As technologies advance and the effects of climate change become a reality, the building industry is looking towards a myriad of options to offset carbon emissions and welcome biodiversity back to our cities.

Nestled between lush hillside and the shores of Lake Rotoiti, the surrounding environment of Evelyn McNamara’s latest architectural delight offered a myriad of opportunities for fauna of texture and colour.

We spoke to landscape architect Alex Traut about living water, the environmental benefits, and filtering pools using nature. 

Nestled high in a wild alpine expanse, this renovated hut was devised as a place of retreat and connection for its city-dwelling owners. 

In Takapuna, the pace is slower than in other suburban centres in Auckland. There’s a leisurely, beach-like feel to it, especially on Hurstmere Road — the suburb’s shopping and eatery hub — where people and vehicles share the road. 

On a remote station about halfway between Aoraki Mt Cook and Timaru, near Lake Tekapo, this prefabricated house was designed to settle effortlessly into a harsh landscape of snow and storms, and long, dry summers.

We’ve rounded up the best options for effortlessly incorporating the latest innovations in heat and cooking into your outdoor space with Stoke Fireplace Studio.

Around this Christchurch home, which is raised above the ground to allow floodwaters to flow beneath it, an interconnected series of landscapes combines to create a striking aesthetic.

Tucked into the hillside in Abel Tasman National Park, this is a house designed for enjoyment of the area’s unique landscape.