Celebrating a Year of Creative Connections

A highlight of the year was the completion of the award-winning Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library, Hamilton’s newest community library. In our Tāmaki Makaurau studio, much celebration was had for the opening of Stage 3 of Everil Orr Living, and in Christchurch, our studio enjoyed the opportunity to open their doors during NZIA Aotearoa Festival of Architecture week.

As we get the first taste of summer, we’re now looking forward to downing tools and enjoying some festive fare and replenishing creativity levels for the year ahead. We hope you too can enjoy some rest and relaxation over the holiday period with friends, family, and sunshine.

Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library

Designed to be the cultural heart of Hamilton's fast-growing Rototuna suburb, the completed design and surrounding landscape of Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library was inspired by the rich cultural heritage of the local whenua.The north Hamilton site, once occupied by green pastures and swamp land, is now a centre of activity with a state-of-the-art library and community complex, village square, play and skate spaces, and safe connections for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. Designed and constructed in collaboration with Designwell and AECOM, our client Hamilton City Council has reported more than 150,000 visitors have passed through the doors of Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library since it opened in July, making up 41% of all library visits in the city. The surrounding landscape design includes concrete patterning that expresses the cultural narrative of the area.

Project Team // Sam Thomas, Phillip Kempster, Jaune-Marie van der Merwe, Stuart Mackie, Lloyd Atherfold

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Everil Orr Living, Stage 3

Stage 3 is the latest building at Everil Orr Living in Mount Albert, Auckland to be completed. The aged care facility, designed for our client Airedale Property Trust, boasts four levels with spaces for People Living with Dementia, Care Suites and Apartments all in one building. The project has been a labour of love for our Tāmaki Makaurau studio, with the original resource consent gained in the early 2010s. Since then, significant co-ordination of design and construction was required to bring this project to fruition to create an integrated and collaborative community with state-of-the-art care and facilities.

Project Team // Rajan Hira, Stuart Mackie, Nathan McNaull, Werner Van Schalkwyk, Amy Land

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Taranaki Cancer Centre, Project Maunga

The Taranaki Cancer Centre will bring together comprehensive cancer treatment services in New Plymouth for the first time. Part of Project Maunga, the overall Taranaki Hospital campus redevelopment, this purpose-built facility will house a new linear accelerator, 10 chemotherapy chairs, eight outpatient consult rooms, and associate staff and support spaces. The building design responds to the local heritage and culture of Taranaki with the main façade cloaked in a routed timber pattern designed by Rangi Kipa, a well-respected Taranaki artist. The project targets Green Star 5 and embodies strong sustainability principles including reduced energy and water consumption, improved indoor environments (natural light, thermal comfort, and air quality), the use of sustainable materials, and reduced impact on the surrounding environment. The facility is due to be completed mid-2025.

Project Team // Darryl Carey, Neil Kaiser, Bridget Trevena

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Community Engagement

From the annual NAWIC Awards in Wellington; to receiving the Veros Best Team Award at the Central Property People Awards in Kirikiriroa; ArchiPro Meet & Greet in Christchurch to topping up Vitamin C levels at the Health Design Conference NZ in Auckland, sharing successes, learnings, professional development, and ideas has been a true highlight of 2023!