22 Sep 2025
After 27 years with Studio Pacific – and more than four decades in the architecture and building industry – our colleague and friend Wayne Lightfoot is retiring from his role as an Associate.
Wayne joined the studio in 1998, bringing with him deep experience from his years running a design and draughting practice in Auckland. Since then, he has played a pivotal role in shaping many of our residential and commercial projects, contributing not only as a designer and technical lead, but as a steady, generous presence within the practice.
Wayne’s name is behind some of our most well-loved and carefully detailed homes – including Timber House, Kāpiti House, and Rawhiti Bach – along with complex projects like Pirangi, 100 Molesworth, and the Courtyard Houses. His hands-on understanding of construction, attention to detail, and calm manner have made him a go-to figure in the studio for decades.
Beyond the work itself, Wayne has shaped the studio in quieter but no less important ways. He has mentored countless team members over the years, sharing not just his technical knowledge, but his patience, humour, and care. He has actively contributed to our Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, and his daily presence has helped foster the collaborative culture we value so highly.
“Wayne has been an integral and important member of our team. Over 27 years, he’s delivered many projects and made a significant contribution to the studio. He’s also been a strong mentor and leader for our younger kaimahi. We’ll miss having him around the studio each day.” — Stephen McDougall, Founding Director
While Wayne is officially retiring, he is not disappearing. We are glad he will continue to stay connected with the studio – joining us for morning teas and, no doubt, a well-timed story or two.
We are grateful for everything Wayne has contributed over the years – to the projects, the people, and the studio itself. It is no exaggeration to say that he has left a lasting imprint on the practice.
He hono tāngata e kore e motu; kā pā he taura waka, e motu.
Unlike a canoe rope, a human bond cannot be severed.
Mā te wā, Wayne – thank you for everything you’ve shared with us.
After 27 years with Studio Pacific – and more than four decades in the architecture and building industry – our colleague and friend Wayne Lightfoot is retiring from his role as an Associate.