Client : Horizon Resources Ltd
Building Type : New Build
Floor Area : 500m2
Design : 7 months
Construction : Complete 2022
We designed this Childcare Centre in South Auckland’s newly-developed Paerata Rise suburb. It’s a community with the look and feel of an established country village but with all the modern benefits of an urban environment.
Aesthetically the building comprises pared-back pitched roofs over simple timber clad volumes - referencing the materiality and form of the farmhouse vernacular.
Each space has been designed to support the learning and development of different age groups – Infants, Toddlers and Preschool. The internal environment is connected to a challenging outdoor area, to encourage physical outdoor learning while building the children’s independence and self-confidence.
Client : Silverlight Studios Ltd
Building Type : Master-planning and Concept Design
Floor Area : 55Ha
Design : 12 months
Construction : Not Commenced
Tilt was engaged by Silverlight Studios Ltd to undertake the master-planning and conceptual design for a new film production studio, just outside Wanaka. This will be New Zealand’s first purpose-built studio, and is within close proximity to some of New Zealand’s most iconic and sought after film locations.
The design encompasses up to ten Sound Stages and associated workshop and storage buildings located around the edges of a purpose-built lake.
Supporting production and administration offices, a film school, screening theatres, post-production facilities, and smaller scale stages will be constructed as ‘double use’ back lots. These will replicate international film locations that are in high demand but difficult and expensive to shoot in (New York, Venice, European Cities etc.)
A Medieval Village, Banquet Hall, Lake Village and a replica New York Central Park will all form part of the film tourism component of the development… Imagine grabbing a bagel from a New York Deli, walking through the alleys of Paris and taking a cruise on a Venetian canal boat, before heading to a Medieval banquet dinner overlooking the lake - amazing huh?!
The Tilt team are very proud of what we have designed to date, and are looking forward to getting Developed Design underway soon.
Building Type : Residential Extension
Floor Area : 35m2
Design : 3 months approx
Construction : Complete 2022
Out clients came to us with a reasonably straightforward brief - “Reconfigure the rear of our house to provide better connection to the main outdoor space at the back, and improve the internal functionality of the very dated kitchen and dining area”.
Our solution involved removing the cold, insular lean-to structure to the rear, and proposing a modestly scaled addition to their existing villa, pitching a new roof up towards the sun, and providing a new kitchen/study/dining space for the family to enjoy.
Client : Rings Scenic Tours Ltd
Building Type : Visitor Experience
Floor Area : 480m2
Design : 8 months
Construction : Completed Nov 2023
Awards:
Gold Award - NZIA Commercial Waikato Architecture Award 2024
Silver Award - Best Design Awards 2024 - Spatial Exhibition
The doors are finally open!
The Hobbiton Movie Set Tour features the exterior of hobbit holes, scattered amongst the rolling hills of Matamata. Visitors have always wanted to experience what a Hobbit Hole would look like inside... this has now become a reality.
Working collaboratively with renown Illustrators, Set Dressers, Consultants, Contractors and Craftspeople, Tilt Architecture coordinated the complex array of architectural, structural, services and fitout elements. We developed the construction methodology and spatial layout, and produced a detailed 3D model for team members to visualise the spaces, and ensure a coordinated construction process.
Two Hobbit Holes are embedded within the iconic Hobbiton Hillside, inside a fully waterproof concrete ‘bunker’. An interior ‘Set’ including all walls, ceilings, floors etc. was built concurrently offsite, de-mounted, and installed inside the bunker.
The arched openings, circular hallways and windows, with large exposed timber beams and tree roots emphasise the underground nature of these dwellings. Low ceilings, small doors and circular corridors give an indication of the small stature of the Hobbit inhabitants, but we also designed the rooms to provide sufficient space to allow for comfortable visitor flow.
The final product is an engaging, immersive environment which we know visitors will fall in love with.
Book a tour and experience it for yourself!:
Client : Jucy
Building Type : Commercial / Tourism
Design : 12 months approx
Construction : 16 months approx
Whilst at Archaus, Greg was Project Architect working with JUCY and main contractor Arrow International in the delivery of the new JUCY Snooze building adjacent to Christchurch airport. This is a flagship operation for JUCY Group, and their first serious foray into the new build accommodation market. The focus was to encapsulate an ‘on boarding’ experience into the hostel reception and operation, aimed towards the target market of young independent travellers heavily connected to social media. The key was promoting friendship, connectivity and fun.
Greg developed a number of concepts for the main shared space, theming it to reflect the landscape of the Canterbury Plains and expressing a transition between the urban flavour of the café space and the rural feeling of a more natural rural setting. What the team settled on was a collection of various zones within this space allowing different types of relaxation and social engagement, including a kitchen space, a partially enclosed dining area, and a ‘hammock forest’ floating above rolling hills. The zones are linked by a meandering floor treatment reminiscent of the two main rivers to the North and South of Christchurch. The overarching approach was to leave each guest with a feeling of joy and surprise, a great start to their self-drive South Island experience.
