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Send us Fan Mail Designing with people sounds like a slogan until you hear what it demands in real life. Recorded at the NZIA Institute Conference, we sit down with Sydney-based co-founders David Kaunitz and Ka Wai Yeung, whose practice has built an international reputation for socially responsible, culturally sensitive architecture with remote communities across Australia and the Pacific. The big idea is deceptively simple: stop designing for communities and start designing with them, even when that means the brief doesn’t exist yet. We talk through how projects actually get off the ground when governments or organisations can see a need (like aged care) but the land, approvals, and community alignment are still uncertain. David explains why a holistic architectural role matters here: budgets, consultants, risk, and persistence are part of the job, not optional extras. We also unpack what respectful engagement looks like, including working with existing community governance while intentionally creating safe ways for quieter or excluded voices to be heard. The practicalities are just as real as the principles. Remote work can mean 1,000-kilometre drives, repeated trips, and extended time on Country, plus the challenge of growing a team with the patience and temperament for long-haul trust-building. We also dig into delivery: why local materials and local construction methods matter in post-disaster reconstruction, how maintainability can make or break a building, and what “best practice” means when the goal is long-term community ownership. If you care about community-led design, participatory architecture, Indigenous-led outcomes, and making architecture genuinely useful, this conversation will sharpen your thinking. Subscribe, share it with a designer who needs to hear it, and leave a review, what’s one way you’ve seen listening change a project? Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail Two architects walk into a conference and we hand them a mic. What comes out is a fast, honest look at how New Zealand architects make decisions when nobody has time for fluff. We’re joined by Hamish McLachlan (Bowen and McLachlan Architects, also Architecture Zero Zero) and Rob Paulin (Paulin Studio), the two winners of our In:Situ ticket giveaway, for a quick-fire Q&A that turns into a surprisingly deep conversation about the design process and the built environment in Aotearoa. We start where great projects actually start: the relationship. How do you tell if you’re a good fit for a client, and when should you walk away? From there we move into light and site research, why orientation still matters even with modelling tools, and what you learn the hard way when accuracy slips or QA gets assumed instead of checked. Then we zoom out to the big stuff: designing for beauty and resilience in New Zealand, what “timeless” really means when styles and trends keep cycling, and why ugly buildings don’t survive because nobody fights to keep them. We also get practical about materiality and longevity, from mass timber and local materials to the renewed case for stone, plus why patina and imperfection can be a feature rather than a flaw. Along the way we talk prefabrication, rammed earth, affordability, and a simple A-B system for prioritising what deserves the budget. If you care about New Zealand architecture, sustainable building, and making spaces that feel good to live in, press play, then subscribe, share it with a designer mate, and leave a review. What do you want to see change in NZ architecture over the next 20 years? Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are talking with Dr Albert Refiti, professor at AUT and co-director of the Vā Moana Research Centre, about Vā: the relational space that holds people, culture, hierarchy, and belonging together. Once you hear Vā described this way, Pacific architecture stops being a set of shapes and starts reading like a living map of relationships across time. We dig into why key forms and spatial rules have stayed so consistent for roughly 3,000 years across Polynesia, and how elements like platforms, posts, and the ridge beam carry social order and ancestral memory. Then we follow what happens when those systems move into the diaspora. Without villages, Pacific communities in New Zealand often rely on churches, halls, and civic buildings, and architecture can become an urgent marker of identity. That urgency also creates change, compromise, and sometimes misunderstanding, especially when contemporary building codes, materials, and procurement collide with cultural meaning. Albert shares sharp reflections on projects in Auckland and Wellington, including what it means when a symbolic element disappears and how a “gap” can become an honest architectural moment rather than something to hide. We also turn to housing affordability, co-housing, intergenerational living, kaitiakitanga, and what Pacific communities might learn from papakāinga and the urban marae model. If you care about Pacific architecture, cultural identity in design, or building community-centred places in Aotearoa New Zealand, this one will stretch how you think. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with a designer or student, and leave a review so others can find it. Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever wondered why New Zealand can’t seem to build medium density housing that feels calm, green, and genuinely liveable, this conversation puts a spotlight on the real blockers and the real opportunities. This episode we’re joined by Wellington architects Tim Gittos and Caro Robertson from Spacecraft Architects, fresh off winning the F. Gordon Wilson Fellowship for their research project DIY Density.  