THE DESIGNFIRE Architects & Fire Consultants
About
THE DESIGNFIRE Architects & Fire consultants
We are a team of highly experienced design architects with a strong building compliance background. Our top Auckland architects will work seamlessly on your building projects through every facet of the design process.
Our holistic, multi-disciplinary design approach simplifies the process and saves you—the client—time and resources during the building process. We are also very effective with architecture projects where fire engineering design is required. Additionally, we can provide expert advice from the earliest stages of the project.
We have completed many highly regarded projects across Auckland, including commercial architecture, residential developments, offices, and alterations. No project is too big or too small. Please get in touch to discuss your project or to schedule a consultation.
THE DESIGNFIRE team also includes Fire Consultants and Passive Fire Designers who specialize in fire engineering for residential, commercial, and industrial projects. We’re experts in the strict requirements of the fire protection industry.
Louie Kang
34 Constellation DriveRosedale
Auckland 0632
Credentials
Projects
Townhouse development, Panama Road
33 units Terraced Housing Development. PROJECT SNAPSHOT Year Completed: 2017 Professional Service/s: Resource Consent, Building Consent, Fire Engineering, Passive Fire Design, Contract administration Overview The development comprises of eight blocks of 2 level units as part of ‘Richmond’ development. These were built with Steel frame structure which is getting popular on the market for durability and fast construction. Each unit is compactly designed with 3 to 4 bedrooms units with balconies or private courtyard providing useful amenity to each resident. Solution THE DESIGNFIRE was engaged by our client to complete construction documentation based on the earlier design and administered the building contract to completion. This project was completed without any major constraints, and the building has been successfully handed over to the satisfied client. In Detail It is essential to have livable amenity where these are often compromised for a compact Terraced housing development like this.
Proposed house, Masterton Road
The client wished to have a home unique to their needs and ideals. PROJECT SNAPSHOT Year Completed: 2019 Professional Service/s: Building Consent Instead of purchasing an existing property on the market, they came to us with the brief outlining the following: five bedrooms, three bathrooms and two living rooms – the client wanted to maximise the use of the land. There were some significant challenges to realise the design. Steep and narrow land, height in relation to boundary and neighbour privacy. THE DESIGNFIRE has modelled neighbour’s houses, made the shadow diagram, negotiated with Council to achieve the best outcome for the client. It is a three-story house, staggered in floor level to follow the natural slope of the land, with a total 317m² floor area with 30m² deck area. The random standing seam metal cladding with horizontal cedar create the modern look and THE DESIGNFIRE has also designed the interior of the house. We are taking care of the project inside and outside. The construction was completed in 2019. Now the client has moved in and are enjoying the time in their own designed home.
Re-cladding and extension, Elsfield Place
PROJECT SNAPSHOT Year Completed: 2016 Professional Service/s: Building Consent Overview Our Client has owned home for many years. The home was built in the 90s with direct fix plaster cladding with rounded parapet. Such a feature was once a design statement back at the time. However, after more than 20 years standing, the house was leaking badly. While the house condition necessitated the recladding works, The client approached us also to consider the modernising of the frontage of the house as well as to achieve a better view for the top floor master bedroom. Solution To achieve the design briefing requirement, we have carefully set the height of the design of the roof to ensure that the house achieves a high-quality modern look as well as being functional. By our careful and innovative design, the ceiling of the living has been optimised to create an open and loft feeling but also provided lower sill windows for the master bedroom so the client can enjoy the view from his master bedroom as well. In Detail One of the main design features is the mono-pitched frame look of the house which also incorporated glass balustrade set right in front of the newly designed sliding door. As well as being looking highly modern, this also allowed a full and wide opening of the front large sliding door, effectively bringing in the outdoor freshness into the internal living room.
House development
New Home A large brand new house on College Road PROJECT SNAPSHOT Year Completed: 2019 Professional Service/s: Building Consent This modern house design is carried out by THE DESIGNFIRE’s design partner Archimode. The design approach of a modern way, in the form of buildings that are recognisable of our age while understanding and respecting environmental and context. The buildings should be differentiated but compatible with achieving harmony between new and old.
Re-cladding of house, Beach Road
Recladding / Alteration PROJECT SNAPSHOT Year Completed: 2018 Professional Service/s: Building Consent Size:350m2 Overview Many sites of Beach Road boast a great Seaview being on higher ground. That also means the site is heavily sloped with large engineering foundation structure. This posed a significant compliance issue when our client bought this house for complete renovation and re-cladding. The site and the building had some tricky issues. The building did not have CCC due to the private certifier gone burst at the time of the original build. To further complicate the issues, PS4 for structural and Geotech was not obtained at the time. As the structure and Geotech part of the building is such a major part of the construction, they are usually not easy to rectify if there is a problem. Solution THE DESIGNFIRE tackled this issue with working with our close working geotechnical and structural engineers to a successful resolution. The old house design reflected the favoured design language of that era – fake masonry look, use of parapets. Re-design options for the exterior of the house were explored firstly to reduce the weather-tightness risk secondly to modernise the property to update to current trends. Another main issue was that due to the existing building height over three storey on a steel site. Design options were limited due to that the existing house already very close to the maximum height limit of the site. A very careful concept and detailing approach was required to ensure the house is weathertight, and it also looks highly modern. THE DESIGNFIRE managed to obtain CCC for both the new structure as well as existing structure successfully. In Detail Because THE DESIGNFIRE completed such many re-cladding projects in recent years in a highly competent manner, the council officers themselves recommended THE DESIGNFIRE to our client to tackling these re-cladding projects.
Showhome development, Tawatawa Street
New Home THE DESIGNFIRE is no stranger to the Long Bay developments and G.J Gardner, so when they came to us for their latest showhome in the area, they knew they were in experienced hands. PROJECT SNAPSHOT Year Completed: 2019 Professional Service/s: Building Consent Development began in 2018 with a big design challenge: triangular boundary and existing earth bund, limiting the space for the showroom due to lowered Height In Relation to Boundary on one end. THE DESIGNFIRE proposed a five-bedroom, double living and triple bathroom dwelling in the 269m² layout and with liaising with Auckland Council, passed Resource and Building Consent despite the HIRB infringements and neighbour consent. Today, 3 Tawatawa is a G.J Gardner showhome that is open to the public for viewing and is a testament to our dedication towards the design, compliance and customer satisfaction to residential architecture not just within the Long Bay area, but throughout New Zealand.
