We are proud to share that Waiheke House was shortlisted for the Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects Auckland Housing Awards. This recognition underscores our commitment to crafting architecture that resonates with its environment and the people who inhabit it.

Perched on Waiheke Island's steep terrain, the house is thoughtfully integrated into the hillside, offering expansive views of the surrounding landscape. The design balances experiences of enclosure and openness, utilizing a restrained material palette of steel, plywood, and solid timber to create warm, refined interiors that harmonize with the natural bush and beach setting.

The elevated top floor serves as the primary living and viewing platform, providing 270-degree vistas—from the morning sun in the east to the bay in the north and the vineyards to the west. A generous roof and extended eaves offer shelter and shade, while also facilitating rainwater collection, essential for the island's off-grid living.

The awards ceremony was a celebration of architectural excellence in the region, and we extend our congratulations to all fellow shortlisted practices and winners. Being part of this event reinforces our dedication to creating spaces that are both contextually responsive and deeply personal.

Te Mata House has been selected as the cover feature for Home magazine, a recognition that highlights its seamless connection with the surrounding landscape and refined architectural form. This home captures the shifting moods of its environment, balancing lightness and solidity in a way that enhances the experience of living within it.

We’re thrilled to share that Volcano House has been named a finalist for Home magazine’s Home of the Decade (2015–2025)—a prestigious recognition celebrating the most outstanding residential designs of the past ten years.

Watch live on 14 July 2024, 7:30pm on TV1

Or watch on TVNZ on demand

New Zealand’s Best Homes is a 6 part series presented by Phil Spencer.

It’s a real privilege to be included in this series showcasing 18 homes in New Zealand over 6 episodes. Phil Spencer was a charming character to meet and had an extraordinary quality of being able to develop instant rapport with people. He was also a true professional and took the time to write notes, think for a moment or two and develop a script and angle. It was such a pleasure to work with Phil and the whole team at Perpetual Entertainment.

Special thanks to the clients for making this such a smooth experience. The following are the details of the TV show.

It will also be available through “TVNZ on demand” after the initial screening.

EPISODE 6 with Volcano House will air on

SUNDAY 14th July 7.30pm on TVNZ 1.

Please find the supertease for the series here which you can share. 

You’ll see a picture of Tom looking close up at a model.

Read More about this project…

Watch ‘New Zealands Best Houses’ here…

Hawkes Bay New Zealand Institute of Architects Awards,

Shortlisted Housing Category, 2024

It was a real privilege to be shortlisted for this award in the Hawkes Bay and we celebrated this with the clients in Hastings. They are originally from Germany and have lived in New Zealand for the last 15 years, moving only recently to the Hawkes Bay. The project had a high level of discipline and consistency.

We designed the house utilising a New Zealand made charcoal concrete block that had a South Island river stone aggregate. The blocks provided structure, cladding, and interior linings.

Pete from BNL Construction was fastidious in delivery and worked tirelessly to create a home that was unique as opposed to the Hawkes Bay “barn style” of construction.

Read more about this Project…

“There is a refined level of architectural simplicity here. Two storeys of glass, steel, and concrete block, carefully set between a hill and the vast views of the ocean. That level of transparency has meant the interior has been kept linear and uncluttered, with the few aesthetic moves — such as stairs, inbuilt furniture, kitchen, and hearth — enjoying a Donal Judd–like simplicity of geometry and materiality.”

“Just as the circulation and social spaces are all arranged around the impressive glazed wall, the more private areas have been nestled into the hillside, where a type of cuboid concrete block form reads as a strong shelter, cocooned from the light-filled, openness elsewhere.”

Carved into the Milford landscape, this residence is a testament to the client's love for Italian stone architecture, extending out to lighter, open and uninterrupted living areas. The 'S' shaped plan maximizes the surface area of glazing to create two courtyards of light, pooling with natural illumination. The plan also delicately balances privacy with urban engagement.

Catering to the lifestyle of a couple seeking a timeless sanctuary, the design offers ample space for entertainment while seamlessly integrating with the street. Emphasizing compression and expansion, both vertically and horizontally, the unique shape enhances the permeability of natural light into the living areas. Conceived as a solid block of travertine, the exterior is notched or carved out to create living spaces. Stone is assembled in stratum-like sedimentary layers and mechanically fixed to a concrete structure.

