Frequently Asked Questions

First Light Studio specialises in sustainable residential architecture, passive house (Passivhaus) design, high-performance housing, home renovations and extensions, interior design, and multi-unit townhouse and apartment developments. We are certified Homestar designers and certifiers, and work in close partnership with eHaus — New Zealand's largest builder of passive homes.

We are based in Wellington (Level 1, 1 Ghuznee Street, Te Aro) and Nelson, and we work on projects throughout New Zealand — including Auckland, Tauranga, the Kāpiti Coast, Wairarapa, Nelson, Christchurch, Queenstown, and Dunedin. We also work internationally.

A passive house (Passivhaus) is an internationally certified building standard that creates homes which are dramatically warmer, quieter, and cheaper to run than standard New Zealand homes — using superior insulation, airtight construction, and mechanical heat recovery ventilation. First Light Studio are specialists in passive house design and have delivered certified passive homes across New Zealand.

Yes. All of our architects are registered with the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB), and First Light Studio is a registered practice with the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA). We are also a Bronze Member of the Passive House Institute of New Zealand and a Superhome Movement supporter.

First Light Studio has won more than 25 NZIA Architecture Awards since 2012, including NZIA National Awards in 2013, 2021, and 2024. We have also won multiple Master Builders House of the Year awards and placed 3rd overall at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon — one of the world's most prestigious sustainable design competitions.

Get in touch — we'd love to hear about your project. You can call us on (04) 385-3789, email info@firstlightstudio.co.nz, or fill in our contact form. We offer a complete end-to-end architectural service, from initial briefing through design, consents, contractor procurement, and site observation.

Architectural fees in New Zealand typically range from 8–15% of the construction cost for a full service, depending on project complexity, location, and scope. First Light Studio provides a tailored fee proposal after an initial consultation, ensuring full transparency from the outset. Contact us to discuss your project and budget.

In New Zealand, only members of the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB) can call themselves registered architects. While architectural designers can do excellent work, a registered architect has completed a minimum of seven years of combined education and supervised practice and is bound by a professional code of conduct. For complex projects, passive house certification, or heritage work, a registered architect is strongly recommended. All architects at First Light Studio are NZRAB-registered.

A typical new home project takes 12–18 months from initial brief to resource consent, and a further 12–18 months for construction, depending on complexity, site conditions, and council processing times. First Light Studio's step-by-step client process is designed to be clear and collaborative at every stage, so you always know where your project stands.

Sustainable architecture is a broad approach to designing buildings that minimise environmental impact — through material choices, orientation, insulation, and operational efficiency. Passive house (Passivhaus) is a specific, internationally certified standard within sustainable architecture that sets quantified targets for energy use, airtightness, and thermal comfort. Not all sustainable homes are certified passive houses, but all passive houses are exemplary examples of sustainable design. First Light Studio specialises in both.

Homestar is New Zealand's national rating tool for the health, warmth, and efficiency of homes. First Light Studio are certified Homestar designers and certifiers, meaning we can design, assess, and certify homes to achieve a Homestar rating — giving clients independent, third-party verification of their home's performance.

Yes. First Light Studio has extensive experience in residential renovations and alterations across New Zealand, from modest upgrades to significant whole-home transformations. Our design approach treats each renovation as a unique project, tailored to the site, the existing building, and your lifestyle. See our Wellington renovation projects.

Yes. First Light Studio has designed numerous holiday homes and baches throughout New Zealand, including the Peka Peka Beach House on the Kāpiti Coast and the Falcons Rest alpine retreat at Castle Hill Village. We bring the same commitment to sustainability and site-responsive design to every project, regardless of type or size.

Yes. First Light Studio provides a full end-to-end architectural service, which includes preparing and managing resource consent and building consent applications on your behalf. Our team has experience navigating consenting processes across multiple New Zealand territorial authorities.

Yes. First Light Studio has significant experience in multi-unit residential developments — from small infill townhouse projects to larger affordable housing developments. Recent projects include the Te Āhuru Mōwai townhouses in Porirua and the Our Whare Our Fale development for the Central Pacific Collective in Wellington. We apply the same design rigour and sustainability focus to every project, at every scale.