We get specific about what “DIY” actually means here: not people building their own houses with their hands, but everyday owners and small groups having the tools to lead development decisions, rather than settling for developer-led products. Tim and Caro explain why the three-storey walk-up is such a powerful missing-middle typology, how it can replace “sausage flat” backyard infill, and why facing the street while going up can preserve light, privacy, and neighbourhood character. We also talk about what matters beyond the dwelling: arrival, shared outdoor space, fewer driveways, stronger streetscapes, and keeping trees and permeable ground so our suburbs don’t bake and flood.  The big theme is certainty. We unpack why risk and unknowability around consenting, cost, and process stops good housing before it starts, and how replicable models, precedents, and even pre-consented pathways could make affordable housing more achievable. Tim and Caro share insights from their work on the New South Wales Housing Pattern Book, including what it takes to make pattern books useful in the real world, and who might administer something similar here as planning rules evolve.  If you care about urban design, housing affordability, walkable neighbourhoods, and building better cities in Aotearoa New Zealand, hit play, share it with a mate, and subscribe so you don’t miss what comes next. After listening, what would convince you that medium density could be a better way to live? Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail Late decisions are the real budget blowouts, and they’re usually a symptom of the wrong team structure. We’re joined by Verity Lawrence and Lou Stringer, two interior designers working across Central Otago and Queenstown, to unpack what genuine architect interior designer collaboration looks like when it starts early and stays respectful. The conversation moves past glossy “before and after” talk and into the practical mechanics: when designers get brought in, who builds the consultant team, and why overlap between disciplines is where the magic often happens.  We also get honest about the messy side of the building industry in New Zealand. Verity and Lou share renovation horror stories where projects go sideways, clients are traumatised, and designers end up doing far more than finishes and furniture. We talk about trust, communication, and how dropping ego (and the old guarded approach to ideas and IP) can lead to smoother builds and better outcomes that everyone is proud to put their name on.  From there, we zoom right in to the intimacy of interior design. The best homes come from understanding daily rituals: storage habits, morning routines, family life, and the little details that make a space feel like it fits. We tackle trends without snobbery, asking how to borrow what you love while still designing for longevity, proportion, and material quality so you’re not stuck regretting today’s “hot” choice tomorrow.  Finally, we dig into what “interiors” even means, why the public still mixes up interior designer, decorator, and interior architect, and how ethics, ongoing learning, and clear value help clients make safer decisions. If you care about better residential design, smarter renovations, and a built environment that feels coherent, hit play, then subscribe, share the episode with a mate, and leave a review so more Kiwi clients and designers can find it. Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail Architects shape how we live, move, and feel in our towns and cities, yet they’re often missing from the public conversation when housing, infrastructure, and the built environment hit the headlines. We’re joined by Mark Abbott (Chief Executive, New Zealand Institute of Architects) and Kevin Ptak (Manager of Marketing and Communications, NZIA) to unpack what the NZIA is doing to speak with a single, clearer voice and put architects back in front of the public. We talk candidly about why the profession can come across as introverted, how “architectural discourse” can get in the way of real-world understanding, and why the message needs to land in everyday terms: comfort, warmth, light, smarter layouts, better streets, stronger communities, and projects that run with less pain. We also dig into the cost versus value trap, including the reality that only a small slice of residential builds involve a registered architect, and what changes when an architect is brought in early with a clear brief and honest budget guidance. Kevin shares how client interviews and richer video storytelling from the NZIA awards programme are creating stronger proof points, while Mark outlines a more proactive advocacy approach that includes better media relationships and cross-party engagement on housing and construction issues. We also preview the InSitU conference in Auckland, with international perspectives, built environment voices, and selected sessions recorded for people who can’t make it in person, plus a listener giveaway to top it off. Subscribe, share this with someone planning a build or renovation, and leave a review so more people can find the conversation. What’s one place you want architects to speak up more loudly in New Zealand? Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail Your projects might be exceptional, but if your studio looks and sounds like everyone else, the market won’t always give you the chance to prove it. We’re joined by Emily Konwiak Stevens of Emily Stevens Studio, an architecture brand designer and strategist, to talk about what branding really means for architects, interior designers, and other design-led businesses, especially in a competitive New Zealand and Australian landscape where the DIY instinct runs deep.  