An important area of my work is our URBAN DESIGN ADVOCACY practise. This business is the ‘naming’ of work that has run parallel to my architecture practice since graduation, and even earlier, from the day I commenced as a student at Auckland University School of Architecture. I discuss it in this blog, as the concerns I was working with from the start, are now being more fully addressed across architecture, urban design, landscape, environmental planning, social housing and all related disciplines serving community in our built world. What is most meaningful to me, as an approach to this ..read more

Is it now time for architects and designers to be around the table at Local Council decision-making at the very beginning of the discussion process? Time for expertise and local knowledge to be included for a rounded out understanding of built growth and urban design practice within our communities Read the article ..read more

This feature, provided by Women in Urbanism Aotearoa at Do Yourself a Favour and Go Find a ‘Third Place’ We need physical spaces for serendipitous, productivity-free conversation. By Allie Conti   On a Sunday last year, I was walking through a suburban neighborhood in Pennsylvania, heading home from an early-afternoon meditation class. One of the nondescript stucco houses had a curious sticker on its mailbox reading mac’s club. I checked Google Maps to see if I was standing next to a cleverly disguised business—what might pretentiously be referred to in a city as a speakeasy—but not ..read more

The construction of your building is a powerful memory in your experience and it benefits from the support of collaboration with your design professional. We enjoy the challenges of this stage, responding to progress on site, knowing how our clients develop confidence seeing all involved in the build, acting effectively on their behalf. The Law: NZ Building Act 2004 ‘You must have a written contract for any building work that costs more than $30,000, (including gst) and it’s recommended for smaller jobs, too. As well as the contract, the contractor must give you a disclosure statement an ..read more

Wellington has gained global recognition and US$1 million in prize money as one of 15 cities worldwide to win the Bloomberg Mayors Challenge. Digital Twin still Bloomberg Philanthropies has today announced the 15 winning cities of the Mayors Challenge, recognised for designing the boldest and most ambitious urban innovations that address current issues including economic recovery and growth, health and wellbeing, climate and environment, and gender and equality. When the competition launched last year, mayors from 631 cities in 99 countries submitted their ideas. Fifty champion cities were ch ..read more

This is an excellent article written by an allied professional in architecture publishing. Sometimes they can say it better than we can ourselves. Thanks Hannah Feniak: Managing Editor Architizer‘ A trained art historian and educator with a focus on architecture and urbanism, Hannah holds degrees from McGill University in Montreal and NYU.’ Why Good Design Matters Designing a building is a high-stakes juggling act that architects don’t get enough credit for. At best, society thinks architects are cool and elusive figures with a penchant for black turtlenecks and nice stationary. At worst ..read more

The key part of my architecture practice is providing clients with the documents to get their designs consented by their local authority, in order to progress with their new build or renovations. Often the process isn’t well understood, so let’s look at it from start to finish. The design stages and the building consent process You have decided to take on your new building project You need an architectural designer or registered architect to design and provide construction drawings to obtain a Building Consent for a building contractor to undertake the project A good designer will ensure t ..read more

Monthly sessions with Rosalind Derby and others, discussing architecture and urban design with a focus on place, community, and environment. Disrupt Episode 35 On her radio programme Local Architecture Now: Rosalind discusses attending the ‘Disrupt’ zoom symposium described as ‘The Largest Business of Architecture Symposium in the World’ and organised by the extraordinary Sarah Kolata. This brings together the leaders / founders / directors of the most well-known architecture firms, world-wide, for their principles and philosophies in establishing thought leadership in design and busines ..read more

I worked at Formica at the start of post-modernism in NZ as a Regional Design Consultant: promoting and designing prototypes for Formica to all architects and design schools in the Lower North Island. This year Formica Group celebrates the 100th anniversary of Formica® Laminate, the iconic and ubiquitous material that surfaces millions of spaces around the world and is loved by architects, designers and consumers for its versatility and high performance. Pentagram has designed Formica Forever, a commemorative book that tells the story of Formica’s century-long evolution through cultural shift ..read more

I am particularly happy to include this feature from ‘Local Democracy Reporting’ RNZ. I have loved Whanganui townscape and regional geography since working as an Architecture Graduate in Whanganui 1985 – 1987 for local architects: Belchambers and Bondy. I was so taken with walking the city, across its diverse landscapes and historic built precincts, that I took the opportunity to campaign as a Counsellor in the 1986 Local Body Elections. I campaigned for a positive Whanganui, advocating opening up the CBD to the great River and refocussing on the existing character of the extensive number of o ..read more