Kopua Abbey

By Tennent Brown Architects

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Tennent Brown has worked with Southern Star Abbey for many years. Within the master plan designed for the Cistercian Monastery, the architects have completed Monk’s housing as well as this 12-bed guesthouse available for pilgrims and retreatants. Replacing a timber post-war barrack building, the architects were tasked with creating calm and reflective single and shared rooms. A communal space for gathering together leads out to a wide corridor where floor to ceiling slot windows placed along the length create a reflective pacing for those walking towards the rooms. The challenge to create architecture that aids in slowing people down and supporting their spiritual journey was central in this project.

Nearby, the Monk’s housing utilises the same ideas. With local Pakipaki concrete block walls, concrete floors and timber ceilings, the architects have designed simple, modest, warm and calm rooms for the Brothers.

AWARDS

  • 2009 NZIA Branch Award
Tennent Brown Architects
Wellington
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Kopua Abbey

Tennent Brown Architects
Tennent Brown Architects
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About the
Professional

Tennent Brown is concerned with people, how our buildings and environments will affect their experience. We design to uplift the quality of life, of work, play and wellbeing of those the buildings serve. Architecture is built around people, and every design is an individual's or organisation’s story: their hopes and aspirations for a building that is their own.

People entrust us with realising some expression of themselves, to translate that into built form. We take that seriously. Ours is an architecture of listening and understanding: a humanist architecture.