The ground floor houses a self-contained minor dwelling, providing flexibility for hosting or potential rental income, seamlessly integrated into the sloping site alongside the garage, lift, and utility spaces. A planted pergola enhances the outdoor living experience, softening the home from the street, adding layers of privacy and a tactile contrast to the stone.  The upper level forms a bridge-like structure, providing shelter while enhancing airflow and natural light.

Ascending from the cobblestone entry court, a stone staircase is notched into the landscape, leading to the main living spaces. This offers seamless transition from the outdoors to the indoor areas. The journey is accentuated by an outdoor segment of the staircase, visually connected to an internal gallery through a glazed curtain wall. The top floor, a platform of social and private spaces, opens the inside to the outside through a continuity of materials and a hovering roofline above a ribbon of glass.

Covering an internal area of 270m², this level hosts the primary living spaces, settled in an ethereal atmosphere created by wide eaves, broad roofs, and strategically placed slot windows that screen the surroundings while inviting an abundance of light.

The house offers a retreat within the city, providing options to enjoy peaceful courtyard spaces or embrace the liveliness of the surrounding context. The materiality and detailing emphasize the solidity and stability of the stone to establish and reinforce a strong connection with the landscape.

We're honored to share that 'Volcano House' is among the 30 homes featured in 'Cape to Bluff' by Simon Devitt and Andrea Stevens. This book journeys through Aotearoa, showcasing homes that reflect a deep connection to their surroundings and communities. Being included is a humbling acknowledgment of our approach to architecture that seeks to respect and respond to the unique character of each site and its people.

The volcanic cone of Maungauika North Head is the backdrop to this quiet suburban site. Accessed from a small laneway and surrounded by two-storey houses, the land is largely inward-looking. Architect Tom Rowe has responded to this context with a sophisticated courtyard house, where every corner of the site been considered, detailed and wrapped into the composition. 

The weight of the mountain and the arc of the sun informed the placement of each building element and open space. Views of Maungauika are ever present, and the mountain guided the materiality of the building. ‘We sourced South Island basalt to bring permanence, mass and solidity,’ says Tom, ‘and timber for its softness and contrast. The third material is the glazing, which opens the interior to a series of micro-landscapes and “frees” the roof from the walls to create a balance between lightness and gravity.

Referencing the surrounding environment, the house is conceived as a collection of boulders in the landscape and translated into four stone-clad pavilions – the garage, kitchen and laundry, bedrooms and bathrooms. The basalt cladding wraps from the exterior to the interior, shifting in texture from a rough finish outside to smooth inside. Corridors and living spaces are located between and around these forms, beginning at the entrance gallery, expanding in scale to create the main living area, and dropping down in scale again in the main bedroom wing. Courtyards connect the house to all points of the compass for a sense of expansiveness and outlook, while maintaining privacy from neighbours.

Informed by ancient stone architecture and the local landscape, there is a sense of the eternal in this house. Tōtara and rimu logs felled a century or more ago, salvaged from riverbeds in Te Tai Tokerau, were milled for ceilings and floors. The basalt was quarried from lava flows near Timaru. Echoes of the bush resonate throughout. ‘Ancient sites change you,’ notes Tom, ‘and they have profoundly transformed the way I understand and think about space. I look to balance a sense of the present – the everyday – while alluding to something older and timeless.’


—Images by Simon Devitt and text by Andrea Stevens.

WAIHEKE HOUSE - UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Elevated and panoramic living is balanced by privacy and retreat through careful material and spatial handling.

Waiheke’s steep terrain creates the twin opportunities to bed down into the hillside and embrace a big landscape and view. This site in Church Bay allowed us to balance these experiences of enclosure and expansiveness in a new two storey, three-bedroom house. Defined by economic materials and efficient detailing, our design aimed for clarity in the spaces and structure. Utilising steel, plywood and solid timber, we’ve shaped elegant, domestic interiors that resonate with their bush and beach setting.

In September 2019, ArchiPro held their second networking event, “AP after five” in Parnell. These events are designed to bring together the professional people and companies on ArchiPro, providing an opening to create opportunities, to network and to learn from industry peers. The September theme was vernacular architecture, and the guest speakers were Tom Rowe, and Willie de Gruchy from WG de Gruchy Construction. Willie was the builder for the Volcano House that has received high media acclaim and the video that was produced by ArchiPro has had more than 50,000 views on youtube.

