2026 New Zealand SPASA Awards of Excellence
The Best of the Best in New Zealand
Creating the perfect pool or spa takes more than a great idea; it takes the right team to bring it to life. That’s why choosing a SPASA member matters.
The SPASA Awards of Excellence showcase New Zealand’s leading pool and spa professionals—those setting the benchmark for design, craftsmanship, and innovation. The 2026 winners represent the very best in the industry, recognised for their attention to detail and ability to deliver outdoor spaces that truly complement both lifestyle and environment.
When you choose a SPASA member, especially an award-winning one, you’re choosing proven expertise, trusted standards, and a commitment to quality that lasts. It’s the smartest way to ensure your pool or spa project is built right.
Ready to be inspired? Explore the standout projects recognised in the 2026 SPASA New Zealand Awards.
Highlighted below are the major award winners, click here to see the full list of award winners.
Concrete Pool of the Year
Acacia Landscapes & Pool Construction "Rita Street"
This elevated first-floor pool is a seamless fusion of technical precision and minimalist design. Projecting toward the horizon, it forms a sculptural connection between home, landscape, and sky. A “flooded” water-level system and infinity-weir edge create a calm, mirror-like surface that sits flush with the surrounding stone. This is a sophisticated retreat that balances engineering excellence with timeless architectural elegance.
With over 30 years of experience, Acacia Pools & Landscape Construction creates high-quality concrete pools and outdoor spaces across New Zealand and the Pacific. Our in-house team ensures complete quality control from design to completion, delivering honest craftsmanship, personal service, and lasting, beautifully built outdoor environments.
Photo credit: Jake Leopold, lead creative at Gather Creative.
Enhancement of the Year
Auckland Inground Pools
This custom fabricated pool barrier transforms a safety requirement into a defining architectural feature. Constructed from slender vertical steel rounds, & powder coated black, the fence creates a refined visual rhythm that frames the surrounding rural landscape while maintaining clear sightlines to the horizon edged pool. The concept took nearly four years to bring to life. Despite budget pressures that nearly saw the design replaced with a standard solution, it was brought to reality.
The original design vision for the project included a bespoke architectural pool barrier fabricated from vertical steel rounds. Inspired by a similar project the designer had completed in 2018 that the customer loved, the intention was to create a similar minimalist fence that would frame the surrounding rural landscape while maintaining open sightlines from the pool and deck across the great views the property has. Glass wasn't an option as felt that it would hold the heat into the deck area too much, and having the vertical steel rounds would create the airflow the pool deck needed (and a spot to hang towels etc too!!!!)
Photo credit: Simon Bourke and Ricky Smith
Fibreglass Pool of the Year
Mayfair Pools & Spas "Bask in the Alpenglow"
Whether entertaining, lounging, or swimming laps, these clients can bask in the alpenglow of the surrounding ranges while enjoying the sleek sophistication of their custom lap pool in a picturesque mountain landscape.
The pool water itself weighing over 90 tonnes on top of a garage is amazing for starters. The roof of the garage that is covered in local tussock meets the outer wall of the pool is covered in stone, this design screams nature – and it's absolute chef's kiss when the sun hits the tussock roof and wall of the pool. Great collaboration between owner, designers, and construction teams.
Prefabricated Pool of the Year
Ultimate Pools "Above the Ordinary"
Nestled within lush native bush, this above-ground prefabricated composite pool creates a private sanctuary where nature and design work in harmony. The precision of off-site fabrication allowed the pool to be delivered and installed efficiently with minimal disruption to the surrounding landscape. Elevated to capture the tranquil outlook, the pool blends seamlessly with the expansive outdoor living spaces, creating a luxurious retreat that feels worlds away from everyday life.
The design is entirely fit for purpose and carefully aligned with the clients’ brief to create a year-round wellness retreat within a native bush setting. Every element of the prefabricated composite pool and surrounding sanctuary was considered through the lens of usability, comfort and long-term performance.
Photo credit: Oak and Echo
Renovation Project of the Year
Humphreys Landscaping "Ponsonby Tropical Pool Renovation"
The Ponsonby Tropical Pool transforms a tired courtyard pool into a larger, family friendly retreat. The original structure was partially dismantled and carefully rebuilt, retaining one wall to protect the nearby house foundations. A fully tiled mosaic interior, natural stone terrace and lush tropical planting combine to create a private urban oasis designed for swimming, relaxation and entertaining.
A strong focus of the design was enhancing the outlook from the home’s living areas. The new pool was positioned and enlarged to strengthen the visual connection between the interior living spaces and the courtyard environment, allowing the pool to become a focal point when viewed from inside the house.
Photo credit: Andrew Coffey Photography
Small Pool of the Year
Blue Ocean Pools "Hidden Gem"
On a tight inner-city site, this project transforms a neglected backyard into a tranquil urban sanctuary. The space centres around a pool that feels less like an addition and more like it has always belonged. Timber and tile flow across levels, with floating stairs carrying you from deck to terrace and glass balustrades keeping everything open to the sky and planting beyond. Lush tropical greenery softens every edge, creating a relaxed atmosphere that invites you to stop and stay awhile.
The client's brief called for a complete transformation of their tight inner-city site into a cohesive outdoor living space centred around a swimming pool, and this project delivers exactly that. Working from detailed designs by Shafer Design Studio, the pool was conceived as the centrepiece of a full landscape overhaul. The concrete pool features ultra-smooth Oceania plaster and mosaic waterline tiling to the visible walls, creating a refined water surface that reflects the sky and surrounding greenery.
Photo credit: Justin Pitt - Umoview
Spa of the Year
Spa World "Stunning Fisher® Orbit™ spa
Set against sweeping rural views, this stunning poolside installation showcases the Fisher® Orbit™ Spa Pool as the centrepiece of a beautifully designed outdoor retreat. Positioned within an angled terrace, its circular form softens the modern lines of the pool, glass fencing and architectural home. Seamlessly integrated with premium tiling and landscaping, it delivers hydrotherapy comfort, visual impact and true resort-style living in one multifunctional space.
The project is a premium showcase space within a newly constructed pool and landscape environment. As the owner of a Landscape and Pool Company, the client required a spa that not only functioned as a relaxation zone but also demonstrated their design, construction and finishing capabilities as a business.
Photo credit: In-house Photographer
These exceptional projects showcase the very best of pool and spa design across New Zealand—each one reflecting innovation, lifestyle, and craftsmanship tailored to local environments. From breathtaking views and architectural elegance to family-friendly fun and sustainable spa solutions, this year’s winners demonstrate what’s possible when vision meets expertise.
To explore more award-winning entries from across Australasia, visit spasa.com.au and view the full list of SPASA Awards. If you’re ready to take the plunge and start planning your dream backyard, scroll below to discover more featured articles and connect with a trusted SPASA member near you.