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Studio Pacific Architecture

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Shaping Our Pacific Future – We are a cross-disciplinary architecture, interior, landscape and urban design practice shaping a more sustainable and people-centric built environment across the buildings, neighbourhoods, cities, and landscapes of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Studio Pacific was established in 1992 by friends and colleagues Evžen Novák, Nick Barratt-Boyes, and Stephen McDougall. After working in the UK and Europe, the three architects were drawn back home by a shared desire to form a collaborative and innovative practice in Te Whanganui-a-Tara – Wellington.

They opened an architecture studio ‘of the Pacific’, applying their creativity to projects that engaged with, and elevated, context and culture. Over the years, this has grown into a compelling manifesto to shape our collective Pacific future, where people and the planet are at the heart of our built environment.

Today, we are a team of around 60 – including architects, urban designers, landscape architects, interior designers and business professionals. We bring diversity in thinking and design, and a democratic culture ensures clever ideas come from all corners of the practice, not necessarily from those who have been here the longest.

Open-minded, collaborative and creative, our practice has evolved into a leading and award-winning business, working on a wide range of exciting projects that seek to make Aotearoa New Zealand a better place.

Expertise

Arts, Community + Culture
Diverse conceptual and poetic narratives have led to a unique body of work across a variety of significant artistic and cultural projects around the country.

Commercial
Efficiency, buildability and sustainability drive our design thinking in commercial architecture in the pursuit of future-ready buildings and workplaces.

Education
We craft inspiring and practical environments that facilitate learning and knowledge-sharing – spaces that uplift the senses to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

Health + Aged Care
Community is at the heart of our health and aged care projects. Designed to support the physical and emotional wellbeing of residents, patients and families, alongside tending to their clinical needs.

Heritage
We consult on every dimension of maintaining and redeveloping historic buildings – from conservation and remedial plans to refurbishments, restoration and strengthening.

Home + Bach
Beautifully crafted residential architecture for city, suburb, coast and country, our bespoke designs are designed to be treasured for a lifetime.

Hospitality
We design unique, well-structured hospitality and accommodation spaces with a memorable sense of style, mood and atmosphere.

Landscape
We cultivate integrated built and natural environments that reflect a deep understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique native flora and fauna.

Multi-Unit Residential
We design varied and vibrant neighbourhoods across housing typologies – from apartments and terraces through to urban regeneration and super-lot master planning.

Transportation
Our buildings and infrastructure help people on their journey across cities and around the country – places of efficiency and comfort that make commuting and logistics easier.

Urban Design + Planning
With a commitment to an inclusive sociocultural fabric, we apply global best practices to create joyful urban places and neighbourhoods.

Workplace Interiors
We create productive, flexible and efficient environments that support modern ways of working, greater interaction and ideation between individuals and teams.

Our Ethos

The Pacific is our home, our place to stand. We believe architecture, interior design, landscape architecture and urban design are a social responsibility. Our work should lift the human spirit, it should tell stories, it should be beautiful and generous, sustainable, and inspirational.

People are at the heart of the design process. We believe that great design expresses the narratives of people and place, ultimately providing space for society to enjoy and flourish. Our work responds to the unique culture, context and climate of Aotearoa New Zealand, drawing inspiration from our landscape, its forms, textures and quality of light. Our ‘Why' statement, values and ethos, guide us in enhancing the social, cultural and environmental outcomes of not only our projects but also our practice.

As people of Aotearoa New Zealand, we acknowledge the bicultural foundation enshrined in Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi). Māori tikanga is increasingly embedded in our process and guided by the principles within Te Kawenata o Rata. Our partnerships with mana whenua ensure the built environment is meaningful for Māori – reflecting their ancestral knowledge, whakapapa, and sense of place. These collaborative cross-disciplinary relationships mean that we work from multiple perspectives bringing richer innovative thinking and problem solving to the design process.

And as the health and well-being of people relies on the quality of the natural environment, we are on a mission to decarbonise our buildings through sustainable design. Bringing great care, craft and expertise, our collective creativity has led to a portfolio of transformative projects around the country based on a diversity of ideas over a singular stylistic expression.

Sustainability

Sustainability is one of the main priorities of the work we do. We’re determined to improve the communities in which we live in and create environmentally sustainable places and spaces.

That’s why, in our projects and practice, we are taking steps through ambitious reduction targets and an internationally relevant environmentally sustainable design framework across our projects, to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas and carbon emissions – aligning us with New Zealand’s 2050 net zero carbon goals. We’re raising our own standards to embrace transparency in carbon footprint reporting, supply chain ethics and materials traceability.

