| 81 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN Ailtire Architects Specializing in custom joinery and solid surfaces, blending craftsmanship with durability. Proud to be associated with Ailtire Archtitects www.cabsurfaces.co.nz craig@cabsurfaces.co.nz 027 555 1390 Phone - 027 378 6381 Email - tony@tgbuilding.co.nz Shaping places for people to thrive Ailtire Architects has a wide project scope, ranging from residential new builds and renovations to commercial projects. T T Kim Newth When seasoned Taranaki architect Jono Murdoch launched his own practice last year, he chose a name that reflects his passion for the craft of designing and creating places that endure: Ailtire Architects. Ailtire is a Scottish Gaelic word for architect that, for Jono, honours his family’s heritage, and embodies a legacy of values and traditions that he is now taking forward. “It reflects a connection between the past and the future, while acknowledging the role architects play in shaping places where families, businesses and communities thrive,” says Jono, who has been a practising architect for 17 years, and Taranaki-based for the past decade. Central to his practice is a genuinely collaborative approach. It’s not so much the building at the end that defines Ailtire Architects, but the process behind it. That process is built on listening, honest conversations and problem-solving to achieve spaces that feel intentional, and not just beautiful, but practical and liveable too. “It’s all about what’s sustainable for that person in the context of their aspirations, what they want to achieve and how they want to live,” Jono says. “Having a client come to me and say, ‘I’m really happy with my house and I really enjoyed the process you provided too’, is what gives me the most satisfaction.” Jono has dispensed with a bricks and mortar office in favour of a 1964 Oxford caravan, repurposed as a mobile studio. All sketches and documentation are done not on paper, but digitally. This nimble approach means lower overheads, in turn, making Ailtire’s services more competitive and accessible to a broader market. Projects start with an in-depth conversation on ideas and ambitions, balanced against budget, site restraints and buildability. “From the very beginning, I like to make sure that what they’re wanting to achieve is realistic.” Jono’s positive working relationships with builders, subcontractors and local councils add another layer of confidence to the process. Ailtire Architects has a wide project scope, ranging from residential new builds and renovations to commercial projects. The practice is currently delivering a commercial interior fit-out for Hāwera Eyecare, sited in a previously vacant High Street building. The project started with a tight, 20-day time frame for design concept and due diligence. Working with project partners, Ailtire ensured building assessments and estimates were also promptly delivered. That project is now on track to open before Christmas 2026. “It’s a small step towards revitalising a place where we hope to see growth in the future.” Another recent project involved delivering the fit-out of an existing hangar at New Plymouth Airport for the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust. As the work of the trust is contract based, the entire fit-out has been cleverly designed with shipping containers so as to be both functional and future-proofed. Jono is involved on multiple levels to support his region – as a committee member in the flourishing New Plymouth Club, a rugby coach for his son’s team, and a member of the Taranaki Classic Mini Owners Club. As well, he chairs the NZIA’s Western branch and served on the jury for the 2026 Western Architecture Awards. “I was really impressed by the high calibre of projects at the awards. We’re building on a quality legacy and designing for tomorrow.”
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