The content we presented  was attuned to the volcano house and in particular the use of the unique materials sourced from New Zealand. We brought material samples of Riverwood and Timaru Bluestone to the event that were quickly gobbled up by the audience to furnish their material libraries. It has been a real success to work closely with these two small companies that were sourcing material from New Zealand.During the lecture, we relayed that as a result of the Volcano House alone, 17,000 native trees have been planted alongside the rivers of Northland. This process is fuelling provincial growth alongside significant ecological benefits. 

HĒMI EATERY

“Hemi is a beautiful reincarnation of one corner of the iconic Vic Markets. … There's something very special about the way Hemi harmoniously fits with the historic surroundings. The interior is light and airy, with sky-high ceilings and a blanc de blanc palette complemented with Italian Travertine marble (sourced from Italian Stone), used in various ways - tiles along a large feature wall, a stone counter front and a smooth marble counter top…
Hemi is a triumph, you will come away feeling fortified with beautiful food, served by beautiful people in a beautiful setting. It's not pretentious, just healthy, delicious modern fare with exceptional presentation, service and generous portions. A place where you can indulge but it's almost impossible to be unhealthy, a stunning eatery that has elevated the brunch offering.”

-Monique Barden, Canvas, New Zealand Herald

DOMAINE THOMSON TASTING ROOM

The Domaine-Thomson Wines’ tasting room sits on a natural platform above the vines with panoramic views across the vineyard and Cromwell Basin to Lake Dunstan. Surrounded by mountain ranges, the image is of a classic Central Otago landscape. 

Noel Lane (Conceptual Architect), drove the backroads of Otago and Southland with his fishing buddy and client David Hall-Jones, to visualise the final feel and position of the buildings. In association, R B Studio led the way in conjunction with Noel to the final construction and delivery.

The building architecture is inspired by local, historical buildings from the era of John Turnbull Thomson, chief surveyor of Otago in the mid-1800s and celebrated in the name of the wine. His era was the humble structures of gold miners and farmers who created shelter from readily available, simple materials. Like the terroir of the wine, the building profile honours this legacy by featuring corrugated iron roofs and walls, a lean-to porch and galvanised sheet chimneys.

This first book represents a real milestone.Both for me personally and for us as a practice.About 16 years ago while I was working as a student for Noel Lane Architects, Noel generously invited me to his book launch. The event provided ignition and ongoing fuel for many subsequent years. Saskia and I formed our practice ten years ago and with the support and energy of many gifted and creative people, the practice has continued to flourish and thrive. 

For us as a practice the book is a manifesto.A line demarcating a record in time, as well as a map of the future. In the digital realm, a map is ever more important because it provides scale.What we call scale in architecture is very similar to value.It’s not about quantity, or size, or volume, it’s about relative importance. Values of course influence our decision-making and direction.

Apparently nothing increases productivity like competition.

BarkHaus is an invite only, design and build competition including 14 architects charged with the duty to design an interpretation of a modern-day dog house.  

The designs will be on display at Ponsonby Central from 21 September and open to the public to exercise their democratic muscle and vote for their favourite.  

Extract: “I think we are becoming more interested in the history and materiality that is available in New Zealand and this house uses local stone and native timbers that have a real patina and richness we can’t import… It gives you a sense of New Zealand’s unique identity.” Tom Rowe, senior Architect director

Read the full Archipro project of the month article here

Click on below image to view the video on our Volcano House project

Bruder Klaus Chapel (by Peter Zumthor) is a small chapel sited on a lonely paddock of a small provincial German village. The Chapel was constructed in reverse, burnt from the inside out. The process involved attaching 112 tree-trunks together in a spiral form and constructing a concrete shell built up around the logs. The logs were then set on fire and burnt out to form a hollow interior with an opening to the sky.

The Notre Dame du Haut Chapel in Ronchamp is the masterwork of the celebrated 20th Century architect Le Corbusier. It is located in the middle of France and while it is difficult to get to, it is well worth the journey. We were there alone on a misty day.