Adjacent the communal area is New Zealand’s first capsule style accommodation - the innovative JUCY Pods. These self-contained capsules come with all the features of a room, offering guests privacy within a shared room. There’s also more traditional style accommodation with Queen, Twin and Family Ensuite rooms, compact yet stylish!
The building was officially opened by The Rt Hon John Key, and is a successful part of the JUCY experience for many visitors to New Zealand.
* This project was undertaken while employed at Archaus
Client : Weta Workshop
Building Type : Visitor Experience
Floor Area : 2400m2
Design : 16 months
Construction : Completed Dec 2020
Weta Workshop have now opened their ‘Unleashed’ Experience centre at SkyCity in Auckland. It’s an immersive world where the lines between fantasy and reality are blurred.
We worked directly with the Weta team to help design and coordinate the basebuild, fitout and construction of this mind-blowing experience.
It’s well worth a visit if you’re in Auckland.
Client : Horizon Resources Ltd
Building Type : New Build
Floor Area : 500m2
Design : 5 Months
Construction : Completed
This brand-new Early Childcare Center is nestled in a recently revitalised area of Whangarei, making it a valuable addition to the community's educational resources.
Designed with uncomplicated roof forms, a recessed entry alcove, and louvred screening on the front facade, the interior layout aims to create a practical and engaging environment for the development of our young tamariki.
We opted for simple, elegant, and easy-to-maintain materials, strategically placing the building to harness natural light while shielding it from external noise and weather.
As of now, the Center is fully operational and buzzing with a cheerful and lively atmosphere.
Client : Te Atiawa
Building Type : Visitor Experience
Design : 2 weeks
Construction : Awaiting funding
The Wharemauku Park development in Paraparaumu will transform a neglected waterway and provide a habitat where culture can be celebrated, and environmental awareness be promoted.
The project aims to construct a Wharenui, a Forest Nursery, a children’s playground and a centrepiece of seven life-size humpback whales, ranging in size from 8.5m to 24m, ‘swimming’ overhead on large poles!
Tilt were engaged to produce a masterplan of the site, demonstrating the visitor flow and locations of the various structures. We also produced rendered images and a fly-through animation, in order to garner interest from the public and other potential stakeholders.
The site is being developed by Puketapu hapū Te Atiawa and are currently seeking funding.
Feel free to help this project along: donate to the Whalesong Givealittle, read more on The Herald news article, or visit the 3D printed, replica whales at Coastlands Paraparaumu.
Client : The Movie Museum Ltd
Building Type : Tenancy Fitout
Floor Area : 2400m2
Design : 12 months
Construction : Not Commenced
As the lead fitout designer, we worked with the Project Managers, Sir Peter Jackson, Sir Richard Taylor and the base build Architects to develop and refine the concept for the movie museum fitout. Combining elements from movies such as the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit we 3D modelled sets, advised on pedestrian flow and key visitor touch points and coordinated within the base build design. Unfortunately the project was cancelled before Detailed Design stage.
This project was undertaken while employed at Archaus.
Client : Horizon Resources Ltd
Building Type : New Build
Floor Area : 580m2
Design : 9 months approx
Construction : Ongoing
A new project on a greenfield site in Pukekohe, this 100 child childcare center meets the clients objectives while achieving efficient usage of the side both internally and externally. Particular attention was taken to playroom orientation and natural light, with generous exterior open space interfacing with the interior play rooms. A feature of the buildings articulation is the tilted roof form over the entrance.
Occupying an end site of a large residential subdivision, care was taken to relate to the residential dwellings adjacent, both in form and materiality.
Client : Christine Lin / Ben Barraud
Building Type : Domestic Alteration
Floor Area : 55m2
Design : 3 Months
Construction : Completed Dec 2019
Clients Christine and Ben came to Tilt Architecture with a shopping basket of possibilities, from a bathroom and kitchen remodel, to a master bedroom extension into a sun room space, to a basement conversion into an office and storage space. The eventual solution will be dictated by budget, and will encourage the team to work smartly and efficiently.
In order to most accurately document the existing house, Tilt Architecture employed the use of a 3D point cloud scanner to record the finer details, making the process of computer modelling a breeze.
The exciting thing about this project is that we get to work with fantastic clients on a proud, elegant house positioned high upon the Hataitai hillside. The finished product has transformed the way they live in the house with growing children.
Client : Viva Mexico / Puro Chile
Building Type : Tenancy Fitout
Floor Area : 50m2
Design : 3 months
Construction : Not Commenced
Working with Viva Mexico on their side-by-side restaurant tenancies was a wonderful way to work closely with a team of experienced restaurateurs, commercial suppliers (Hardy Trade Supplies) and shop fitters to realise a design that works well for the operators as well as contributing successfully to the overall area.
Client : Wildlife Wonders
Building Type : New Construction & Landscaping
Floor Area : 520m²
Design : 1 week!
Construction : Not Commenced
The Wildlife Wonders Ecology Centre has been developing a site on the Great Ocean Road into a new eco-experience. With a restricted budget, they are developing an industrial agricultural building into a gateway hub for the experience. We were engaged to produce some quick images and an animation of how the building and adjacent landscaping could look, in order to secure funding.
