Bivvy House / Vaughn McQuarrie
This compact dwelling follows the line of the hillside, bravely and unconventionally sloping down towards the view. The stepped plan stretches the view of the mountains long and low, just like a rock outcrop would.
Simon Devitt photography
Simon Devitt is a Wellington, New Zealand-based international architectural photographer whose work is distinguished by its poetic clarity, sense of atmosphere, and strong connection to place. He captures the emotional qualities of buildings—light, form, texture, and context—transforming architectural work into visual narratives that resonate beyond mere documentation. Devitt also produces photobooks, conducts workshops, and teaches, bringing his refined practice to both creative and academic spheres.
His portfolio spans residences, resorts, editorial work, architects’ portraits, and landscape-architecture intersections, with books like *Rannoch* and *Cape to Bluff* among his highlights. Locally and internationally, his photographs are published and exhibited widely, celebrated for their ability to evoke “how it feels to be there” through thoughtful composition and storytelling.
LOCATION: Wellington, New Zealand
LEARN MORE: Simon Devitt
Tiri House / Strachan Group Architects
Ideally sited just below a ridgeline, with panoramic views stretching southeast from Oneroa Bay, to Hakaimango Point and the Hauraki Gulf beyond, the Tiri House was designed to take advantage of the views without sacrificing protection and…
Tasman View House / MODO Architects
Tasman View House is a low maintenance sleek home on the foothills of the Richmond Ranges. An extra thick insulated envelope of metal roofing and aluminium cladding wrap over elements of cedar shiplap and Fijian Kauri.
Bay House on Auckland’s North Shore / Strachan Group Architects
Located at Castor Bay on Auckland’s North Shore, the dark box like forms of Bay House stretch and weave along the elevated south-facing site. Recessed into the bank, the concrete basement is fractured by a glass roofed…
Pukapuka Road House / Belinda George Architects
The Pukapuka Road house uses recycled materials where possible. For example the windows are recycled steel joinery painstakingly restored but to off set the need for double glazing the large sliding doors are new timber joinery.
110-Year Old Heritage Villa in Auckland Transformed into a Cozy Family Home
In a cramped, steep site on one of the busiest residential streets in Ponsonby, Auckland, there was magic to be found in the form of a dilapidated 110-year old heritage villa. Over two years, the three-bedroom, one-bathroom…
Rammed Earth House Connected to the Mountainous Landscape of Cardrona Valley, New Zealand
This rammed earth house for a young family is arranged in 3 distinct wings, each with a different orientation for sun, view and connection to the landscape. The construction includes rammed earth walls, which are formed in-situ…
Industrial-Style House in Auckland Exhibiting a Clean and Elegant Design
This industrial-style house, designed with Andrew Kissell, is located in the inner city on the fringes of the central business district in Auckland. The challenge was to create a space that could be used as a home,…
Waiheke Concrete House / Vaughn McQuarrie
The concept for the Waiheke house was to create a central grand space, surrounded by smaller spaces, somewhat like a church in the center of a small village. The “church“ which resembles a traditional boatshed shape, consists…