104 | T T Sue Russell Diversity is company’s strength Young + Richards has moved into high-end commercial and residential projects. Young + Richards “I think that’s one of the things that’s wonderful about our work. It is so diverse and challenging, and a great experience for a diverse career.” ARCHITECTURE After working together on a house project and discovering they were a great team, 16 years ago Harriet Pilkington and Elvon Young established architecture company, Young + Richards. Combining their small studios and extensive professional experience, they were based first in Auckland before subsequently expanding to Hawke’s Bay. A strength of the business, Harriet says, is the diverse array of projects it gets involved in, from interior design through to all forms of architecture, including projects in the social housing space. “That’s actually how we got involved in Hawke’s Bay, because of some great housing projects with Kainga Ora. “Today, we have a team of five working in that studio, led by regional manager Matt Wilson.” Work for Kainga Ora extends back some 11 years now and as a result, the studio teams have honed tailored systems and solutions for social housing, Harriet says. While social housing was the initial catalyst to expand to Hawke’s Bay, subsequently Young + Richards has moved into high-end commercial and residential projects locally. “I think that’s one of the things that’s wonderful about our work. It is so diverse and challenging, and a great experience for a diverse career.” The list of sectors and services Young + Richards offers is extensive, including architecture, interior design, master planning, retail and hospitality sector work, healthcare, development projects and even equine architecture. Harriet says this breadth and depth of work is achievable because the business works out of a very collaborative, collegial culture, and has a staff of around 50 people across three offices. Last year, Young + Richards extended into the Queenstown district, setting up a boutique studio with a business partner mad-keen on skiing, along with a couple of the team from Auckland and two local designers. “It seems to be a very buoyant market in that region and with our studios in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay, we feel we can more easily service most of New Zealand,” Harriet says. Undertaking design work for high-end retail stores in Westfield malls in New Zealand has led to further work of this nature in Australia, which has been an exciting expansion of late. And another exciting new opportunity in the prefabricated design and construction space has arisen in Fiji, a project Harriet and the team are very engaged in, and in which they see great potential. Called ‘Clever Build Fiji’, it was developed by a team of passionate industry experts, who worked together to develop a small, simple house that Fijian locals can construct on site. Designing a home to be erected in a Pacific Island country comes with its own unique demands, Harriet says. “We had to ensure it was simple in design and construction methodology, yet category 5 cyclone- and termite-proof.” Harriet says the project was a fine example of what can be achieved with many heads around the table collaborating to find workable design and construction methodology solutions. With a background in tutoring architecture students Harriet says the one thing that’s essential is to carry an innate passion for design in those formative years. “Yes, there are all sorts of constraints, such as budgets, regulations, and timeframes to work within, but it is so important that every project is seen as an opportunity to bring flair and passion into its design. “ I think it is an amazing career – you are always learning and always collaborating. We’re blessed to have wonderful clients and commissions with long-term relationships and an exciting future ahead.” Development Nous offers a multi-disciplinary service with expertise in Surveying, Urban Design, Civil and Structural Engineering, Town Planning, Landscape Architecture, Environmental Consultation and Project Management. Our multi-disciplinary team offers our clients a variety of skilled professionals to help them develop quality and enduring projects for all types of land use. 06 876 2159 www.developmentnous.nz Let’s discuss how we can turn your vision into reality.
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