A Hahei home designed by Davor Popadich Architects has been crowned the country’s top residential project, winning both a national Housing Award and the prestigious Sir Ian Athfield Award for Housing at the 2025 New Zealand Architecture Awards.
The Popadich House stood out among the country’s leading architectural works, with judges praising its “sensitive and understated insertion” into the Coromandel landscape and its deep connection to the land.
A Hahei Home Rooted in Land and Legacy
Designed by architect Davor Popadich for his own family, the home sits on a site once used for grazing. Over the past four years, the land has been transformed through native planting, pest and weed control, and the creation of a small family orchard — a restoration journey that forms a central part of the project’s story.
Judges said the house blends rural practicality with refined design, achieving a rare harmony between place, purpose and aesthetics. The L-shaped layout allows the home to adapt to its environment, while a separate studio completes a sheltered courtyard that enhances outdoor living and connection to the landscape.
Material choices were commended for their restraint and sensitivity, helping the home sit quietly within its natural surroundings while still displaying architectural precision and craftsmanship.
The Popadich House had already been honoured at the Waikato and Bay of Plenty Local Awards earlier this year, but its elevation to the national stage — and winning the Sir Ian Athfield Award for Housing — places it among the most distinguished new homes in Aotearoa.
The judges noted the project’s balance of family function, ecological care and design excellence, calling it a benchmark for contemporary housing in rural settings.
With its national recognition, the Popadich House becomes a defining example of how thoughtful architecture can both respect and elevate the unique landscapes of the Coromandel Peninsula.