We get practical about brand strategy: the workshop questions that uncover what matters, the competitor and ideal client research that sharpens positioning, and how a genuine point of difference often comes from a mix of niche, approach, access, and place rather than trendy buzzwords. Emily also unpacks why rebranding can feel scary and personal, and why the goal isn’t to invent a persona, it’s to close the communication gap so your online presence, website, visuals, and tone of voice reflect the quality you deliver.  We also challenge a few industry habits: why PR, publications, and awards programmes are often image boosters instead of lead engines, how simple marketing consistency builds confidence over time, and what “personal brand” can look like for architects without the influencer vibe. If you’ve ever worried that promoting your practice feels smarmy, this conversation reframes branding as honesty, clarity, and craft. If it helps, subscribe, share it with a studio mate, and leave a review with the biggest branding question you’re still trying to answer. Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail A pile of treated timber offcuts looks harmless until you ask the awkward question: where does it actually go, and what does it do once it gets there? We get interviewed by Toby, a University of Otago Master’s student researching timber circularity, and we go straight at the uncomfortable parts of New Zealand construction. We talk about how NZS 3604 and stick framing shape almost everything we build, and how a quiet “fear of liability” can lead to over-spec framing, more thermal bridging, and far more timber waste than we think. From there we zoom out to the landfill reality, including why timber is such a problem material for sites like Victoria Flats in Queenstown Lakes District: it’s bulky, it doesn’t compact, it clogs machinery, and a huge portion is treated. We dig into the knowledge gaps around treated timber, including CCA-treated timber, and why perception, evidence, and education matter when you start talking about reuse, chipping, furnaces, or any other recovery pathway. We also keep it practical. We share design moves that reduce timber without compromising performance, the promise of prefabrication and off-site manufacture, and why SIPs (structurally insulated panels) can dramatically cut timber in external walls. We touch on HomeStar and Green Star, embodied carbon measurement, material passports, and designing for disassembly so buildings become material banks rather than future waste. If you care about sustainable building, timber recycling, and a real circular economy in Aotearoa, you’ll get plenty to argue with and plenty to act on. Subscribe, share this with someone in the industry, and leave a review, then tell us: what’s the first timber change you’d make? Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail Year-end is when the honest stuff bubbles up: what we built, what broke, and what we’ll try differently next time. We raise a glass to the community that’s carried this show and jump straight into the craft and chaos of design life—part celebration, part hard-won field notes. We start with the real costs and protections behind small studios: trusts, liability, and why construction firms fold faster than architects who keep overheads lean. From there, the stories turn tactile. A shaky three-storey demo becomes a lesson in salvage economics, where windows and steel pay the bills. Then comes the headline experiment: hydroforming a stainless-steel sauna for a client with six tonnes of water. We break down triple welds, reinforcement, polishing, spray foam to shift the dew point, and smart vent placement so the hottest air stays breathable. It’s a blueprint for making odd ideas safe, efficient, and beautiful. That hands-on build sparks a bigger provocation: what if cladding and structure are the same thing? We connect hydroforming to arches, keystones, and tensioned timber, arguing for performance-led form over decoration. Along the way we tackle the eternal software debate—Revit, Archicad, and the surprising power of simple stacks like Google Forms and Sheets for time, variations, and site workflows. We make the case for physical models that carry the concept from week two to the final pour, and for digital twins that guide renovations, farm fencing plans, and long-term maintenance without drowning in subscriptions. If you’re hungry for design that survives contact with the real world—pricing, risk, salvage, systems—and still leaves room for bold form, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves building as much as drawing, and drop us a note with the one tool or habit that saved your studio this year. Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail Start with a flooded hotel room, end with a four‑metre cantilever, and in between unpack the messy, creative space where structure meets form. We sit down with structural engineer Joel Marsh of Pocket to map out how architects and engineers can move beyond transactional deliverables and into a truly design‑led process that saves money, reduces RFIs, and produces cleaner, more elegant buildings. Joel opens the playbook: meet early, sketch by hand at 10–15%, and use those concept drawings to align intent before any modelling lock‑in. From there, general arrangement plans become a shared workspace for spatial fit, and detailed coordination happens before consent so builders aren’t left juggling “garden salad details” on site. We talk real value vs low fees, the hidden cost of conservative members, and why a readable calculation package should tell a story of load paths, stiffness, and performance that architects and builders can follow at a glance. Materials get a clear‑eyed treatment. Timber is brilliant when it fits the constraints; steel and concrete still win in the right places. Joel walks through post‑tensioned slab logic, a prefabricated