Above: Tim Dorrington, his office, and post-it notes documenting his influences.

Auckland architect Tim Dorrington of his self-titled firm works with a simplified aesthetic when designing. His body of work includes high-end residential homes throughout NZ, and commercial projects including Rice restaurant in Auckland CBD and Ashley Ardrey in the Metropolis. Recently he's paired up with Dan Heyworth of Arhaus (an architectural company with a sustainable approach) to collaborate on Box Living, in which they design and produce architecturally modular designed homes - which they say will give ordinary New Zealanders the opportunity to own affordable, great design. We caught up with him in his Herne Bay office to find out what ten things are currently having the greatest impact on his work.

1. Modular systems.

I've been interested in the idea of repetition and systems for quite some time. About three years ago me and three friends decided to work on a modular building system that would offer a modernist inspired modular solution to the masses. Applications so far have been in the residential sector, however we've also looked at ideas for commercial, multiple housing units and event applications. The result of this is Box Living - modular housing which offers an affordable architectural and design solution.

Above: Working model of Box Living modular housing, exterior shot of Box Living modular housing, interior shot of Box Living modular housing

2. My kids

It seems almost everyday Jasper our almost four year old gives me a new insight, or way of looking at things, to think about, it's great seeing the world through their eyes.

Above: Jasper, and Jasper's drawings

3. The natural

In this computer age of smart facades and computer generated buildings I cherish picking up a pencil and sketching. I also most enjoy the use of natural materials used in an honest way.

Above: a sketch by Tim
 

4. Music

Music is always on in the office, and often loud. This is my current favourite song... 

5. Artglass

I started my artglass collection with my grandpa's ashtray, and added my poppa's soon after. Since then I've slowly accumulated more.

Above: Tim's collection of artglass including his first piece - the green apple that belonged to his grandfather.

6. Travel

I love traveling, experiencing different cultures getting away from things. Asia in general is a popular favourite as well as Palm Springs, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Croatia I could go on....A selection of my travel photos below.

Above, left to right: Fishing village in Greece, building in Athens, KFC in Thailand, Venice Beach

7. New Zealand

The land, the plants, the people, the pride, the ethos, the green-ness

8. Olly Marsden

I met UK based artist Olly Marsden in NZ about eight years ago while he was in Auckland for a year. We hung out quite a lot and I ended up  buying one of his paintings just before he left. He has an amazing skill and is utterly diligent in achieving a perfect composition using hand-held tools.

Above: Works by Olly Marsden

9. Juxtaposition & tension

Since my first year in architecture school playing with block and rods I've enjoyed juxtapositions and tensions between compositional elements. The resultant space and composition are a massive planning tool for me.

Above: Architectural model in Tim's office, a completed project by Tim Dorrington located in Whitford  

10. Innovation

I love seeing and using materials used in new ways, new ideas that create unexpected results. Yesterday in the NZ Herald I read about a New Zealand man who has created robotic legs for disabled people. Great innovation, great inspiration.

To contact Tim Dorrington visit his website.

You can see his full range of modular housing at Box Living.

Paying clear homage to Mies van der Rohe's classic Farnsworth House is the recently completed Glass Pavilion by Steve Hermann. Located in Montecito, California the house not only references the minimal lines of the 1951 classic house, but also incorporates van der Rohe's  famous use of continuous bookshelf marble feature walls in his other iconic (and my personal favourite) building - the Barcelona Pavilion. One would assume that no expense has been spare with this home - particularly when we noted the serious collection of classic cars on display in the basement.

The first completed project by Correia/Ragazzi Aquitectos has received its fair share of international awards - it's easy to see why. The structure presents a bold statement on the landscape that could at first glance easily look like an accident - perhaps a shipping container slipping down a hillside? One part of the building is buried inside the hill while the other end overhangs the river below.

We've fallen in love with the work of french architects Studio Ko.  Simple yet stunning architectural detailing such as  large pivoting window frames are combined with warm inviting interiors that reference mid-century masters, all make us long for a mid-winter escape to the French summer. This home located in Bonnieux, France is a stunning example of their considered work. 

To view more of their work go here.

Originally this brick house in Cronulla in southern Sydney was a dark and cluttered space, with very little flow or sense of movement. With an extensive renovation by Mac Interactive Architects, it's hard to believe that this 1970s house - was ever a standard 1970s house at all. Extensive use of concrete, with soft wooden floors and muted colours has changed the once dark spaces to areas of light. The house successfully channels a pared back minimal aesthetic. Careful thick paneling in soft greys continue up the walls onto the ceiling to create the impression of a high studded ceiling whilst the owners' music den finds its home in the basement. The designers also paid careful attention to lighting (both natural and artificial) whilst also attempting to not make any aspect of the home too dominating. We like their choice in furniture also - you can see the profilic Thonet No. 18 Chair by Michael Thonet and the Take A Line For A Walk Chair by Alfredo Haberli for Moroso.

