2025 Photo Gallery

Jul 28

The SANNZ 24 Hour Design Competition is an annual nationwide event where architecture students from across Aotearoa come together to take on a fast-paced design challenge.

In 2025, the brief took a cinematic twist with the theme ‘Wes Anderson Style Murder Mystery’. Hosted by Victoria University of Wellington, teams were tasked with designing and building a hotel inspired by an assigned Wes Anderson film. Alongside their physical model, each team created a whimsical short film to bring their hotel—and its mysterious story—to life.

To kick things off, students took part in a giant in-person game of Cluedo—complete with oversized building instruments as weapons. But there was a twist: a murder had taken place. As clues were revealed throughout the 24 hours, teams had to weave a hidden narrative into their design. The ultimate curveball? Each team had to secretly incorporate the murder weapon into their hotel, challenging them to blur the lines between architecture, storytelling, and intrigue.

The teams then presented their films and designs to our incredible judges Josh Sanoria, Roger Walker, Hugh Tennent, and Chiara Shim!