http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.pauaarchitects.co.nz en-us Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:09:18 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/post/161725/the-beauty-of-colour/ This article was originally published in our Tangent 8 magazine.... Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:47:49 +1300 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/#post161725 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/post/160829/legacy-value/ I’m excited about the opening of the new Waikato Regional Theatre, though I confess much of the publicity about the opening and upcoming events has largely passed me by.  What I’m more excited about is the idea that such a significant legacy project is about to be realised in the Waikato.This is a transformational investment in the Hamilton central city.  Along with other developments in recent years, this could be the key that unlocks a vibrant new era for the ‘south end’ down... Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/#post160829 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/post/158337/colour-personality/ It’s fascinating watching people walk into the PAUA Architects’ office for the first time.  I’m not sure what the expectation is, but we frequently receive comments remarking how interesting the space is.There is colour, texture, character, quirkiness even.  Artworks are scattered around, hand carved sculptures, architectural models, and a small collection of old Apple computers – artifacts of great design.  Perspex and plywood cabinetry is both functional and visually int... Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/#post158337 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/post/158336/cbd-parking/ While times have changed, most Waikato towns still serve a significant rural population base, who have very little choice but to drive to town to do their shopping or business.  And common opinion amongst retail businesses seems to be strongly in favour of free on-street parking provision for their customers.However, when you look a little closer, there’s not a strong relationship between the provision of free parking and retail sales.Read the original WBN column here.... Fri, 03 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/#post158336 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/post/148987/improving-your-office-environment/ I’ve been thinking about low-hanging fruit; relatively simple actions that businesses and building owners can take to improve their office environments.... Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/#post148987 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/post/143882/collaboration-in-the-construction-industry/ New Zealand needs to be more productive.  If we want to enjoy the same or better quality of life, and to afford quality public services, with an aging population, we simply need to earn more.  This means being more productive, i.e. working smarter, not harder.  One way we can achieve that in the construction industry, is by working better together.We love to talk about collaboration – with clients, between consultants, and within our own internal teams – but is a high-performa... Tue, 08 Apr 2025 13:38:21 +1200 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/#post143882 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/post/143278/how-about-this-heat/ This column was inspired by an off-hand comment made on a recent visit to our second office – aka Scotts Epicurean – about the hot, humid weather we’ve been having, and the wonderfully cool(er) courtyard space which remains one of Scotts’ best kept secrets.If the February 2025 weather is a preview of what we can expect over the coming decades, we definitely need to be thinking differently about how we design and build houses.This is a timely discussion, as the government is currently rev... Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/#post143278 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/post/139178/in-defence-of-planners/ Town planners have been getting a hard time lately.  Listening to the rhetoric of government ministers, developers and other commentators, you could be left thinking they were responsible for nearly all the challenges and inefficiencies in building more, and more affordable, housing.It’s worth noting that council planners tasked with enforcing the current system of rules, are, like the rest of the industry, also being asked to get their heads around a steady stream of proposed change... Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/#post139178 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/post/137865/investing-in-our-future/ It’s a tricky time to write about the construction industry without getting drawn into political commentary (which is not generally the intent of this column), due to the sheer volume of change enacted or proposed to legislation or spending priorities.For many in the industry, currently enduring a challenging economic environment, it certainly feels we’ve been poorly served by successive governments.  This is due in no small part to the workings of the political system itself, neve... Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/#post137865 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/post/137864/building-tips-and-advice/ Read the original column at the Waikato Business News website.As we begin to hear more noise about interest rate cuts, many people who have been considering a building project are preparing to start the process.  If you are amongst this group, you may find these tips and advice useful.1.        Make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.A building project should enhance your lifestyle, or enable business growth or productivity.Something we ... Tue, 06 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.pauaarchitects.co.nz/blog/#post137864