It is a real privilege and pleasure to have one of our projects shortlisted for the Home Magazine, Home of the Year award. Only 10 homes in New Zealand were shortlisted for the 2019 award and the judging was completed a couple of weeks ago by the esteemed New Zealand architects Nicky and Lance Herbst as well as the highly awarded architect, Gloria Cabral from Paraguay. Gloria was in New Zealand speaking at the New Zealand Institute of Architects conference and is known for her innovative work with delicate brick construction. The awards are announced in the April issue.

To view the 10 selected projects click here and here.

A good plan is clear.

It’s easy to understand, to comprehend both as an abstract drawing and as a built form. Good plans come from revising and reworking over initial concept plans until the spatial relationships are attuned both internally and externally.

Good planning demonstrates the values of efficiency, economy and clarity, often as a result of many hours of sketching and redrawing, finally leading to a diagram of distilled refinement.

A good plan is rational, logical, natural and instinctive.

It contributes to economy of space and is lean like an athlete to serve its purpose. It is generous with spatial relationships between volumes and activities.

Le Corbusier, the Swiss modernist famously claimed that:

“The plan is the generator […] It is a plan of battle […] The battle is composed of the impact of masses in space and the morale of the army is the cluster of predetermined ideas and the driving purpose. Without a roof plan nothing exists, all is frail and cannot endure. All is poor even under the clutter of the richest decoration.

The plan is the generator. Without a plan you have a lack of order and wilfulness. The plan holds itself the essence of sensation.”

We are delighted to announce success in receiving a New Zealand Institute of Architects Auckland regional award in the Housing category, for the design of the Volcano House. The awards evening was Wednesday night and was a celebration of local architecture with some excellent buildings showcased.

Point Cloud

We have recently been working with point cloud technology, which is effectively a 3D scan of an internal space or exterior, picking up detail and colour with millimetre accuracy.

This technology is invaluable with historic and renovation work enabling accurate surveying of complex, difficult geometry right down to the detail of light switches, smoke alarms and detailed skirtings, mouldings and scotias.

In addition to the capture of this information, we can also model new proposed interventions alongside the 3D survey, enabling fast and effective concepts to be conveyed in an accurate manner. The price is relatively cost effective and removes the significant time involved in measuring and recording site dimensions.

We see this as a technology that will significantly influence the future of both design and documentation of “as built” structures and services, particular in large and complex projects.

The gourmet feast that surrounds material selection and application in architecture is inexhaustible and truly mouth-watering. While new materials are constantly being developed, durable and timeless materials seems to be a more robust choice, both practically and aesthetically. In his recently released book “Principles,” Ray Dalio propounds the idea that:

Similar to the use of colour in graphic design, the experience and aesthetic of architecture seems to exhibit more cohesion when the material pallet is more selective and controlled. Peter Zumthor, the preeminent Swiss architect, expands on the matter:

“I try to make sure that the materials are attuned to each other, that they radiate; I take a certain amount of oak and different amount of pieta serena and add something to them: three grams of silver or a handle that turns or maybe surfaces of gleaming glass, so that every combination of material yields a unique composition. (Zumthor, 1998)

We have a powerful and multi-sensory memory of past encounters with different materials. A single material can come in many sizes, shapes, colours and textures. These variations can affect the acoustics, the temperature, the way the light is caught, the way the shadows are cast, and ultimately the way we feel, perceive and act. Each material has its own historical and cultural significance inherited through generations of making and use. In this way, traditional materials engender a powerful vernacular that may come to symbolise any number of things, from power and prosperity to poverty and piety. Hence Nietzsche’s familiar dictum:

Stone is more stony than it used to be. (Nietzsche, 1878.)

“You say to a brick, ‘what do you want, brick?’ And brick says to you, ‘I like an arch.’ And you say to brick, ‘Look, I want one too, but arches are expensive and I can use a concrete lintel.’ And then you say: ‘what do you think of that, Brick?'

Brick says: “I like an arch.”

Recently I had a discussion with a client around Site Selection, an activity for which architects have typically been immersed and engaged with. The challenge historically was to identify the “Genius Loci” or "spirit of a place", a practice globally widespread across all cultures particularly in a historic and mythological context.

