Tennent

Brown

Architects

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form

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+64 4 3829248
hello@tennentbrown.co.nz

L6 Hope Gibbons Building
7-11 Dixon Street

Wellington, 6011
New Zealand

Tennent Brown is concerned with people, how our buildings and environments will affect their experience. We design to uplift the quality of life, of work, play and wellbeing of those the buildings serve.

Architecture is built around people, and every design is an individual's or organisation’s story: their hopes and aspirations for a building that is their own.

People entrust us with realising some expression of themselves, to translate that into built form. We take that seriously. Ours is an architecture of listening and understanding: a humanist architecture.

WE ARE A JUST AND BCORP ORGANISATION

We are proud to be the first Architectural practice in New Zealand to qualify for a JUST label.

JUST is a transparency platform for organisations to disclose their operations, including how they treat their employees and where they make financial and community investments.

Tennent Brown Architects is also now officially B Corp certified!

As a B Corp, we’re part of a global community of business that meet high standards of social and environmental impact. We are very excited to be the 1st NZ Architecture firm to be B Corp certified, and we hope that by sharing our happy news, we also spread awareness so that many more in the architecture and building industry will join the B Corp movement.

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THE LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE

Our current projects, Pā Reo and The Living Pā are on track to receive full LBC certification 12 months after final construction is completed (2024 and 2025).

Our journey along the Living Building Challenge and the challenge of achieving the Materials Petal for Te Wharehou of Waikaremoana, Te Tii and Gisborne Airport has allowed us to build a repository of LBC compliant materials that you will not find on the Declare Database.

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The Materials Petal which includes Imperative 10: Red List, requires accurate data-keeping and the ability to negotiate for information. The Red List is a list of toxic often carcinogenic and bio-accumulative chemicals that should be avoided. Just as eating organic food and using natural skincare and cleaning products is paramount for many, using Red List free materials is a must in any building. The push for transparency, the high standard to be called a Declare material, ensures no one can hide.

To avoid choosing toxic materials, choose a Red List Free or LBC Compliant material from the Declare Database. Many LBC Compliant materials, however, are not on the Declare Database and here is where we can help.

CHARITABLE GIVING

Tennent Brown is pleased to support the following charities and organisations in New Zealand.

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Police Managers Guild Trust
Academy School Books
Kids foundation
Life Flight Trust
Wellington City Mission
Autism NZ
Fostering Kids
Brain Injured Children Trust
Heart Kids Trust
Lions Club
Rotary Club
Sustainable Coastlines

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What is Declare and how do you read a Declare Label?

LBC Red List Free means it contains no Red List items.
LBC Compliant means it meets exceptions granted by the International Living Future Institute.
Declared means it is not compliant for an LBC project but the manufacturer has declared their ingredients.

LBC Compliant Materials Services

The LFNZ goal for the number of Declare/LBC Compliant products per New Zealand building project is 10%.

We can assist you in reaching the LFNZ goal or better. If you are interested in more, get in touch with us and we can offer you Materials Consultancy services which, if desired, includes documentation for your own LBC project, particularly if you are aiming for LBC certification.

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Staff

Publications

Awards

Sustainability

Hugh Tennent

Hugh Tennent

Hugh is responsible for design direction of all major projects at Tennent Brown Architects and is recognised for his responsiveness to context and environment, and expression of the human agenda of the projects.

Hugh has been selected for numerous awards jurys and panels, convened the NZIA National Jury and lectured widely at conferences and speaking tours.

Particular areas of expertise include working across cultures, projects for Te Ao Māori , educational from early childhood to tertiary, reflective and religious space and sports buildings.

Hugh was made a Fellow of the NZIA in 2002 regularly lectures, tutors and critiques at VUW School of Architecture.

Ewan Brown

Ewan Brown

Ewan joined Hugh as a Director in 2003 and formed Tennent Brown Architects in 2006 with a background of complex commercial and public projects and specialises in University teaching space design.

Ewan leads the Tennent Brown office on all VUW projects, some 100+ since 2003 and has a commitment to sustainability which is instilled in all our projects. He provides sustainability guidelines for Victoria University where he regularly lectures at the School of Architecture.

Ewan also places a great importance on design led projects combined with a rigorous management process, from strong design to clear documentation and through construction to completion. He enjoys working in a team environment combined with delivering on time and budget.

Kevin Lux

Kevin Lux

Kevin joined Tennent Brown in 2011 after Registering as an Architect during a five year period in Ireland, working on many significant projects including the complete refurbishment the Cork Opera House from 2008 to 2010.

Kevin is a Principal and senior architect at Tennent Brown responsible for delivering many of the larger complex commercial and institutional projects for the practice.

Kevin offers very high levels of client service through understanding client goals and managing the delivery of complex project requirements, within programmatic aims. Kevin instills confidence and reliability in clients and projects teams with his capacity and manner of working, making him immensely valuable to projects and the practice.

