The Research Agency / Jose Gutierrez

© Emily Andrews

Architects: Jose Gutierrez Ltd.
Location: , New Zealand
Project Year: 2010
Project Area: 200 sqm
Photographs: Emily Andrews

Wiroa Station Wine Cellar / MAP Architects

© Brian Cully

Architects: MAP Architects – Simon Elvidge
Location: ,
Project team: Simon Elvidge, Knut Menden
Structural engineer: Powell Fenwick Consultants Ltd
Main contractor: Dave Crabb, Circle D Construction
Project area: 25 sqm
Photographs: Brian Cully

Te Puni Village / Architectus

© Paul McCredie

Architects: Architectus
Location: ,
Project year: 2009
Photographs: Paul McCredie

No.8 Wire Residential Residence / Jonathan Gibb

Cross Section

No.8 Wire is a paper architecture explorative analysis of the house, relative to the landscape of central Otago. As the title declares, the aesthetic is a bold foray of built form placed in conversance to the surroundings. The historic use of No.8 wire has entered into the cultural lexicon of many countries, especially the concept of resourcefulness and creativity; best described as New Zealander’s ingenuity and adaptability.

Designed by Jonathan Gibb, the concept of No.8 Wire and its associated ideals of adaptability have been used to give emphasis to the juxtaposition of a house within the expanse of a landscape. The intimacy and concept of what constitutes a home has been simply portrayed by use of the gable end, used as an indoctrinating device to express the essence of suburbia’s aesthetic, a figure and ‘sign’ of what may constitute a home. Abstracted and re-formed into a self sustaining entity, self referential through mirroring, offset and re-expressed as a didactic expression of space.

Kapiti Beach House / Geoff Fletcher Architects

© Ashley Cox

Architects: Geoff Fletcher Architects
Location: Kapiti,
Structural engineer: Dunning Thornton Ltd.
Builder: Haarlem Developments Ltd.
Project area: 70 sqm + decks
Project year: 2010
Photographs: Ashley Cox

The Meridian First Light House, Solar Decathlon / Team Victoria University of Wellington

© First Light house

The New Zealand team from is the first-ever finalist from the Southern Hemisphere in the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon. The team is led by students from Victoria’s School of Architecture and is made up of students from a range of disciplines across the university. New Zealand is the first country in the world to see the light each day, this gave the house its name— First Light.

Orokonui Ecosanctuary Visitor Centre / Architectural Ecology

© Patrick Reynolds

Architects: Architectural Ecology
Location: , New Zealand
Structural Engineer: Hadley & Robinson Ltd
Mechanical Engineer: MSS Ltd
Contractor: Naylor Love Limited
Project year: 2010
Photographs: Patrick Reynolds

9 Elmstone / Daniel Marshall Architects

© Emily Andrews

Architects: Daniel Marshall Architects
Location: , New Zealand
Designers: Daniel Marshall, Nick Veint, Karamia Muller, Mike Hartley, Nick Sayes
Project year: 2010
Photographs: Ernie Shackles, Emily Andrews

Social Groups House in Auckland / Mitchell and Stout Architects

© Patrick Reynolds

Architects: Mitchell and Stout Architects
Location: ,
Project area: 520 sqm
Project year: 2007
Photographs: Patrick Reynolds

Waiheke Island House / Mitchell and Stout Architects

© Patrick Reynolds

Architects: Mitchell and Stout Architects
Location: , Waiheke Island,
Project area: 2010 sqm
Project year: 2007
Photographs: Patrick Reynolds

Call for Ideas: projectChristchurch

The Catholic Cathedral - © NZPA / David Wethey

Kyle Lewis, an architecture student at CPIT in Christchurch, NZ, shared with us a call for design to help rebuilt Christchurch after last February’s . Here’s the message:

As you may know, an earthquake has destroyed most of the Christchurch City Centre and many of the surrounding suburbs. We want to rebuild with a plan for a sustainable future but we need help getting there. Put simply: We need advice, experience, know-how, and designs on the best ways to implement sustainable change. We have the energy of the people and support of the government with $15 billion earmarked for the rebuild. But we lack visions for how a sustainable city will look and function. We know solutions exist and invite the contributions and experience of designers from around the world. A socially, economically and environmentally sustainable city is not beyond our capacity. Can you help us get there?

It is my hope that collaborations between local and global communities will have the power to enact change. We are using Reddit as our central meeting place. Reddit is an online community that has gained notoriety for its ability to solve real-world problems. Can our local community and the reddit community work together to design solutions? Can we tap the greater global wisdom to address our community’s needs? Specifically we are asking for proposals. These can be submitted to our page on reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/projectChristchurch/ or emailed directly to (projectChristchruch@gmail.com).

Great Barrier Island / Herbstarchitects

© Jackie Meiring

Architects: Herbstarchitects
Location: ,
Project Team: Lance Herbst, Nicola Herbst
Contractor: Ian Riggans
Project year: 2005 – 2010
Photographs: Jackie Meiring

Victoria Square / Architectus

© Simon Devitt

Architects: Architectus
Location: , New Zealand
Project area: 31,000 sqm
Project year: 2010
Photographs: Simon Devitt

Waitakere Civil Defence Headquarters / Architectus

© Simon Devitt

Architects: Architectus
Location: ,
Project area: 472 sqm
Project year: 2007
Photographs: Simon Devitt

Waitakere Library And UNITEC Facilities / Architectus & Athfield Architects

© Simon Devitt

Architects: Architectus & Athfield Architects
Location: ,
Project area: 8,000 sqm
Project year: 2006
Photographs: Simon Devitt

Waitakere Civic Centre / Architectus, Athfield Architects

© Simon Devitt

Architects: Architectus, Athfield Architects
Location: Auckland,
Project area: 13,400 sqm
Project year: 2006
Photographs: Simon Devitt

Video: A Dome In Peka Peka / Fritz Eisenhofer

Gaby Lingke shared with us a short documentary about architect Fritz Eisenhofer, who designed and built a futuristic earth-sheltered dome in Peka Peka, Aotearoa, . Architect’s description and a plan of the dome after the break.

Saint Kentigern School Jubilee Sports Centre / Architectus

© Simon Devitt

Architects: Architectus
Location: , , New Zealand
Project area: 2,100 sqm
Project year: 2009
Photographs: Simon Devitt

152 Fanshawe Street / Architectus

© Simon Devitt

Architects: Architectus
Location: Auckland,
Client: Townscape Properties
Project area: 7,500 sqm
Project year: 2007
Photographs: Simon Devitt

The Pohutukawa House / Matthew Gribben Architecture

© Patrick Reynolds

Architects: Matthew Gribben Architecture
Location: Piha,
Team: Matthew Gribben, Keith Chen-Hao Lin, Felix Junker
Site Area: 906 sqm
Project Area: 160 sqm
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Patrick Reynolds

Northland Events Centre / Copeland Associates Architects

© /John Dymond

We just received this very interesting project from the Copeland Associates Architects; a new stadium for 3000 spectators at Okara Park in the city in readiness for the Rugby World Cup in 2011. The building, developed between 2008 and 2010, is located in North and includes office space for sports and related community bodies, conference areas and reception space.

Further information and pictures after the break.