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SUMMER! LONG AFTERNOONS, golden light, and the annual migration from our cities to places where the air feels fresh, the days stretch endlessly, and life moves to a gentler rhythm. It's this blissful time of year we've had the pleasure of capturing in these pages — homes that speak to the essence of summer, each in its own way. On the east coast, we visit a courtyard home in a rural setting that gazes towards the Hen and Chickens Islands from almost every room — even the bathroom. Here, privacy is both literal and conceptual; all openings are full height, with no need for window treatments. As architect John Irving notes, there's a certain luxury in being able to open a house entirely to the outdoors. Instead of curtains, layers…

Softly spoken Baya's new collection explores the subtleties of texture, silhouette, and tone, offering pieces that are as sculptural as they are serene. Earthy greens, soft browns, and muted blues bring warmth and composure, while delicate touches of pink lend a gentle lift. “These colours work best when paired with natural materials like wool, timber, and ceramic,” says Baya head designer Hannah Middleton. “They become more immersive and create a sensory impact. This season reflects a quiet shift toward deeper, more resonant interiors — spaces that support restoration and rest.” The same themes carry through to the outdoors, where five new colour stories — Mangrove, Tobacco, Almond, Eucalyptus, and Steel Blue — evoke a grounded and contemplative sensibility. The palette is calm yet uplifting, nuanced but unforced; designed for spaces…

DESIGNED IN A rare international collaboration between Haworth Tompkins in London and Athfield Architects in New Zealand, the new purpose-built facility anchors the revitalised cultural core of Ōtautahi. Both theatre and production house, the facility includes a 379-seat main playhouse, a 150-seat studio theatre, rehearsal and education spaces, workshops for set building and costume and props creation, and front-of-house amenities including a café and bar. Unlike many theatres, The Court remains a producing theatre, meaning that all creative elements from lighting and sound to sets and costumes are developed in-house, on-site. Inside, the building is conceived as a production house in full view. Public foyers, rehearsal rooms, and back-of-house workshops are physically and visually connected, giving audiences a sense of the creative process. This architectural gesture dissolves the boundary between…

AUSTRALIAN DESIGNER ROSS Gardam seeks to answer that question with his new collection — pieces that encourage viewers to shift their focus from the motifs themselves to the forces behind them, inviting personal reflection on what shapes perception. Now available in New Zealand exclusively from ECC, Ross's latest work explores the elemental forces of light, offering space to reflect on the dualities inherent in life. The new pieces were first exhibited at Milan Design Week earlier this year, and released alongside a digital spatial experience, Pavilion, which he described as one that “evolves and transcends time and place … offering a conceptual, open-ended exploration of interconnectedness — between people, objects, and place.” Set within dense Australian bushland, the inspiration for Pavilion came from the designer's long-standing fascination with brutalist architecture,…

THE RESULT IS a bespoke collection — a chair, coffee table, and tray — that translates the Avant's quiet athleticism into furniture defined by craftsmanship and restraint. “What really strikes me about the A6 Avant e-tron is the balance it strikes between presence and subtlety. It's a beautifully sculpted vehicle, sleek and athletic, but also understated in the way it carries itself. My aim was to capture that same sense of refinement and intelligence in the pieces I designed for this partnership,” Tim says. With a striking silhouette, the A6 Avant e-tron introduces a new era of progressive luxury for Audi. Its design achieves best-in-class aerodynamics, delivering greater efficiency and an electric driving range of up to 650km, redefining what is possible for a premium electric vehicle. “Audi has always…

DESIGNED BY BOSSLEY Architects in 2018, each of the four villas that populate Omana rely on the clarity of simplicity. Stepping up a beautiful sloping headland overlooking Woodside Bay, their positioning ensures minimal visual impact on the environment while maximising views of the surrounding native bush and Waitematā Harbour. Rooflines extend to form shelter above balconies, placed either to the east or west, allowing for both a sense of sanctuary and strong connection with the wider landscape. Omana was the vision of husband-and-wife duo Silmara and Cobus Scholtz who wanted to create a place where guests could retreat; a series of restorative spaces that existed in harmony with the natural world. “My desire to create a special place where my husband and I could find peace and connection, while still…