From European sacred buildings occupying sites of importance and dominance, to cities such as Tokyo located with a mountain range behind for protection and facing the sea as a source of commerce and prosperity. Beijing’s famous Forbidden City site was “designed” with the spoils of the earthworks from the surrounding moat being deposited to form a hill behind, both for perceived protection as well as evocative of the mythical tortoise in traditional Feng Shui- but clearly providing shelter from the cold North winds.

Vitruvius, the famous architect and author on the subject published "10 books on architecture" 20-30BC, which for many years were used as the textbook for site selection. Many of these principles hold true today as do his three most important values, firmitas, utilitas, venustas; literally firmness, commodity and (aesthetic) delight. His view on site selection follows:

“It should be elevated, not cloudy, not liable to frost, facing those regions of the sky which are neither hot nor cold but temperate. In addition, if at all possible, proximity to swamps is to be avoided.” ( Book 1 )

It is generally recognised that these books were not solely a result of Vitruvius’ observations and fascinating that the subject and these values seem both timeless and to reflect "a universal truth".

Extract: “ This renovation respects the home’s heritage past while adding space and functionality. There is more than one path to take for an extension to a protected historic home - one is to echo what has gone before, another is to stand out in sharp contrast. And then there is the third option - create a modern addition that stylistically and in terms of scale echoes the existing residence…”

To read the article click on the image below.

Extract: “Century-old villas in the city are often close together and that's part of the heritage character of our older neighbourhoods.

But it can pose a design challenge when you want to extend your house but don't wish to overlook the neighbours.

Auckland architect, Tom Rowe and designer Saskia Baetens, have come up with the perfect solution for their own family home in a protected heritage street in Sandringham…”

Read the full article here

Extract: “ There’s a common misconception that architecture has to be big and extravagant and opulent to be big and extravagant and opulent to be succesful or desirable. Not true. These two idemtical cabins, on a protected piece of coastline in the Bay of Islands, have a sense of craft and scale that belies their size. In conceiving this project, architect Noel Lane in association with architect Tom Rowe, has delivered a pair of gems that just make you want to climb in your car and head North…”

To read the article click on the image below.

Tulloch Park in Gore is about to undergo considerable redevelopment. Central to this is the transformation of the indoor swimming pool into an exciting new recreation centre featuring an indoor bike and skate park.

Extract: “ In an area imbued with history comes a modern incarnation…”

To read the article click on the images below.

Extract: “ The best dining experiences are those that captivate a number of senses – not just the taste buds, although, of course, what the taste buds think defines success or failure for any restaurateur. But given that the competition for the fine dining dollar is intense, how does one restaurant differentiate itself from another. At James, the answer is as clear as day and night – the visual aesthetic, devised by architects Noel Lane and Tom Rowe, is based on dichotomy; light is divided from darkness, and there is compression and decompression as a low volume opens into high…”

To read the article click on the images below.

Extract: “This renovation features walls of glass in the fully reinvented section of the home but the terrace wall beyond provides scale and perspective to the idyllic lake setting.

Undertaken by architect Tom Rowe, this major home transformation was a game of two halves. The rear section of the home - a surveyors cottage in another life - was partially retained, with rooms reshuffled to create a new kitchen, dining areas and bedrooms. This was clad afresh in Italian travertine stone and a brand new traditional sloping roof was introduced…”

Click on the cover below the view the feature.

Recently I had a discussion with a client around Site Selection, an activity for which architects have typically been immersed and engaged with. The challenge historically was to identify the “Genius Loci” or "spirit of a place", a practice globally widespread across all cultures particularly in a historic and mythological context.

From European sacred buildings occupying sites of importance and dominance, to cities such as Tokyo located with a mountain range behind for protection and facing the sea as a source of commerce and prosperity. Beijing’s famous Forbidden City site was “designed” with the spoils of the earthworks from the surrounding moat being deposited to form a hill behind, both for perceived protection as well as evocative of the mythical tortoise in traditional Feng Shui- but clearly providing shelter from the cold North winds.

