Jury comments: Amongst Dunedin’s wonderful stock of heritage architecture in the city centre lies a seventies brown brick, curved wall building retreated back from the northern highway.  At a time when church design was likened to “regional shopping centres, supermarkets”, this building is something special in Dunedin’s collection of ecclesiastical architecture.  The Holy Name Parish follows the traditional symmetry of church planning.  From the nave the ceiling soars sky-ward when meeting the apse.  This effect of height provides a focus towards the alter which is made even more poignant and uplifting with the incorporation of coloured glass skylights over this area, continuing down each trancept and essentially framing the alter.

The Holy Name Parish Church was subject to a national competition. The design was based on a traditionalsymmetrical layout, after a thorough study of the effects of historical liturgical changes in Catholic Church planning.

Emphasis above all, is on the altar, with coloured glass at the crossing, from deep blues and purples at the outside, through oranges and yellows to a crescendo of white light directly above the altar. The curving walls are of cavity brick, brown on the outside and white paint on the inside.