Woods Bagot has beaten Zaha Hadid Architects to scoop the $200m design competition for a new skyscraper in New Zealand

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp's design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - Harbour view

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp鈥檚 design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - Harbour view

Woods Bagot has beaten Zaha Hadid and Cox Architecture to scoop the $200m design competition for a new skyscraper in New Zealand.

The contest asked for two designs from each entrant 鈥� one flouting and the other compliant with current planning regulations.

The winning design - and all the images shown here - are of the schemes that ignore the city鈥檚 current planning rules.

The 48-storey tower, on Federal Street in Auckland, would be around 180m tall, making it one of the country鈥檚 tallest buildings.

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp's design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - forum

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp鈥檚 design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - forum

It would contain 226 flats and a 233-room five-star hotel rising above a ground floor 鈥渕arket hall鈥� retail space. It would be capped by a publicly accessible 鈥渮en garden鈥�.

Woods Bagot teamed up with Kiwi practice Peddle Thorp to enter the contest run by Melbourne-based developer ICD Property.

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp's design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - elevation

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp鈥檚 design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - elevation

There were five shortlisted teams. Each international firm partnered with a local architect: Zaha Hadid and Cox Architecture with Opus, and Elenberg Fraser with Jasmax. Other entries were by New Zealand firms Warren and Mahoney. The finalists鈥� schemes are in a box at the bottom of the story.

Each team was asked to come up with two designs; the first following current city planning rules and the second showing what could be built if these were relaxed.

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp's design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - church view

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp鈥檚 design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - church view

Matthew Khoo, deputy managing director of ICD Property, said this allowed them to assess several unique and high-quality options for the site.

The winning design makes extensive use of curved and pleated timber.

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp's design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - corner view

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp鈥檚 design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - corner view

Peddle Thorp director Richard Goldie said: 鈥淥ur major civic buildings, the Auckland Museum and Auckland Art Gallery, both use timber to stunning effect. It鈥檚 the material with which we privilege our most significant buildings and the curved timber designs we have created will be prominent on the lower levels of 65 Federal Street for everyone to see and share.鈥�

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp's design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - podium view

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp鈥檚 design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - podium view

Two years ago Peddle Thorp was appointed to design a 187m mixed-use tower near Auckland鈥檚 waterfront. Known as 85 Customs Street, the 52-storey development will flats above two floors of offices.

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp's design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - pool

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp鈥檚 design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - pool

65 Federal Street is set to complete in 2022.

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp's design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - side elevation

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp鈥檚 design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - side elevation

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp's design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - skyline view

Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp鈥檚 design for 65 Federal Street, Auckland - skyline view

The finalists鈥� schemes

Zaha Hadid's shortlisted design for Federal Street

Elenberg Fraser's shortlisted design for Federal Street

Cox's shortlisted design for Federal Street

Warren and Mahoney's shortlisted design for Federal Street

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