Why use an architect?
Aro Ha Wellness Retreat, by Tennent + Brown Architects, a Southern Architecture Award winning project
Photo by Simon Devittt
Creating your own building is a challenging but immensely rewarding journey. An architect is a valuable partner, providing conceptual and practical support that will make sure your project meets your needs.
By choosing to engage with an architect you are choosing to tap into a wealth of technical knowledge, skill and creativity. Modern architectural practice is steeped in history but uses cutting-edge technology and procedures to create buildings that will endure and reward you well into the future.
Good architecture is about responding to the needs of people and the environment. The decisions architects make can have far-reaching effects. Buildings designed today will not only impact on today’s communities, but also on generations to come.
In fact, every architect has a social responsibility to design buildings that not only consider the needs and enjoyment of the client, but also take into account the specifics of the site and surrounding environment and community.
New Zealand architects are highly trained and passionate about their work. They uphold longstanding traditions of creativity, innovation and professional excellence. They also use the latest technology to craft enduring buildings that will reward those who use them well into the future.
A good architect adds value to a project. An architect’s training, well-honed creative skills and broad technical knowledge allow them to design buildings that can be integrated into the built and natural environments at every scale and budget.
The architect’s role is to guide their client through design, planning and construction, to bring value for money through design and to provide peace of mind.
In New Zealand, an architect’s professional status is protected by the New Zealand Registered Architects Board. Only registered professionals can call themselves architects. Registration is earned through a combination of academic qualifications, significant practical experience and examination.
The majority of New Zealand architects are members of the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA), a professional body which supports its members and promotes outstanding practice in architecture. NZIA architects have access to ongoing professional development and training opportunities and support in policy developments and practice issues.
The NZIA is responsible for encouraging excellence in New Zealand architecture. It strives to ensure their member architects uphold the philosophies and values of architecture and design, and work to create an exciting, innovative and sustainable built environment in New Zealand.