mountain hut helicoptered into place, and what it took to pull off a four‑metre cantilevered floor. We also touch on AI’s limits: it can automate parts, but it can’t replace the creative judgement that balances cost, constructability, and design intent. The through‑line is respect and shared language—because the best buildings reflect a professional consensus, not a one‑sided mandate. If you care about better drawings, simpler details, fewer RFIs, and a smoother path from concept to construction, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with your project team, and leave a review to tell us the one collaboration habit you want to see more often. https://pocketeng.co.nz/ Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail What if a building could be more than an object on a pedestal and instead feel like a living character on screen? We sit down with two architectural filmmakers, Nikolas Struger from ravens At Odds and Veeral Patel who show how to move beyond glossy hero shots and capture the heartbeat of design: process, people, and emotion. From software and cycling photography to architecture practice and brand strategy, their varied paths lead to the same conclusion—storytelling is the missing bridge between architects, clients, and the public. We unpack the craft behind compelling architectural film, starting with strategy. Short, vertical cutdowns can spark curiosity and build trust, while longer pieces on your site deliver depth and nuance. Preproduction is everything: treatments to align on tone and references, storyboards that map scenes to sun paths and locations, and schedules that protect the moments you can’t fake. On set, preparation meets improvisation as documentary instincts catch the unplanned gestures that make a space feel alive. This conversation goes beyond formats to focus on value. Forget chasing view counts. Strong films create social proof, clarify process, and strengthen pitches by reducing perceived risk. We discuss budget tiers, when to choose interviews over pure visuals, and how music, sound design, or even silence can carry narrative. Nik and Veeral share examples of process-driven edits, client-led arcs, and long-form projects that track a home through years of delays, decisions, and everyday life—proof that architecture resonates most when it reflects human stakes. If you’re tired of slick reels that say little, you’ll find practical guidance on planning light, collaborating with crews, and structuring stories that audiences remember. Subscribe, share with a colleague who needs a narrative upgrade, and leave a review telling us: which project in your world deserves a film—and why? Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail A city can make you breathe easier—or grind your teeth—before you’ve even named why. We follow that feeling from a flimsy townhouse hinge to the rhythm of a street that forces a ute to crawl, exploring how materials, widths, and mixed uses quietly choreograph daily life. In this episode we pull apart modernism’s big promises, tip our hats to classical street smarts, and ask what a genuinely New Zealand urban vernacular might look like—one with corrugate, brick, and crafted facades that hold up to weather, touch, and time. The heart of the chat is human-scale design. We talk walkability you can feel, where a tight lane and rougher surface set a natural speed limit, and where a dairy under a flat means your day stacks neatly without a dashboard. Medellín’s gondolas and covered escalators show how access can reverse decline when you cut the time penalty for the very people who make a city run. Christchurch’s rebuild sits in the balance: a missed chance for bold spines of transit and tighter hubs, yet proof that even partial wins matter when applied consistently. And yes, fares and parking prices quietly steer behaviour more than slogans ever will. Inside the front door, priorities tell on us. The “double garage with everything” inflates into a third of a house, while the rooms we actually live in shrink. We argue for smaller, better spaces—nooks, ladders, odd corners that make memories—over storage for cars. Materials matter too: brick can beat timber on cost and presence, corrugate deserves a smarter role in city scales, and layered skins can bring the street back to hand-level detail. If there’s a takeaway, it’s this: design works when it speaks plainly to how people move, meet, and make a day. Subscribe, share with a city-loving mate, and tell us—what one change would make your street slower, safer, and more alive? Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail When we consume architecture, which speaks louder - the frozen moment or the flowing narrative? This question sits at the heart of our fascinating conversation with Clare Chapman, editor of Home Magazine, and Simon Devitt, renowned architectural photographer. Despite both guests being masters of still imagery, our discussion reveals how moving image is transforming architectural storytelling in ways that complement rather than replace traditional photography. As Simon eloquently explains, "Video kind of can mimic how the mind maps space, whereas stills can't really do that. But stills hold another power that video can't possibly entertain... allowing the viewer to use their imagination." The conversation weaves through surprising revelations about how we consume architectural media today. While 6-second videos dominate social feeds, Home Magazine readers spend an astonishing 90 minutes with each issue. This paradox highlights our simultaneous hunger for both instant gratification and deep engagement with architectural stories. We explore the power of client perspectives in architectural media, with both guests agreeing these authentic voices often communicate more powerfully than architects