Ask An Architect 04: What Does an Architect Actually Do?
In this series, we sit down with the team at First Light Studio to answer the questions we’re asked most often. Together, our architects and designers share their thoughts on architecture, design and creating places that make a meaningful difference.
Interview with Eli Nuttall - Founder and Director of First Light Studio
“What Does an Architect Actually Do?”
It’s a funny question because most people think architects draw plans.
The reality is, drawings are probably one of the smallest parts of what our architects do. They’re simply the record of thousands of decisions that have already been made.
People often see the finished drawings, but they don’t see the thinking behind them. That’s where the real value lies.
The real work of architects is helping people make better decisions. Not just about buildings, but about how people want to live.
Buckley Rd by First Light Studio
“The real work of architects is helping people make better decisions. Not just about buildings, but about how people want to live.”
The Seatoun House by First Light Studio
“One of the biggest misconceptions is that architects and draughtspeople do the same job.
Is that true?”
Both are valuable professionals and both play an important role in our industry. But they’re trained to do different things.
The architects in our studio have spent years learning not just how to design buildings, but how to solve problems through design.
Architecture isn’t about learning software.
It’s about understanding how one decision affects another.
Move a window and you change the natural light, privacy, furniture layout, energy performance, structure and cost.
Increase the size of a room and you might improve the way it feels. Or you might simply spend more money without improving the way you live.
Good architects are trained to understand those relationships before they’re built.
That’s where the value lies.
Waikanae House by First Light Studio
“Good architecture isn’t about making homes bigger. It’s about making every square metre work harder.”
“You often say people don’t buy square metres. What do you mean by that?”
One of my favourite examples comes from a small home we designed in Seatoun.
When the owners later sold the house, the real estate agent asked visitors to guess how large they thought it was.
Most people guessed somewhere between 100 and 110 square metres.
The house was actually 84 square metres.
That wasn’t an accident.
Thoughtful planning, integrated storage, generous volume, carefully positioned glazing and strong connections to outdoor spaces all worked together to make the home feel far larger than its footprint.
It’s a reminder that people don’t experience a home with a tape measure.
They experience it emotionally.
The average new home in New Zealand is considerably larger than it needs to be.
Often, a better-designed home can achieve more with less.
If thoughtful design allows you to remove 20 square metres without compromising how the house lives, you’ve reduced construction costs from day one. You’ll likely reduce heating, maintenance and running costs for decades to come as well.
Good architecture isn’t about making homes bigger.
It’s about making every square metre work harder.
Q2 by First Light Studio
“So if clients don’t always know the right solution, what is your role?”
Clients often arrive with a solution already in mind.
“We need another bedroom.”
“We need a bigger kitchen.”
“We need a larger house.”
Sometimes they’re absolutely right.
But often those requests are symptoms of a deeper problem.
Perhaps the family no longer spends time together.
Perhaps the living spaces don’t connect to the garden.
Perhaps there’s nowhere to store the everyday clutter that makes a home feel untidy.
Perhaps the house simply doesn’t work for the way they live.
One of our greatest strengths as a studio is listening.
Listening carefully enough to understand the problem behind the brief.
Through concept design, sketches and exploring different options, our architects challenge assumptions and test ideas.
Sometimes we confirm exactly what our clients thought they needed.
Other times we discover a solution they hadn’t even imagined.
Those are often the most rewarding projects.
6×6 by First Light Studio
“One of our greatest strengths as a studio is listening. Listening carefully enough to understand the problem behind the brief.”
“You’ve said architecture is about people, not buildings. Can you explain that?”
People often ask me what makes great architecture.
There isn’t one answer.
Because every project has a different definition of success.
For a family, success might mean finally gathering around the dining table every evening.
For someone building their forever home, it might be the realisation of a dream they’ve held for decades.
For a community housing provider, success could mean healthier children, stronger neighbourhoods and homes where people genuinely feel connected.
Architecture has the ability to influence how we live.
It shapes how much daylight we experience.
How connected we feel to nature.
Whether families naturally spend time together or retreat to separate corners of the house.
Whether a community feels welcoming or isolated.
The building itself is never the end goal.
It’s simply the vehicle.
The real goal is creating places that improve people’s lives.
Every project does that differently.
And that’s exactly the point.
The Wairarapa Haybarn by First Light Studio
“If you could leave readers with one thought, what would it be?”
Architecture isn’t really about designing buildings.
It’s about designing better lives.
Whether it’s a bespoke family home, a renovation, or community housing, the best projects aren’t measured by how they look.
They’re measured by how they improve the lives of the people who live in them.
That’s ultimately what great architecture is about.
Before you begin your own project, ask yourself:
What problem am I actually trying to solve?
Do I need a bigger house, or simply a better-designed one?
Twenty years from now, what do I hope this home has made possible for my family?
