focused approach to exterior greenscaping. Since joining the team nearly five years ago, he has progressed from technician to squad lead, delivering consistently high standards across rooftop planting, large-scale planters and vertical greenery.

At Westfield Newmarket, Will leads the maintenance of extensive exterior green walls that require specialist rope access. Recognising the safety and efficiency challenges of working at height, he helped establish Outside In’s first abseiling team and now leads its operations, coordinating training, safety checks and maintenance planning. Alongside his technical leadership, Will is known for his calm, people-first approach, mentoring his team, improving reporting and communication processes, and supporting collaboration between maintenance and project teams. His work ensures that complex exterior landscapes remain safe, healthy and visually exceptional, setting a benchmark for long-term care at scale.

• 2026 Technician Recognition — Will Zelensky King

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 as both functional furniture and sculptural elements. Fabricated in New Zealand with complex double-curved geometry, the lightweight aluminium planters integrate seating, planting and safety detailing within a refined, 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. Together, planting and architecture reshape the Branch Hub into a living social landscape — one that enhances wellbeing, supports connection and brings the essence of Bishop Ranch’s outdoor environment indoors.

• 2026 Gold Award — Design
• 2026 Gold Award — Freestanding Containers

SecuritEase is a Wellington-based technology company whose workplace, designed by Design Group Stapleton Elliott (DGSE), balances advanced digital practice with a calm, people-centred environment. Outside In’s planting design brings this vision to life, weaving greenery through collaborative zones, breakout spaces and quiet nooks to soften the architecture and support everyday wellbeing. Organic curves, refined materials and layered planting create a workspace that feels contemporary, restorative and connected to nature.

A hybrid planting approach combines living, preserved and artificial greenery to address budget, safety and long-term maintenance requirements. Curved tiled planters establish rhythm and flow throughout the space, while carefully scaled planting maintains open sightlines and access to natural light. Live plants are positioned where they can thrive and be easily maintained, with preserved moss and artificial elements providing consistency in less accessible areas. Integrated lighting, a handcrafted moss logo and thoughtful material harmony reinforce the biophilic intent, resulting in a workplace that feels calm, cohesive and enduring.

• 2026 Gold Award — Design

Located within the lobby of the Cordis Hotel, Our Land Bar is entered through a sculptural preserved moss installation that transforms a previously understated doorway into an immersive threshold experience. Drawing inspiration from Aotearoa’s forest landscapes and the bar’s brand story, the moss wraps up and over the entry in flowing, organic forms, creating the sensation of stepping into a moss-covered forest grotto. The installation provides a strong visual identity while inviting guests into a space that feels warm, tactile and grounded in nature.

Hand-sculpted on site, the moss wall uses layered preserved moss and subtle topography to create depth, shadow and natural variation. Asymmetry and negative space are used to evoke organic growth rather than formal symmetry, while tonal greens echo the surrounding timber and stone finishes. Made from sustainably harvested preserved moss and mounted on recycled substrates, the installation requires no irrigation or power, offering a low-impact, long-lasting biophilic feature. The result is a living artwork that softens acoustics, enriches the hotel lobby experience and expresses the spirit of Our Land through craft, texture and storytelling.

• 2026 Silver Award — Moss Wall