Urban Regeneration
Studio Pacific’s inception came on the back of winning an urban design masterplan competition and this skill has been core to the practice ever since.
Studio Pacific brings international experience to New Zealand projects, combining local knowledge of the qualities of the New Zealand landscape and sociocultural fabric with an awareness of approaches to urban design adopted from around the globe. We have completed a substantial number of award-winning urban design and masterplanning projects, including the Kumutoto precinct and Harbour Quays precinct on Wellington’s waterfront, the Waterfront development at Seatoun, the Lighter Quay development in Auckland’s Viaduct Basin and the Crown Lynn precinct in Auckland’s New Lynn.
Our primary focus in masterplanning sites is to create places for people, exploring the use of building forms to give shelter from wind and sun, opening frontages up to the outside and considering pedestrian flow. We seek to continually improve the visual life of the city and work to bring intrigue and delight into the projects we undertake.
Our current masterplanning projects include the Ormiston Town Centre in Manukau, Auckland and Sunderland A in Hobsonville, Auckland. We have also completed projects for Wellington’s inner city public spaces, such as the Cuba Street bus shelters and the refurbishment of the forecourt for the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.
Education + Learning Spaces
We believe that, fundamentally, effective learning can be supported by clever spaces. As well as facilitating learning activities in a practical way, educational environments can stimulate and inspire, promoting collaborative work and the sharing of knowledge. Our education projects are diverse and each has its own specific set of requirements and characteristics.
We are currently the architects for the upgrade, seismic strengthening and interior refurbishment of two significant heritage buildings, the Sir Geoffrey Peren Building and the Refectory Building, which now form part of the Massey University Turitea campus in Palmerston North.
We were also the architects for the new Royal Society of New Zealand Thorndon campus. The building includes a strong science education focus, with a dedicated education department and conference facilities designed to accommodate visiting lectures, science fairs and symposiums. Other previous education projects include the design of the Weir House extension at Victoria University of Wellington, and work for Marlborough Boys College in Blenheim and several other schools.
Workplace + Workspace
Studio Pacific has been designing and delivering workplaces since its inception. Over the last 26 years we have built up an extensive portfolio of award-winning interior fitout projects for satisfied clients. We have also developed ongoing relationships with a number of clients from both the public and private sector, and over 70% of our work portfolio is generated by existing or previous clients. All of our clients speak positively of the impact of workspace design on their organisation.
In our workplace design work, we have sought to evolve the conventional idea of office ‘fitouts’ to the more sophisticated concept of contemporary workspaces that reflect the values of the client organisation and enhance the way it works. Specifically, workplace design can create a more productive, flexible and efficient environment that supports modern ways of working and encourages interaction and cross-pollination between different individuals and teams within an organisation. We understand the need for a variety of spaces that include formal and informal meeting areas, including vibrant communal break spaces, collaborative workspaces and quiet rooms for concentrated individual work.
Landscape
Studio Pacific has a team of specialist landscape architects that is completely embedded within the Studio.
The team’s primary focus is the design of integrated urban environments and public open spaces that reflect a deep understanding of New Zealand’s unique cultural and natural landscape. Every site has a story to tell and our objective is to creatively bring the narrative of a place to life and inspire the imagination. Throughout the design process we are able to blend a range of social, cultural and artistic aims with a strong environmental awareness to realise rich, diverse and meaningful spaces. This site specific ‘place making’ approach is key to everything we do and informs every aspect of the design. Equally, our approach reflects a strong commitment to understanding and working with complex environmental systems and we hold strong the concepts of stewardship and responsibility towards the environment in all of our work. There is a strong focus on WSUD (Water Sensitive Urban Design) and LID (Low Impact Design).
The cross-disciplinary nature of the studio allows the team to work at a range of scales and provide integrated solutions for both the public and private sector. Current work includes a number of large-scale masterplans, private and social housing developments, civic spaces, public parks, schools and a selection of residential gardens.