We are able to provide a full Life Cycle Analysis with Carbon Budgets for all our projects. We also have the capability to provide Green Star Accredited Professional services for any project where a Green Star rating is a project requirement.

We are active members of the Life Cycle Association of New Zealand and we are working on building an extensive project carbon database. We are also members of the New Zealand Green Building Council.

Studio Pacific are a Toitū carbonzero architectural practice and a signatory to the international Aotearoa New Zealand Architects Declare.

Te Ao Māori

As tangata whenua, Māori have a long history of shaping the built environment of Aotearoa – one that is reflective of their cultural and historic connections to place. Studio Pacific are guided by the principles within Te Kawenata o Rata and te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) for projects that are significant to mana whenua. We see ourselves as amplifiers and conduits whereby Māori are the storytellers, and our mahi is to listen and reflect their identity, narratives and whakapapa in the built environment through a co-design process.

We support Māori and Pasifika design students through financial scholarships and work opportunities, bringing greater diversity and emerging talent to the architecture industry. For more than a decade, we have enriched our understanding of te reo Māori and Māori tikanga, folding these into our everyday practices at Studio Pacific.

Workshops that give context and understanding to te Tiriti o Waitangi are a key part of our team’s professional development. And our people maintain meaningful relationships with mana whenua clients and consultants to ensure outcomes important to them are tangible in our projects and practice.

Research + Innovation

Innovation is essential in an industry with a large social, economic and environmental footprint. Research into new methodologies, technologies and materials, as well as new work, life and learning patterns, leads to better solutions and enables our clients to achieve their vision in smarter ways. A continuous and iterative process, innovation in our studio spans theory and practice, bringing about new design solutions to building efficiency, buildability and sustainability.

We have partnered with Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington for more than a decade to bring in specialist knowledge and third-party assessment. Focus areas have included: design and project management; social, physical and mental well-being; contemporary workspace planning; urban design, people mobility and transportation; timber construction and technologies; and building energy performance and materials. This important research partnership underpins a commitment to innovate in all possible areas. It also assures clients there is sound evidence informing our work.

Awards

We are passionate in our pursuit of creative expression and technical resolution – designing spaces that extend beyond mere function to achieve higher aesthetic, social and environmental outcomes. This has led to a portfolio of award-winning designs across all sectors, showcasing innovative, multi-layer solutions that deliver value and amenity well beyond client expectations.

Discover our recent awards.

Services
Architecture & LandscapeCommercial ProjectsResidential ProjectsInteriorsLandscape DesignRenovationsInterior DesignsNew Builds

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Business details

Category:
Architects
Business focus:
Residential & Commercial
Verified ArchiPro member since:
2015
Award winning professional:
19 awards

Awards

2026

Timber Design Supreme Award Winner

Timber Unlimited

Air New Zealand Hangar 4

2026
AwardTimber Design Supreme Award Winner
OrganisationTimber Unlimited
ProjectAir New Zealand Hangar 4
View Project
2024

Housing

NZIA Southern Awards

Park House

2024
AwardHousing
OrganisationNZIA Southern Awards
ProjectPark House
View Project
2023

Gold Pin (Public, Private & Institutional Spaces)

Best Design Awards

Tākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month

2023
AwardGold Pin (Public, Private & Institutional Spaces)
OrganisationBest Design Awards
ProjectTākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month
View Project
2023

Winner (Best Team Award)

Wellington Property People Awards

Tākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month

2023
AwardWinner (Best Team Award)
OrganisationWellington Property People Awards
ProjectTākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month
View Project
2023

Supreme Excellence Award

Wellington Property People Awards

Tākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month

2023
AwardSupreme Excellence Award
OrganisationWellington Property People Awards
ProjectTākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month
View Project
2024

Gold Award (Tourism & Leisure)

New Zealand Commercial Project Awards

Tākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month

2024
AwardGold Award (Tourism & Leisure)
OrganisationNew Zealand Commercial Project Awards
ProjectTākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month
View Project
2024

Excellence (Civic, Health & Arts)

PCNZ Property Industry Awards

Tākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month

2024
AwardExcellence (Civic, Health & Arts)
OrganisationPCNZ Property Industry Awards
ProjectTākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month
View Project
2024

Best in Category (Civic, Health & Arts)

PCNZ Property Industry Awards

Tākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month

2024
AwardBest in Category (Civic, Health & Arts)
OrganisationPCNZ Property Industry Awards
ProjectTākina – Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | Project of the Month
View Project