About Us
We believe in possibility.
ahha is a team of values-led designers, makers and facilitators. As a social enterprise and multi-disciplinary practice, we work alongside clients, community and iwi to undertake projects of various forms and sizes. We work across architecture, design, education, experimentation and art to reimagine spaces, ideas and objects.
We strive to create places that delight, inspire, encourage connection and enhance wellbeing. We believe that built environments have deeper integrity when informed by the cultural landscape that is, was, and will be, so our process is one of collaborative creation.
We’re passionate about helping people build better, smarter and more consciously – while ensuring the numbers still add up. But true progress cannot be made unless we’re benchmarking what's been done before. So we design through the ahha Impact Framework: a self-developed holistic approach that tangibly measures a project’s impact across six key domains, to implement all round better results.
In early 2024, ahha became a certified B Corp and thereby joined a global community of purpose-led businesses that meet high standards of sustainability and social responsibility. ahha's mission of radically transforming the impact of our built environments means that we also want to be a force for positive change in how we work. As a Certified B Corp, it affirms our commitment to creating a future that’s better for everyone, where people and the planet can thrive.
B Corp Certification means that ahha has been verified as meeting B Lab’s high standards for social and environmental impact. These high standards span across five areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers. ahha has made a legal commitment to stakeholder governance and is demonstrating accountability and transparency by disclosing this record of performance in a public B Corp profile.
NZIA Practice 7254
Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) is a professional organisation that represents registered architects and promotes architecture in Aotearoa New Zealand.
NZGBC Member, Homestar Assessors & Greenstar Accredited Professionals (GSAP)
The New Zealand Green Building Council's vision is for all homes and buildings in Aotearoa to be green and sustainable, making healthier, happier New Zealanders. ahha is trained in the certification of housing and buildings through NZGBCs Greenstar & Homestar Accreditations.
Net Zero Carbon Lite Certification
ahha is proud to be certified Net Zero Carbon Lite Business with Ekos. We have measured and offset the carbon footprint of our business operations with certified carbon credits. Our certified carbon credits are sourced from projects that grow and protect forests in Aotearoa and the Pacific Islands and help to deliver climate resilience, waterways protection, erosion control, biodiversity conservation and community economic development.
Akina Impact Supplier
Akina Impact Suppliers are certified organisations that deliver a range of positive social, environmental, and cultural outcomes through selling their products and services.
Team
- Director
- Carpenter
- Circular Built Environment Specialist
- LBP Design
I’m a carpenter and a designer. I’ve always been interested in how things work, and in making things work better. I appreciate the immense opportunity in making and designing: understanding human, environmental and technical needs, and combining build-ability and material knowledge to enable the best possible solutions.
I’ve spent 15 years in the construction and design industry, leading projects both as a carpenter and designer in Aotearoa and The Netherlands. My skillsets have been utilised across all phases of the architectural process: from master planning large scale multi-residential and mixed-use developments, through to the design and delivery of bespoke hospitality and residential projects. I still keep my hands on the tools, continuing to practise carpentry alongside my architectural work.
With every project, I aim to develop architecture that’s not only well-considered in design, but also efficient in material and construction technique: in order to drive truly sustainable outcomes.
I lead the studio's circularity portfolio as part of ahha’s Impact Framework, and am currently in training to become a Circular Built Environment Specialist.
- Director
- Regenerative & Participatory Design Specialist
- Registered Architect NZRAB
I love the particular point where elegant form and function meet. I’m passionate about projects that contribute meaningfully to the public, urban realm; that deliver robust design solutions, while positively impacting the community and surrounding environments.
I bring over a decade of experience working in North America, Europe and New Zealand, across all phases of project delivery – from master planning to concept design and project realisation. I’ve developed high-level master planning for mixed-use developments, strategised how development can occur in a phased strategy, and worked across the design and delivery of an array of typologies and scale from public art works to tertiary education buildings.
I hit my stride when tackling the complexities of collective design processes within stakeholder groups: ensuring projects successfully deliver best possible outcomes to end-users. With many years’ experience in project management and site observation of complex projects, I get huge satisfaction in ensuring projects realise their full potential.
I lead the Equity & Access, and the Community & Culture portfolios within ahha’s Impact Framework, and am currently developing and delivering Engagement, Collaboration, and Facilitation approaches to projects.
- Director
- Carbon & Energy Modelling Specialist
- Registered Architect NZRAB
- Greenstar Accredited Professional
- Homestar Assessor
I’ve always been driven to make places better. Throughout my decade of working in architecture, I’ve sought out ways – however small – to enhance lives, lighten footprints and make communities happier, healthier and stronger.
Contributing to impact-led developments in The Netherlands and the UK gave me a wealth of experience in the design and technical delivery of complex projects across various sectors and scales. Back home in Aotearoa, I’m putting that knowledge into action both with our ahha clients, and my own impact-led developments.
Community engagement is something I’m passionate about, having participated in community-led developments in Amsterdam’s Zelfbouw district, explored tailored design processes alongside Ngāi Tūhoe, and delivered prefabricated social housing to communities throughout Aotearoa. I’ve seen for myself the effect that meaningful community alignment has on the success of a project – well beyond move-in date.
I lead the carbon portfolio within ahha’s Impact Framework, and am responsible for our in-house carbon analysis, thermal modelling and certification programmes. I am also a qualified Homestar Assessor & Greenstar Accredited Professional.
- Director
- Ecology, Health & Well-being Specialist
I see architecture as an opportunity to not only shape the way people inhabit a space, but also to gather and share knowledge and understanding.
Passionate about seeking better outcomes for cities and delivering meaningful housing at scale, I’ve spent many of my 12 years in the industry exploring how economies of scale can occur at different ends of the market. My work crosses practice and academia: designing, developing and facilitating urban developments, whilst also educating the next generation of architectural designers.
Having worked across everything from master-planning urban regeneration projects in the UK, to the technical delivery of construction packages, down to the crafted details of standalone houses, I believe the best outcomes happen when you’re able to combine sensitive design responses with competent, effective delivery I know that by working in partnership with others, it’s possible to undertake transformational change, and deliver regenerative places for everyone.
I lead the Ecology and Health + Wellbeing portfolios within ahha’s Impact Framework, and am undertaking training in the International Well Building Standard, while developing a site specific ecology approach with a focus on ecological enhancement.