New Zealand architecture

In a quiet Auckland neighbourhood filled with classic New Zealand architecture, a 1940s art deco home has been revitalised by Nala Studio Architects with a thoughtful renovation that elegantly blends old-world charm with modern practicality. Recognised in Haven magazine and celebrated as an entrant in an interior design competition, this project shines not only as a design achievement but as a heartfelt transformation for a growing family. Nala Studio Architects Bringing Life to the Vision The owners came to us with a vision: a kitchen that could adapt to family life with an active toddler while creating an inviting space for hosting friends. They dreamed of a layout that captured the charm of their home’s vintage character whi... More

The Lake Hayes House, crafted by Ben Hudson Architects, is a modern two-level residence that gracefully integrates with the rocky terrain above Lake Hayes in Queenstown, New Zealand. John Williams Photography John Williams Photography John Williams Photography John Williams Photography John Williams Photography From the street, it presents a low, solid form inspired by traditional stone-walled gardens, using local stone to provide privacy and anchor the home to its site. Inside, the design shifts to a sense of transparency and light, with generous glazing that opens up to breathtaking views of the lake and mountains. Clerestory windows rise above the stone wall, drawing in natural light and framing the surrounding... More

In Christchurch's Port Hills, a new four-bedroom family home takes inspiration from the original 1960s house that was demolished after the Canterbury earthquakes. Caption On the lower level, the base of the house is clad in dark brick. The bedrooms are arranged as part of the metal-clad upper floor making the most of the north-western aspect and views across the city and Southern Alps. Caption Living spaces are separated by an enclosed terrace. Timber screens and interior panelling made of Oregon, and recycled from the original house, add warmth and texture inside and out. Caption Caption More

On a small cliff-front section overlooking the town basin and Hundertwasser Art Centre, HMOA has designed a new three-storey, three-bedroom house with a pool and plenty of space for entertaining. Caption Board-formed, in-situ concrete walls and stair core balance the extensive use of timber. Caption In keeping with the Northland climate, the top level is predominantly for indoor and outdoor living. There’s also an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area and a separate TV lounge. A lift provides access from the entry. Caption The second level houses the bedrooms and provides access to the pool terrace while the ground floor includes the garage, entry spaces and plenty of storage, including a wine cellar. Caption... More

This is the latest in a series of houses we have designed based on the idea of “encampment”, which develop the contours to create open kiwi versions of a walled garden.  Caption The large footprint generated by the client’s requirements is divided into three separate buildings surrounding an “open courtyard” which draws the space of the beach up the valley and into the overall composition.  The gathering of elements complements the poetic form of the bay and enhances the context.  Caption Brief: a generous house to accommodate extended family and friends without feeling cramped. The largest element contains the family living and bedroom areas, whilst the medium element accommodates gu... More

This house and artist studio is nestled into a steep site overlooking the dramatic, black sand dunes of West Auckland’s Bethells Beach. Three timber boxes extend towards a deck that hovers over native bush. Two of the boxes house living and bedroom spaces, the third is the studio. Clear glazing at the ends of each box frame views of Nikau palms, distant dunes and the coast. Where privacy is more critical, natural light is diffused through translucent fibreglass. “... The strength of its forms belies a harmonious relationship with the landscape,” NZIA Awards Jury, 2003. Photos: Jackie Meiring.Awards: NZIA New Zealand Award, 2003. More

The Fantails Estate Early childhood centre is set over 3½ hectares of land, catering for 154 children ranging from babies to pre-schoolers. Framed by paddocks, animals and trees, this early learning centre strikes a balance between state-of-the-art, modern educational spaces and sits sensitively within its rural New Zealand context.  Caption The site presented a shared vision of a unique ‘luxury lodge’ for children. Our team at Collingridge and Smith Architects (UK) implemented the balanced blend of functionality, aesthetics and environmental sustainability into the project.    At the end of a winding, estate-like driveways, the centre sits as six individual blocks fanned out around a striking geomet... More

Acoustis® 50 by Mermet : qualities recognized as far away as new Zealand  A manufacturer of fibreglass-based technical fabrics, Mermet revolutionized the market in 2006 with the launch of Acoustis® 50. This new fabric is the only one which offers an exceptional dual-functionality, being both a material for acoustic absorption and solar protection.   Its unique properties recognized around the world are the reason why, today, this Mermet fabric can even be found  in a wine bar on the other side of the globe in New Zealand.   Considered to be one of the most prestigious wine growing areas, Brick Bay is noted for its exceptional wine bar. The owners called in Noel Lane, a New Zealand architect, to build this... More

Elenberg Fraser love Auckland. We have long admired the city and its exports in culture and business and the arts. Almost 20 years ago we published the works of the great Rewi Thompson in Transition magazine, it is powerful work that we have absorbed and never forgotten. So our response to the Federal Street site is a personal and complex one. In contemporary architecture, landscape is often reduced to view lines and decoration. But we have sought to evacuate the ground plane and to reinstate the traditional forests of the New Zealand Taraire. We see this as a gift to the city, a visceral tactile forest experience with waterfalls and rocks and moss and layered dense vegetation – a real, living forest experience for residents and visi... More