Maurice Pipson

Maurice Pipson

Maurice graduated from Auckland University in 1985 after initially working as an architectural draughtsman for five years. Upon graduation Maurice worked in Sydney with Anchor Mortlock Woolley, working predominantly on large scale commercial developments. After two years Maurice returned to Wellington, working for Athfield Architects, Craig Craig Moller and then he joined us in 2008.

Maurice is our detailing and specialist seismic detailer, and has been instrumental in setting up detailing protocols in our firm, ensuring consistency and quality in our set-out of documents and details.

Brenda Solon

Brenda Solon

Brenda graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in 2000. After studying she spent two years travelling and working in Canada and London. She returned to New Zealand in 2003 and worked for Melling Morse Architects for four years, completing a range of private residential and social housing projects.

Brenda joined Tennent Brown in 2007 and gained registration in 2009. She is now a highly talented and respected Senior Architect who strives for perfection in everything that she does. On any typical work day this involves documenting and managing multi-million dollar residential and community projects.

Brenda is a calm presence in the office; able to offer practical advice regarding any problem or scale of project, utilising an impressive wealth of knowledge built up from her years of practice.

Julie Cook

Julie Cook

Julie brings a passion and energy for architecture to every project, currently running the Living Pa project which is about to go on site in 2022, Julie will develop her Living Building Challenge training as the project proceeds. Julie is also moving forward with her Reo and leading many in the office on the same journey.

Yiwen Seow

Yiwen Seow

Yiwen has been with Tennent Brown since 2018, following nine years of practice in Wellington. She was promoted to Associate in 2021; testament to both her architectural skills and her efforts developing and growing our office culture.

Yiwen’s experience is varied, covering educational, commercial, retail and community projects.

While she has a high level of skill in detailing and modelling, she also has a quiet and easy manner, which makes her highly valued within a project team or on site. Yiwen advocates for diversity and inclusion within the office, making sure the studio continuously cultivates a genuinely diverse and inclusive environment and brings this into our work.

Clayton Viljoen

Clayton Viljoen

Clayton has been with Tennent Brown since 2021, bringing with him ten years’ experience working in South Africa and Namibia, along side registering as an architect here in New Zealand. He has been in the country since 2019, initially working at JTB Architects. While there he was involved in various award-winning projects. Clayton’s experience overseas and in New Zealand includes but is not limited to commercial development, laboratories, stand-alone and multi-unit residential, offices, industrial, military and master planning.

In his time at Tennent Brown Clayton has proved himself adept at delivering large and complex projects with his attention to detail and problem-solving skills.

Devo Staples

Devo Staples

Caitlyn Lee

Caitlyn Lee

Steve Borgonje

Steve Borgonje

Sarah Dee

Sarah Dee

Chris Blanch

Chris Blanch

Sam Gwynn

Sam Gwynn

William Creighton

William Creighton

Chloe Coles

Chloe Coles

Past and Present

Dylan Amery

Matt Cantwell

Jill Donaghy

Neil Drummond

Lucy Feast

Stuart Fields

Niki Forrest

Hannah France

Angela Gibson

Michael Gould

Kathy Griffin

Caroline Grimstone

Simon Hardy

John Hawkhead

Trent Isaac

Sharon Jansen

Kevin Leach

Shannon Lenihan

Sue Lonsdale

Stuart MacKay

Ewan MacMaster

Raji Magan

James McCoy

Nadiene McCullough

Scott McKenzie

Joe Nicholls

Brian Parnagian

Robert Paulin

Anna Schubert

Thomas Sheridan

Charlotte Stewart

Ben Tunui

Nick Wenham

Linda Wong

Architecture NZ

Art of the Architect

HOME NZ

  • Aug/Sept 2006

HOUSES

  • Issue 25 2012

Interior

Urbis

  • Bach Bus June/Jul 2006

NZIA

  • 2006 Branch Award VUW School of Educational Studies Fitout
  • 2003 Branch Award Meditation Temple CCTHW, Akaroa
  • 2002 Branch Award Wadestown Road House
  • 2001 Branch Award Waitarere Beach House
  • 2000 Branch Award Kaikoura Wine Company
  • 1995 Regional Award Martinborough Vineyard
  • 1995 Regional Award Howard House
  • 1995 Colour Award Martinborough Vineyard

NZ Wood Resene Timber Design Awards

Property Council New Zealand

Best Design Awards

HOME Magazine

Registered Master Builders

New Zealand Commercial Project Awards

Origin Timber Awards

Earthquake Strengthening Awards

  • 2013 Highly Commended - Commercial

Interior Awards

SCNZ Award

Sustainability Awards

The total emissions for Tennent Brown in the financial year of 2018-19 was 24.66 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalents. If it takes 5 trees to ensure that at least one lives to 40 years or that their combined sequestration equals one tonne (www.carbonify.com), we need to plant 124 trees to account for our emissions for that year. Tennent Brown will help the Manawa Karioi Ecological Restoration Project by planting 200 trees in Island Bay.

Tennent

Brown

Architects