Four Expert Tips from Ben Fraser

Learning from New Zealand’s Most Renowned Architects

Patterson Associates are New Zealand’s most internationally recognised architectural practice, known for innovative public spaces, such as Ravenscar House Museum and Taranaki’s Len Lye Centre, and also dream homes for New Zealanders. Despite the ambition and scale of their projects, there’s plenty that everyday Kiwis can learn from the award-winning architecture studio.

Pattersons design approach is rooted in creating buildings that belong in their location. Ben Fraser’s approach is similar but not identical. Each architect contributes their unique perspective on Pattersons’ ethos: the people, the land. “Everything we do is about people,” he says.

Let the Site Guide You

Whether it’s a coastal bach with a beachy vernacular or an urban townhouse retreat ideal for getting away from daily life’s hustle, Ben encourages anyone building a home to let the environment inform their design choices. “When you go camping, you’re conscious of the elements. That consideration can also be channelled when planning homes,” he says. How the wind will affect an outdoor space once the house is built is one example.

Three Ways to Use Your Site for Guidance

Three actionable ways a site can offer guidance are orientating the home to capture views or provide shelter, using natural materials found locally, and maintaining the tone and feel of the existing neighbourhood and environment. “Even in urban centres, we are so close to nature,” he continues. “This inherent connection is something New Zealanders cannot help but be informed by. Local materials are imperative to many of our designs.”

Design for People

After a long day at work, we want to unwind and relax. Ben says our homes should reflect and support this. With this in mind, an approach for urban-designed homes is to centre around a courtyard that allows for privacy, natural ventilation and light. The layout of the house should combine functionality and atmosphere, considering how each space serves a purpose while evoking a desired feeling.

Humanising Commercial Spaces

When designing commercial buildings, Ben sees it as an opportunity to explore unique ways to activate and articulate space as people move through them. “There are opportunities to humanise the experience as people move from public, semi-public to private spaces,” he explains.

Ben also advises Kiwis to inject their homes with an element of discovery, with opportunities as we transition from one space to the next to reveal framed views or tranquil outdoor spaces to invite you to relax and decompress.

Maintain Your Vision

Everyone wants the chance to build their dream home, but as the build process begins, initial dreams can be diluted or lost entirely. Ben advises anyone building a home to stay true to their original vision, as it comes to life. Ben is constantly designing, but he keeps the first intentions of a project in mind.

“An interesting perspective we discuss in the studio is the home as a body with a soul. When designing, you want to work for the building to retain the original vision,” he says. “Homes have their own identity. It’s a different conceptual approach and experience every time.”

Focusing on Site and Client Needs

Pattersons focuses on the site and the client, which is a great lesson for every Kiwi. “Clients come to the table with so many different variables,” Ben notes. “Everyone’s dream is different, and that is reflected in the designs. It’s about understanding how people want to live, catering to this, and then enhancing their lifestyle and exceeding expectations.”

Stay Cohesive

Pattersons’ ethos is epitomised by refined, well-considered projects. Ben advises New Zealanders to curate a palette, by choosing finish, texture and colour to complement each other and stick to few materials in their builds, to reflect on the land, its tone, and the environment when doing so. “In our designs as a whole, we strive for a strongly cohesive design language.”