02 Feb 2026
Kāpiti House has been announced as a finalist in the 2026 Home of the Year Awards, shortlisted in the Green Home category. The recognition places the project among 25 homes selected from across Aotearoa, celebrating residential architecture in a wide range of settings and scales.
Home of the Year is an annual programme presented by HOME magazine, celebrating the country’s best new homes. Categories include City Home of the Year, Small Home of the Year, Coastal Home of the Year, Rural Home of the Year, Green Home of the Year, Alt & Reno Home of the Year, and Multi-Unit Home of the Year.
About Kāpiti House
Kāpiti House is a rural home shaped by care, clarity, and connection. Designed to operate off-grid and carbon-positive, it pairs technical performance with calm, grounded architecture.
Located on a 16-acre site just inland from the Kāpiti Coast, the home is arranged as two simple forms that step across a natural rise in the land. The main house contains shared living and sleeping spaces, while a separate two-storey tower offers flexible accommodation for guests. Outside, a series of sheltered spaces support daily life, from the orchard and pool to the regenerative permaculture garden.
A closer look from the jury
Finalists are visited by the Home of the Year jury, giving judges the chance to experience each home beyond photographs or drawings. This year’s panel – Belinda George, Chris Tate, and Federico Monsalve – are travelling the length of the country to visit all 25 shortlisted homes and determine category winners, as well as the overall Home of the Year for 2026.
Winners will be announced at an awards evening on 26 March 2026.
Readers’ Choice voting now open
Alongside the jury awards, the Home of the Year programme also includes a Readers’ Choice Award, recognising the projects that capture the most public support.
Explore the finalists and vote for your favourites in each category via the Home of the Year website: https://homemagazine.nz/home-of-the-year-2026-the-finalists/
We are very proud to see Kāpiti House recognised in the Green Home category and grateful to the clients, collaborators, and wider team who helped bring it to life.
