Nick Rowe Architecture Ltd

Nick Rowe Architecture Ltd Architectural designer

Every coastal site has its own complexities. Here’s how we solved a common challenge.For this site, that was the wind. T...
02/09/2026

Every coastal site has its own complexities. Here’s how we solved a common challenge.

For this site, that was the wind. The same exposure that delivers sweeping views of sea and sky also meant facing the site’s prevailing gusts head-on.

For our Wellington coastal house, the solution was a sheltered courtyard — anchoring the home and shielding it from the elements without giving up its connection to the dramatic ocean views beyond.

If you have a coastal site and want to understand what’s possible? Feel free to reach out 📞

Renders by: UVO

Work in progress | Coatesville Luxury Masonry HomeSet on a private lifestyle block, this striking stone-clad residence h...
30/08/2026

Work in progress | Coatesville Luxury Masonry Home

Set on a private lifestyle block, this striking stone-clad residence has been designed for entertaining on a grand scale. A central living pavilion anchors the home, opening out to a pool terrace and sweeping rural views — with indoor and outdoor kitchens made for hosting family and friends year-round.

Built from permanent, Mediterranean-inspired materials, the home pairs stone exteriors with elevated interiors — natural materials, stone, timber, and marble. The aesthetic is relaxed and timeless throughout.

Building consent is nearing approval, and earthworks are now underway.

Designed by Nick Rowe Architecture
Built by House of Nautica

Expanding a Home Without DisruptionWhen a 1960s original state house in Riverhead already had great bones, a total gut-r...
23/08/2026

Expanding a Home Without Disruption

When a 1960s original state house in Riverhead already had great bones, a total gut-renovation wasn’t the answer.

The homeowners loved their house as it was—they simply needed more room to grow, ideally without the cost and chaos of temporary relocation.

To solve this, Nick designed an adjacent new pavilion built alongside the original home rather than through it. This clever strategy allowed the family to live comfortably on-site for the entire duration of the build, avoiding double living costs and disrupted routines.

Proof that clever design builds better living.

Steel Gables | RiverheadHow do you create a light-filled home with no north facing joinery?This was one of the key desig...
16/08/2026

Steel Gables | Riverhead

How do you create a light-filled home with no north facing joinery?

This was one of the key design challenges with Steel Gables.

The sloping site dictated that the garage be positioned to the north, limiting conventional north-facing glazing to the living spaces. At the same time, the clients wanted large sliding doors opening east and west, with generous roof overhangs providing shelter and shade.

Our response was to bring light in from above.

Large roof glazing was introduced into the central living link between the two gables, allowing daylight to pe*****te deep into the heart of the home.

To the west, a sheltered courtyard captures the afternoon and evening sun. Large sliding doors open the living spaces onto the western courtyard, while expansive glazing maintains a direct connection to the water views to the east.

The result is a home where light, views and outdoor spaces are carefully connected from east to west.

An example of how site constraints can become opportunities for beautiful architecture.

Have a tricky site of your own? Get in touch - we’d love to talk through what’s possible.

From the archives | Steel Gables, RiverheadOur clients wanted to wake up to the view of the river — but the view runs ea...
12/08/2026

From the archives | Steel Gables, Riverhead

Our clients wanted to wake up to the view of the river — but the view runs east, and the sun comes from the north. A home built purely for the outlook risked losing the light.

One of the tools we use is a sun-path section, as shown - plotting the sun’s angle on June 21 and December 21 to see how far light reaches into the plan.

The solution: a light-well at the centre of the home, drawing northern light into the kitchen and dining room without giving up the view.

A small, precise decision but the kind that has a big impact and quietly shapes how a home feels to live in.

If your site has a view worth chasing, we’d love to help you bring the light along with it too. Feel free to get in touch 📞

09/08/2026

We asked Nick, “what’s the one thing you should never cut costs on?” 🏗️

Save this for the next time you’re staring down a budget spreadsheet 🔖 - and tell us: what’s the one thing on your list you’d never cut?

29/07/2026

Designed to embrace its spectacular outlook across Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. A home where light, landscape, and family life come together.

29/07/2026

This mid-century state house got a modern extension — without losing an ounce of its kiwi character.

We’re delighted that NZ House & Garden chose to feature our Hatfields project - “Life on High” - in their August 2026 is...
27/07/2026

We’re delighted that NZ House & Garden chose to feature our Hatfields project - “Life on High” - in their August 2026 issue (No. 384).

Words | Claire McCall
Photography | jackie meiring
Builder | Ze Build
Landscaping | Shafer Design Studio

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1H Wade River Road
Stanmore Bay
0930

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Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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