Interior September / November 2019

Every three years, sometime around April, the short list for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture is quietly announced from a press office in Geneva. The list – made up of approximately 20 projects from around the globe – adheres to the organiser’s goal to “identify and encourage building concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of societies across the world, in which Muslims have a significant presence”. It is quite a targeted but open brief. This year, much like in every other round of the award, the finalists have proven to be a veritable hodgepodge of buildings in often-remote locations, with budgets that range from the non-existent to the eye-watering. There are several projects tackling the Anthropocene. There is a low-budget, prefab, modular and highly stylised solution to…

STEPHEN GOODENOUGH Photographer Stephen began his career in graphic design before venturing into photography in the early ’80s. He now operates as a freelance photographer from his shared studio in Addington, Christchurch. What was your favourite aspect of the Dark Sky Project? The building’s exterior, especially at sunset with the huge north-facing glass windows reflecting the surrounding landscape. But, I must admit, the ceiling detail is amazing. What are your thoughts on dark sky reserves? They’re a great asset for tourism, as there seems to be a huge fascination with the night sky and our solar system across all ages. Astrophotography has exploded in recent years and the Mackenzie Basin seems to be the place to be. Where else has your work taken you lately? I’ve been doing a few…

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You ended your involvement with homewares store Everyday Needs a couple of years ago. Why the change and what has been your focus since? Everyday Needs was always a side project for me that grew of its own momentum and was managed by a great team. It had reached a point where I felt it deserved to have someone at the helm who had the time to focus on it properly. I have enjoyed having more time to focus on my interiors practice and family since I sold it. Your work has been very popular with creative clients. Why is this? I think it comes down to a meeting of minds. A lot of your work seems to prefer the ‘handmade’ over the mass-produced, the analogue over the highly technical…

Allbirds American footwear brand and Silicon Valley favourite Allbirds has joined the coterie of luxury retailers in Britomart Precinct. One of 15 stores the company has under its ecoconscious wing this year, the space features its signature combination of open stock service, ergonomically designed chairs and a modular wall system, but with a few subtle differences. Its inky service bar, designed by Jamie McLellan, was inspired by Auckland’s volcanoes and pops of teal are distinctly maritime. “We’ve designed this space to be in a constant state of flux,” co-founder and former All White Tim Brown told Interior of its visual simplicity. “It’s effectively a room filled with chairs that we’ve spent an enormous amount of time making, and that gives us a sense of fluidity in terms of adjusting the…

It is hoped that the Oceania Biophilia Summit, run by Living Future Aotearoa NZ and the Living Future Institute Australia, will be the first of many, with a date for next year’s event near Sydney already in attendees’ diaries. Participants this year ranged from architects and engineers to developers and product manufacturers. The event kicked off with a presentation from award-winning architect Amanda Sturgeon, CEO of the International Living Future Institute and author of Creating Biophilic Buildings. Sturgeon went deep into the concept of biophilia and how it can be used in a practical sense to create beautiful, green and healthy living buildings. She examined key examples of LBC buildings around the world, which also appear in her tome, including our very own Te Kura Whare. She spoke of biophilia…