We're in NZ for almost 2 years now, and as an architectural designer, I'm extremely dissapointed in the quality of houses in NZ. To me architecture, or design in general, is a chain of opportunities, and what I see in NZ is a chain of missed opportunities.
We're designing and building our own house and the way this proces has exposed the general kiwi-understanding of sustainable, integrated design / building is mind blowing. One of the key elements that struck me is the understanding of day-night temperature changes. In general the NZ climate is mild, but the way it is very different from Europe is day-night temperatures. That is where you need to look for a healthy, comfortable home.
And then, get rid of the 10 a penny designs offered by the match-stick construction companies. I see 2 basic designs in NZ; the old fashioned romantic colonial style, and the modern material, mix and match box designs. In all price categories same old, same old.
With new houses, when it looks expensive, when it looks big, it is good...?
The architectural firm that is helping me with the design (NZ regulations etc.) told me this may be the first residential building to win an architectural award in NZ, which felt good to me at first, because I hoped to trigger a different understanding in building with it, to make NZ a more beautifull place, but I'm loosing my confidence with so much ignorance, so much misunderstanding in what makes life worth living.
A new house is an opportunity to do something better, not to just ad one more fashionably boring item to the existing stock.
Or is it?