ABOUT

Rural Workshop Architecture Ltd was originally formed in 2019 combining Chris Nott Architecture and Jarrod Midgley Architect.

Chris and Jarrod have both been practising Architecture in Marlborough since 2010 and share a passion for creating wonderful buildings, large and small. For RWA, client satisfaction has always been a fundamental benchmark of a successful project.

RWA is a practice working on projects all over NZ, from Waiheke, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and Wellington to Golden Bay, Canterbury and Central Otago.

Chris Nott now leads this practice on his own.

PEOPLE

Along with the in-house RWA team which includes architectural technicians and an interior designer, we have established relationships with Structural and Geotechnical and Passive Home Engineers, Planners and Landscape Architects, plus a wide range of expert plumbers, electricians, joiners and various other subcontractors we frequently involve in our design process.

Our role is to listen and to interpret and then bring to the project our design skills and fresh ‘big picture‘ thinking. We pride ourselves on our excellent relationships, with our clients, the contractors and consultants we work with. Great architecture is only achieved by a great team.

We feel that fundamentally buildings must be practical and ‘fit for purpose’ but that buildings should also be timeless and wonderful spaces to live and to work in.

HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDINGS

We have a strong interest in the Passive House movement and a particular passion for creating buildings with excellent thermal performance and thermal comfort along with low running costs.

Over the last ten years we developed strong relationships with a number of key product suppliers and developed a number of key design strategies with various building systems to achieve an excellent level of thermal performance from all of our buildings.

Some of the companies we work with:
www.formance.co.nz
www.optimalwindows.co.nz
www.stiebel-eltron.co.nz
www.maxraft.co.nz
www.terralana.co.nz

BUDGET

Budget is always a key consideration when establishing project scope and throughout the design process. Construction work is expensive and our role is to make best use of our clients budget maximising the return on investment.

We advocate early contractor involvement in the design process and engagement of a Quantity Surveyor to complete a cost estimate at end of Developed Design - prior to commencement of our Detailed Design work. We often seek a Quantity Survey at the end of Preliminary Design also especially for particularly unique builds.

THE PROCESS

The Design Process is divided into four key stages. Concept, Preliminary, Developed and Detailed Design. By dividing the process into these stages we enable opportunity for plenty of input and feedback from our clients, and selected contractors and other consultants. Also opportunity for a cost estimate check at various stages as the design evolves.

1. Project Establishment
2. Concept Design
3. Preliminary Design
4. Developed Design
5. Detailed Design and Documentation
6. Contractor Procurement
7. Construction – Contract admin and Observation

RWA advocates Early Contractor involvement. The best outcomes are achieved by having the main contractor alongside during the design process, both in terms of preferred construction techniques but also enabling the cost estimate process to feed into the design process. Most main contractors will work closely with a separate Quantity Surveyor.

  • NZIA Commercial Architecture Award - Nelson Marlborough - Real Workspace Blenheim

    NZIA Housing Architecture Award - Nelson Marlborough - Awatere Hilltop House

    NZIA Resene Colour Award - Nelson Marlborough - Awatere Hilltop House

    NZIA Housing - Alterations and Additions Architecture Award - Nelson Marlborough - Head of the Bay

  • (Participated as Awards Juror)

  • NZIA Commercial Architecture Award - Nelson Marlborough - CPR Café Blenheim

    NZIA Residential Architecture Award - Canterbury - Tai Tapu House