Full circle
29 March 2021
Hamilton Gardens is known the world over. It attracts more than a million visitors every year, with upwards of 5000 visitors a day
Landscapes
A matrix of amber and green
29 March 2021
Mimicking the pared-back materiality of the architecture, a simple plant palette creates a sense of calm in this modern urban garden.
Enclosed haven
29 March 2021
Are they follies, small extravagances, or safe havens from the coastal whims? Melanie McDaid explores the courtyard house and some of its local iterations for clues
Where the valley meets the sea (and the concept of street is open to interpretation)
11 February 2021
On 162 hectares of what was once farmland at Auckland’s Long Bay, only small pockets of native forest remained, leaving plant and animal communities isolated from each other on degraded land.
Feeding the soul: Julia Atkinson-Dunn’s new book is a bible for new and enthusiastic gardeners
25 January 2021
For homeowners with the luxury of outdoor space or those looking to cultivate a garden in their homes but starting from scratch, there’s an abundance of information on home gardening but it takes some searching and, if you’re an amateur, it can be overwhelming.
Out with the old
21 December 2020
In Red Beach’s latest retirement village, the archetypal landscaping stalwart – the bowling green – has been thrown out in favour of a whole new philosophy for how seniors want to live out their retirement years. Boffa Miskell landscape architect Emma Todd says Metlifecare were
Cruciform house
21 December 2020
A spacious Mid-Century modern-inspired home in Orakei proves that you don’t need a huge amount of land to have four bedrooms and multiple living spaces, particularly when less than half of the home touches the ground.
Basalt on the senses
11 December 2020
For a brutalist building that stands so four-square on its ground, this house is full of hidden delights.
Bridge over water
11 December 2020
Sandii McDonald creates a beautiful rhythm in a Japanese-inspired landscape — based on plans that were first drawn in the 1970s by Sang Architects.
How this home turned its small front yard into the dreamiest outdoor space
23 November 2019
By building a raised pool to sit flush with the living area, this Westmere home’s poorly-used front yard is now the ultimate space for summer Project Pool, spa and pool house Architect Andrew Meiring Location Westmere, Auckland What was the brief from the client? The
An iconic concrete home in Remuera gets the most incredible pool pavilion
20 November 2019
Ermanno Cattaneo pays homage to the original architect of this Remuera home, Ron Sang, by designing this extraordinary pool pavilion Project Pool pavilion Designer Ermanno Cattaneo, Suzanne Turley Landscapes Location Remuera, Auckland When Ermanno Cattaneo arrived in New Zealand from Italy to take up a
This is how a boring and barren entryway became a lush garden
19 November 2019
Faced with a narrow garden and dated exterior, James Walkinshaw of Xanthe White Design used some simple but effective ways to transform this Pt Chev home Project Garden of outdoor rooms Designer James Walkinshaw, Xanthe White Design Location Pt Chevalier, Auckland Talk us through the
This coastal garden made the most of its oddly shaped location
29 October 2018
Landscape designer Phillip Smith created a coastal garden on a tricky piece of land jutting into the Waitematā Harbour that morphs and shifts, depending on the season and the whims of plants Here’s how this coastal garden made the most of its oddly shaped location
This summer house was designed for entertaining with a view
25 October 2018
The brief was simple: Build a summer house high on the hill, away from their perfectly proportioned house, to dine, relax and drink in the views This summer house was designed for entertaining with a view Project: The ‘Altana’ Architect: Tom Locke Location: Waimate North,
A party cabana and sculptural pool fence to envy on summer days
21 October 2018
A dated outdoor area received an elegant makeover. Now with a striking shelter, sculptural fence and outdoor speakers it’s the ultimate entertaining space A party cabana and sculptural pool fence to envy on summer days Project: Party cabana and pool Architects: Rogan Nash Location: Cox’s Bay, Auckland Brief: To
A Northland pool lined in glossy black tiles
5 January 2017
A Northland pool designed to be taken in day-long doses Pool fencing requirements often make you wonder if it’s worth even bothering with a pool, given that the need to make a body of water safe will also render it unsightly. But, given the right
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Dear architect…
A family-centric, semi-courtyard home with an internal, slow, staggered reveal takes pride in its privacy and as an entertainment mecca.
Lake Rotoiti house
Unfolding across two visually distinct levels, this holiday home on the shore of Lake Rotoiti is envisioned as a winter house — a concrete bunker of sorts nestled into the hillside.