A space to inspire, inform and provoke inquiry.
We interviewed BOON founder Terry BOON, Architect Paul Goldsmith, members of the Taranaki community and current staff to hear their stories of 50 years and what the next 50 may look like. “I feel very privileged to have been given
From Puke Ariki to New Plymouth’s clock tower, BOON has played a pivotal role in shaping the fabric of Taranaki. As the award-winning design team reflects on reaching 50 years, their journey is one that can be defined by a
Developed by Kāinga Ora and Soho Group, the new social housing complex was completed through a design and build contract with BOON and Chris Bell Construction. It has 23 two-bedroom units, 21 one-bedroom units, and a community space, all designed
Ten projects received awards at the Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects Western region awards on Friday 24 May at the Refectory, Massey University. BOON was honoured to pick up three of those awards in the Housing, Public
New Plymouth Club has opened the Molesworth street doors to reveal a revitalised, bright and contemporary eatery overlooking one of the best views in town. The before and after views show the complete transformation effected in stage one of the
A first-of-its-kind school has been crowned the NZ Timber Design Awards Supreme Award at a ceremony in Auckland overnight. The Bali-inspired “Green School” was designed by NZ practice Boon, transforming a farm into a fully circular school with no
The success of the project can be attributed to the concept of whakawhanaungatanga, which emphasises building relationships and connections. Despite a tight design program to meet funding milestones, effective communication, trust, and the availability of stakeholders enabled important design decisions
Anna followed a slightly more unconventional path into architecture than most, as the subject is not a common career path in rural Waikato where she grew up. However, when she embarked on a european exchange in her final year of
To the left of the studio, Daniel and Taine talk over technical interventions into the landscape. To the right Connor and David debate the most effective way to achieve a cladding detail for a new house. Murali moves in and
Designed by the BOON design studio, and brought to life by Livingstone Building, the Kina takes the concept of neuro-architecture, or designing to enhance cognitive function and emotional well being, and applies it to education in a way that sets
Originally from Mumbai, Nikita arrived on Aotearoa’s shores in 2016 and eventually settled in New Plymouth – joining BOON in early 2020. Art has been a constant in Nikita’s life since childhood. The city she grew up in is a
Labour has pledged to build 10,000 houses over the next ten years to help solve this problem. With its annual review revealing they have not met their yearly target, looking at what Palmerston North City Council has achieved with Papaieoa
Algorithms seem to produce more of the same and don’t always find music to expand your listening. We’ve combatted that by creating our own playlist. On the daily, our studio is a place where people join for common purpose and
It is the ‘universal pigment’ found in skin, fur, hair, eyes; the teal feathers of tui, a blooming lily, and the spots on a browning banana. Its link to human health is fact. And because it is present in all
Central and local government moved quickly post NZ’s first full lockdown, implementing recovery packages and policy, with a focus on stimulating the economy and creating jobs. In New Plymouth part of that aforementioned package focussed on brightening the main streets
New Zealand is in the top ten in the world by most global creativity indices. We are an innovative and creative country — we’re not perfect, but we are resilient and relative to our size we have made big impact
We tuned into Tane when he presented what was a timely webinar on the Adaptability Quotient recently. It was an opportunity for us to fill up our own think tanks… and it did not disappoint, leaving the thought provoking conversations
Green School’s belief that schools should be places of joy, with a model of education that fully ignites imagination, optimism, inventiveness where wonder is ingrained into its very built environment. Studies have shown that the connection between classroom design and
“A friends research has strongly influenced my view on the role of Landscape Architecture and how I approach design of urban environments for human inhabitance.” says Daniel. Dr Rebecca Kiddle’s recent study titled ‘Where do we dance’ looks into the
Recent celebrations marked 100 years since the opening of the New Plymouth Museum, which moved across the street and changed it’s name at the turn of the century. In the early 90’s, with only 5% of its collection on display,
Fifteen projects have received awards in the 2020 Western Architecture Awards, a peer-reviewed programme run by Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA). Of six BOON projects that were shortlisted for the awards, we were humbled to come
This year’s theme for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori was Kia Kaha te Reo Māori – Let’s make the Māori language strong. As designers of the built world, our involvement in this movement is critical. The use of traditional
Since it was first introduced in 1991, the RMA has almost doubled in size and complexity, finding enemies across all political lines. Despite this and its status of being New Zealand’s resident political catch-cry, there have yet to be any
Half biopic, half career showcase, Mark Noonan’s film The Quiet Architect is a warm commemoration for an architect trusted and admired by peers and clients alike. We meet the Irish-American Pritzer Prize winner Kevin Roche at age 95, still the
It will be a year that will see organisations position for growth. But with demand and supply issues intensifying, they’ll need to up the talent ante to achieve growth while striking the right balance between technological integration and human skills.
This interview was timely, with the recent hype surrounding Bunnings flat-pack homes dominating nationwide news. Although there is some ignorance surrounding them, discussion has been sparked amongst New Zealanders about how we can creatively confront the housing crisis: homelessness, state
For years employers have put the focus on safety, rather than looking at how employee health can be enhanced more broadly in the workplace – most pertinently, through design. On average, we spend around 40 hours a week at work.
“When a situation feels temporary, it feeds fatigue because everyone remains in a holding pattern. That energy should be used to develop new patterns and rituals,” Andy Lantz RCH Studios Creative Director says. “The challenge is to integrate design thinking,