Vitruvius, the famous architect and author on the subject published "10 books on architecture" 20-30BC, which for many years were used as the textbook for site selection. Many of these principles hold true today as do his three most important values, firmitas, utilitas, venustas; literally firmness, commodity and (aesthetic) delight. His view on site selection follows:

“It should be elevated, not cloudy, not liable to frost, facing those regions of the sky which are neither hot nor cold but temperate. In addition, if at all possible, proximity to swamps is to be avoided.” ( Book 1 )

It is generally recognised that these books were not solely a result of Vitruvius’ observations and fascinating that the subject and these values seem both timeless and to reflect "a universal truth".

Click the above image to view the project in its entirety.

Read more on the Northland Lake House and other awarded projects in this Architecture Now article…

NZIA Jury Citation: “The extensive use of stone is an appropriate showcase for the client’s professional expertise, and a covered outdoor room, top-lit with onyx marble, is a useful and well-used space. Extensive views of the lake have been achieved by raising the new living area platforms above those of the existing house.”

Recently ArchiPro asked us to comment on Sunlight in New Zealand (This is another obsession architects are constantly discussing and describing). Link to the article.

1. How would you describe New Zealand's sunlight? 

While at architecture school, I had a professor who asserted there were two distinctive responses to light manifesting in art of the Renaissance.The Florentine school were interested in “line” due to the harshness of their sunlight and shadow. They correspondingly became adept and fascinated with sculpture and strong gutsy line drawings. The Venetian school were interested in “tone” due to the misty atmospheres of Venice and became experts in painting, glass and fabric design.  
In New Zealand, I would describe our light as characteristically diffuse, luminous and crystalline. Over summer we do have extremely sharp and “Florentine" moments at the zenith with a real sense of clarity and purity. But this is probably the exception rather than the rule. 

2. What key suggestions you have for making a house feel sunny and warm all year long?

 In classical times, the Romans planned with an inherent knowledge of light manifesting in their impluviums within the Villas of Pompei, their occuli in the Pantheon, as well as its smaller and less grandiose sisters. They applied these tools to create ambient light even in densely populated areas. Today this takes shape in the cities as skylights, low level windows and as well as small courtyards that pool with light connecting a home to the environment.In the landscape, pavilions with deep eaves allow for an all season panoramic enjoyment of the sun and diffuse daylight most consistent with traditional Chinese and Japanese architecture.  

3. What key considerations and research do you undertake when examining how the light might interact with one of your house designs? 

We design for the environment, often to maximise sun in the winter and maximise shade in the summer. Typically this involves planning  deep eaves interlinked with courtyards, light shafts and skylights. We also research materiality, investigating the effects of light onto surface texture and the substance of material. As an example, travertine marble or onyx have a luminosity beyond the surface that creates a sense of resonance and a subtle glow.  

4. With Northland Lake House, what is the concept behind the outdoor rooms and extending eaves, and the way you've covered it with this awesome hovering roof, incorporating lit cubes in the ceiling, and ensuring you draw light into the home at the same time? 

The roof wraps around a central fireplace core (that braces the structure) and then the roof “lifts off”. Free from the main part of the existing house, this gives a sense of shelter without compromising the view of the lake and landscape. The Russian constructivist architect, El Lissitzky was famous for his Wolkenbugel, “cloudball” project. In simple terms it is, “Look no hands”. Light in this project also filters in a similar manner down to a lower level bedroom courtyard between the deck and a bridge that is set free from the structure. The illuminated cubes in the ceiling are onyx, a warm coloured translucent stone, they have a clear plastic roof over them and are also backlit for nocturnal diffuse ambience.  

 5. Have you encountered any surprises when planning around sunlight? 

Mechanically, we typically undertake sun studies at 9am, 12noon, 3pm and 5pm on the equinox, and the shortest/longest day. We do this with drawings rather than using animation, as it gives us an opportunity to interrogate the digital model. An interpolation of the result gives us the general ambience of the effect of sunlight. Water is always a surprise and while we have deliberately designed reflection pools in some of our houses, our coastal projects often have an activated dynamism as a result of the coastal environment.   

We are delighted to announce success in receiving a NZIA regional award in conjunction with Noel Lane Architects for the design of two small seaside cabins. The awards evening was held last Thursday and was celebration of local architecture with some excellent buildings showcased.

These two seaside cabins are cut into the hillside twenty meters from a small, intimate beach in the Bay of Islands. They are suited facing Northeast, concealed and immersed within the native bush of the terrain.