themselves. As Clare notes, hearing homeowners discuss their spaces creates "that emotional connection" that's difficult to achieve through professional commentary alone. Perhaps most fascinating is the discussion around authenticity in an age of photorealistic renders. Simon observes that "we are starting to question is that real or is it not?" This has created new value for content that documents genuine, built work across multiple formats - something increasingly important as consumers become more sophisticated in their media consumption. Whether you're an architect seeking better ways to communicate your designs, a media professional navigating changing platforms, or simply someone who appreciates thoughtful discussion about how we experience buildings, this episode offers valuable insights into the evolving language of architectural representation. Subscribe to the Design Principles Pod for more conversations exploring the intersection of design, media, and technology in our built environment. Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail The path to finding your architectural voice isn't a straight line—it's a series of experiments, failures, resets, and breakthroughs. Sam Brown, founding director of Arête Architects, takes us on a candid journey through his evolution as a designer and the growth of his practice. Starting with foundational experiences at Victoria University, Mason Wales, and Foster Melville Architects, Sam reveals how these early influences shaped his approach before launching his own practice in 2021. Rather than immediately establishing a signature style, Arête began with experimentation, allowing real-world projects to guide their development. The breakthrough came when budget constraints forced them to rethink conventional approaches, leading to a deep exploration of modular design using structurally insulated panels (SIPs). What makes Sam's perspective particularly valuable is his willingness to recognize when a design direction has run its course. After successfully developing a family of modular projects—from the Restricted Section to The Dart—Arête deliberately sought new challenges rather than continuing to refine a proven formula. This strategic reset prevents creative stagnation and pigeonholing, allowing the practice to maintain versatility while building a diverse portfolio. Beyond their bespoke work, Arête developed SIPtris, a series of high-performance modular homes available as products—asking what if warm, dry, energy-efficient homes weren't a premium option but the default for everyone? Throughout their various explorations, one principle remains constant: the integration of performance and aesthetics from day one. Sam's approach offers a powerful metaphor: your design mind is like a muscle that requires varied exercise. By embracing experimentation, learning from failures, and knowing when to reset, architects can build practices that remain fresh, relevant, and deeply connected to both client needs and environmental responsibilities. What design muscle are you exercising today? Video link with slides here - https://youtu.be/auPJcFL_FcM https://www.aretearchitects.co.nz/ Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!

Send us Fan Mail Step into the revolutionary world of mass timber construction with our enlightening conversation featuring Jordan Robinson, Head of Business Development at X-Lam. What begins as a reunion of old architecture school friends quickly transforms into a masterclass on how engineered timber is reshaping our built environment. Remember when timber was just for stick framing houses? Those days are rapidly disappearing as Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and other mass timber products demonstrate capabilities that rival—and sometimes surpass—traditional concrete and steel construction. Jordan walks us through the remarkable journey of how small pieces of timber, often considered waste in conventional lumber processing, are transformed into structural panels capable of supporting buildings up to 10 stories tall. The conversation shatters common misconceptions about timber construction. Far from being a fire hazard, mass timber chars at predictable rates, allowing engineers to design for specific fire ratings. And while acoustic performance requires thoughtful detailing, solutions exist that make timber buildings comfortable for occupants. Perhaps most surprising is the sustainability story—from the manufacturing process that utilizes timber offcuts to the carbon sequestration benefits, mass timber offers a compelling alternative to high-carbon materials. What truly captivated us was learning about the seamless integration between digital design, manufacturing, and construction. The ability to model a structure digitally, send the files directly to CNC machines, and then rapidly assemble precision-cut components on site represents a fundamental shift in how we approach building. As Jordan aptly put it, "You can build ball gowns or you can build T-shirts with timber"—meaning the technology supports both stunning showcase projects and practical everyday applications. Ready to reimagine what's possible in construction? Whether you're an architect, builder, developer, or simply curious about sustainable building practices, this episode offers valuable insights into a material that's been used for millennia but is now being deployed in revolutionary new ways. Join us as we explore how mass timber might just be the future of architecture in New Zealand and beyond. Please Like and Subscribe it really helps :) Follow us on @designpriciplespod on Instagram and if you wish to contact us hit our DMs or our personal pages. We love to hear from you it really encourages us to keep going and the ideas and feedback we get from the listeners is awesome!