Client : Matamata Public Relations Association
Building Type : Commercial - Tourism
Floor Area : 200m2
Design : 4 months
Construction : 2 months
Fresh from developing the Hobbiton Green Dragon fitout, Gavin was engaged to work on the iSite project. The brief was to turn the tired 80’s façade into a centrepiece and drawcard for visitors to the region, as well as somewhat of a taster of what is on offer at the Hobbiton Movie Set.
The first stage of the project involved the removal of the exterior verandah and a Hobbit-themed exterior skin was applied to the North and Eastern sides. Within a year the visitor numbers were through the roof, so a second stage was proposed. This time the Southern end of the building was opened-up and an extension added, to further enhance the interior spaces, and form a completely themed exterior.
Tricky detailing was required to ensure that the original building underneath was not compromised by the ‘clip on façade’. Windows and doors were configured to maximise light and provide better access for visitors. Gavin 3D modelled each piece of the exterior timber framing and joinery, to help speed up productivity on site. The flowing artificially thatched roof was installed, and individually designed and crafted windows, doors and timber detailing brought the fantasy world of Tolkien into public reality.
Gavin undertook the complete design development and Architectural documentation for both phases of the project. Working closely with the Client and Project Manager, Gavin developed the building design within a tight programme and created a unique solution which has helped put Matamata firmly on the map.
Client : AP & AP
Building Type : Tenancy Fitout
Floor Area : 505m2 internal / 500m2 external
Design : 7 months approx
Construction : 7 months approx
Working for the building owner, Greg liaised with BestStart to develop a new facility for approximately 100 children. Undertaken while at Archaus, Greg was the Project Architect in charge of design, documentation, site observation and administration on behalf of the building owner.
The fitout is a colourful and vibrant addition to the building complex.
* This project was undertaken while employed at Archaus
Client : AP & AP
Building Type : Commercial
Floor Area : 4100m2
Design : 8 months approx
Construction : 16 months approx
While at Archaus, Greg was Project Architect for the 2 Connolly Street base-build works. The building was conceived as a series of interlocking forms floating over a visually lightweight base, arranged around a north-west facing exterior play area for the eventual childcare tenancy. Materials selected include clear sealed stack-bonded blockwork, shopfront and back painted curtain wall glazing, painted cement board, and vertical profiled metal cladding.
Due to the site being in a low-lying area prone to flooding, the building was raised by almost 1m, resulting in the necessity to set the main entrance off Connolly street away from the street edge, accessible by a wide exposed aggregate concrete ramp. Entry into the building is via a double height void bisected by a flying walkway leading to one of the upper floor tenancies.
The placement and height of the colourful fins on the main street-facing exterior alluding to the heartbeat’s sinus rhythm was conceived by Chris Howard, and is a subtle representation of the predominantly healthcare-style tenancies within the building.
* This project was undertaken while employed at Archaus
Client : Rings Scenic Tours Ltd
Building Type : Commercial - Hospitality/Tourism
Floor Area : 240m2
Design : 8 months approx
Construction : 5 months approx
Years before establishing Tilt Architecture, Gavin spent three years working as a Set Designer on the Hobbit Films, and one of the first movie sets he helped to develop was the permanent film set at Hobbiton, in Matamata. Once filming was complete and the movie set opened to public visitors, Gavin was engaged directly by the owners to re-develop the Green Dragon into a Café/Bar and function venue, to serve as a tour-end for all visitors to Hobbiton.
The original design of the building was intended for filming only, therefore it was a unique challenge of converting a themed ‘shell’ into a fully functioning interior space. The building is nestled against the hillside, so some creative structural and waterproofing solutions were required to maintain durability, while also not appearing fake or crammed.
The interior design consists of a large, double-sided, stone fireplace, a commercial kitchen, a bar and seating for over 80 people. There needed to be a wow-effect from the moment visitors entered, so large turned columns, stone floor and a hand-carved Green Dragon Servery counter helped portray the scenes from the original Lord of the Rings Films. The entrance, bar and facilities needed to cope with frequent bursts of tour groups, so additional breakout areas were introduced. The fitout was also developed to promote a logical flow of people, with coherent wayfinding.
The Rt Hon John Key officially opened the building in 2012 and Gavin has designed further extensions and alterations to the building as demand and visitor numbers have soared. It is now New Zealand’s most popular pub, with over 40 kegs of beer being consumed on their busiest days!
Client : The building Body Corporate
Building Type : Earthquake strengthening and internal reconfiguration
Floor Area : 8 Apartments
Design : Ongoing
Construction : Not commenced
As part of a strengthening scheme by CHP to lift the former Brooklyn Town Hall (now apartments) to 70% NBS, Tilt Architecture has been engaged to take the building owners through the design, consenting and construction process. As part of the rework, there are some apartments that are undergoing minor internal reconfiguration to optimise their layouts.
The end product will be a safer building befitting the ‘Grand Old Lady’ of Cleveland Street.