Seaside Cabins | Small Project Architecture Award

NZIA Jury Citation: “Two cabins are better than one, particularly when they are thoughtfully placed on the edge of the beautiful beach that discreetly conceals them. One sits higher than the other, offering careful views into the exterior shower zone of the other - a take on public-private zones that reinforces the intimacy and play for which cabins are designed. These cabins are best considered from the sea and then from the naturally lit bathrooms to the rear of the sleeping zone. They are a privileged act of hedonism, simply duplicated.”

Click the above images to view the project in its entirety.

Extract: “The Pool is built on a platform surrounded by a wall of local stone. Behind the wall is a planted trench, allowing clear view from the pool area to the shore. This fence rises on the entry side the pool to a gate attached to the cedar-clad pavilion. The wall continues around the back of the pool, where it is carefully concealed with new planting. ‘There's no glass, there’s nothing shiny about it.’ Rowe says. ‘Everything is patinated, and will continue to do so over time. There’s a quality in terms of tactility and endurance.”

Extract: “The Pool is built on a platform surrounded by a wall of local stone. Behind the wall is a planted trench, allowing clear view from the pool area to the shore. This fence rises on the entry side the pool to a gate attached to the cedar-clad pavilion. The wall continues around the back of the pool, where it is carefully concealed with new planting. ‘There's no glass, there’s nothing shiny about it.’ Rowe says. ‘Everything is patinated, and will continue to do so over time. There’s a quality in terms of tactility and endurance.”

Extract: “ In a living space that’s been carefully crafted and curated, it’s important that the kitchen doesn’t compete with its surroundings, rather it enhances them. In this respect, architect Tom Rowe had a very clear vision of the look and functionality of the kitchen seen on these pages….

…When we asked the architect Tom Rowe what the inspiration was behind these twin bathrooms he smiled and came back with a quote from one of New Zealand’s favourite sons Ernest Rutherford: “we didn’t have much money, so we had to think….””

To read both articles click on the images below.

Houses editor Justin Foote talks to architect and self-confessed ‘architecture chaser’ Tom Rowe about finding atmosphere in the built spaces around us.

Five wonderful projects by Tom Rowe are presented with images and floor plans.

To read the feature click on the images below.

Tulloch Park in Gore is about to undergo considerable redevelopment. Central to this is the transformation of the indoor swimming pool into an exciting new recreation centre featuring an indoor bike and skate park.

In association with Noel Lane Architects, we received two New Zealand Institute of Architects Awards: a ‘Hospitality and Retail’ Award for the James Restaurant project, and a ‘Small Project’ Architecture Award for the Pool Pavilion Project. We would like to thank our clients and all consultants and contractors who contributed to both projects.

James Restaurant | Hospitality Award

NZIA Jury Citation: “Less is indeed more in this energising response to an old site with its double-height volume and concrete-formwork walls. A gesture as simple as hanging swathes of hot-pink sheer curtaining which can be arranged to configure a series of intimate ‘rooms’ or to frame the entire space, is exactly the right, inspired decision. Coming from the near pitch-black bar area, the room is an explosion of eye-popping, fun colour and a great environment for a party.”

Click the above image to view the project in its entirety.

Pool Pavilion | Small Project Award

NZIA Jury Citation: “This well-considered and finely crafted project draws its greatest strengths from the architect’s understanding of how sometimes restraint and excision can deliver more than enough. The pool and its associated structures form a series of basic elements, articulated with simplicity and resolved with great elegance. Tiles, paving, a skeletal canopy structure and beautiful planting work with the water surfaces to provides an amply sufficiency of elegance and pleasure. This is the kind of place where it is very easy to imagine that James Bond, no doubt suitably accompanied, could be filmed.”

Click the above image to view the project in its entirety.

Extract: “Nestled on a rural, waterfront location North West of Auckland is the Kaipara House designed by Noel Lane Architects, senior architect Tom Rowe. Conceived as low-lying bach to empathise with its expansive setting, the home is finished with natural materials including cedar weatherboard cladding and hand-split western red cedar shakes for the shingle roof. Internally, honed granite and basalt are used together with oiled oak flooring and a stained cedar TGV ceiling. The Arclinea kitchen features an island that allows the cook take full advantage of the water view while entertaining guests.”

Click the image below to view the full feature.