Inspired by Richard Neutra's Kauffman house, the Emerson Dollhouse by Brinca Dada is the perfect gift for the design conscious child. The home has six rooms including a living room, kitchen, library/ office, master bedroom, bathroom and children's bedroom. With its large, open floor plan and floor-to-ceiling windows, the Emerson House enjoys year-round sunlight. The modern house features many extras including mitered-glass corners, two fireplaces, sliding glass doors, solar panels, and recessed LED lights. And because a beautiful house deserves beautiful furniture you can also order furniture to match. The living room set creates the perfect atmosphere for entertaining guests, reading a good book or relaxing with family. The set features eleven pieces including TV console, lamps, HD television, sofa, chairs, coffee table, console, side table and rug. Thank heavens for little luxuries! And finally, not just any doll would feel at home in the Emerson House. The Modern Family is sleek, minimalist, and striking; the dolls' beauty is only matched by their equisite functionality. Not only are they posable and fully articulated, the dolls' biceps and calves flex realistically. The Modern Family turns playtime into an art.

For more information go here.

Photo: Jeremy Toth 

Nat Cheshire a delineator at Cheshire Architects has excellent taste when it comes to all things design related. Having spent a dozen years in architecture, he came to Cheshire Architects five years ago. He describes architecture as a 'total' practice with very little that is out of bounds. 'We move organically from huge institutional work to fabricating door handles, furniture, clothes, and so on. I have been working intensively with our team on a campus at Leigh for the university of Auckland, enormous luxury lodges, and a host of inner-city projects spread between Britomart and High Street - boutique hotel towers, bars, restaurants, and large-scale heritage conversions.

With his expansive work load, and excellent eye for design, Nat's the perfect choice for our new column - My City in which we ask coveted designers and architects about the cities they live in. 

Nat Cheshire's favourite things in Auckland are...

Favourite Architectural Moment.

Peeling off the Southern Motorway at Wellesley and Port - Grafton Bridge sweeping overhead, the crystalline concrete student towers looming at west, and the port and harbor emerging ahead…a real city, at speed!
 
Favourite Breakfast Spot.

Sheinkin on Lorne. Because aside from them, breakfast in the central city is rubbish. And in spite of this, they’re good enough to be the favourite in any part of town. 3 Lorne Street, Auckland City.

Favourite Design Moment.

The racks at Scotties Boutique, after your breakfast at Sheinkin next door. Local heavyweights like Beth Ellery and Camille Howie holding their own against Dries, Demeulemeester and Lanvin.
 
Favourite Lunch Spot.

Albert Park. The tips of the city poking above a ribbon of green, an elevated spot in the dappled shade of a Moreton Bay Fig, and an entertaining collection of drunks, regressive hippies, and lazy students. How to slow down in the city.
 
Favourite Bar/Nightspot.

Coco’s Cantina on KRd. You don’t have to organize to meet your friends – they’ll just be there anyway (376-378 K- Road). And also the one we’re in the thick of building now, in Britomart: big, grunty, 130 year old trading building meets a couple of the city’s finest bar operators and restaurateurs…nine weeks to go…
 
Best People Watching.

From the terrace at Rakinos – in the bowl of the city, High Street’s darlings parading below, and the great unwashed cool of Rakinos’ bohemia swirling around you (Level 1, 35 High Street, Auckland).
 
Best Thing About My City.

From breakfast at Sheinkin to the lineup at a windswept, roaring Piha in half an hour…who else has this?
 
I'd recommend people to stay at.

A friend’s, on the living room floor, and spend the money on better champagne.
 
On a sunny day I'd head to.

The beach – an oldie but a goodie, and we have them in spades.
 
Must see attraction.

Karekare. You take an urbane visitor straight out of Tokyo or Florence, and they’ll tremble – with joy or sublime terror, it does not matter.
 
I recommend you meet.

A stranger, buy them a drink, and make friends.

Contact Cheshire Architects.

Another home that draws its inspiration from modernist architecture is this concrete house built by BAK architects in the forest of Mar Azul in Argentina. With a strong sense of geometry running throughout the home, the living area appears as a vast expansive space centralising all other aspects of the home. Small slit windows line the ceiling giving detailing that enables the forest setting to be viewed from all angles. The kitchen area is basic with one bench area for cooking, as is the interior furniture - making it the perfect summer house. Both sides of the living space are lined with floor to ceiling windows that gives one the feeling of not only being surrounded by nature, but being immersed in it. Its two primary materials are concrete and wood paneling - of which all other aspects of the home's fittings reflect.

Book publisher Assouline's limited edition Oscar Niemeyer book is the most complete and lavish exploration of his 101-year.....and counting life and career. The book includes sketches and original photography, alongside contributions from Tadao Ando, Santiago Calatrava and Zaha Hadid, affirm Niemeyer’s considerable and continuing influence on twentieth and twenty-first-century architecture.

'Oscar Niemeyer, the last surviving father of Modernist architecture, rose to prominence at Le Corbusier’s side but ultimately swerved from the hard, straight lines of orthodox Modernism. Instead he forged a parallel track that mimics the crescendos and denouements of human feeling through swooping curves, graceful arches, and sensuous lines. Using reinforced concrete, he has elevated the everyday to the sublime.'

To purchase this stunning book go here.

Austin-based Bercy Chen Design Studio often aims to modernize the architectural staples of yesteryear, bringing the sustainability of our ancestors into a 21st-century context. Their newest project, the "Red Bluff Residence," works to reinvent the ancient pit-house—once common to hunter-gatherer societies—for an effective site-specific architectural installation.

With sustainability as their goal, the original pit-house structure provides the Bercy Chen team with a fair starting point. Once utilized by the Cherokee and Inuit tribes, pit-houses are known for their ability to protect their contents from harsh temperatures. Their tendency to stay cool in summer and warm in winter comes from their underground structure, allowing wind to pass unnoticed above while the earth provides insulation and temperature consistency.