about
Bassett-Smith Architecture is a design-led practice focused on creating beautiful, considered, and sustainable homes across New Zealand.
Our work is grounded in careful attention to detail, a restrained aesthetic, and a belief that good architecture should endure - both physically and emotionally. We approach each project as a response to place and the people who will live there, shaping homes that support everyday life with calm and clarity.
Each site brings its own constraints and opportunities, guiding architecture that feels considered rather than imposed. Light, material, and form are carefully balanced to create spaces that feel resolved and quietly cohesive.
Our work considers the building as a whole - from architecture and interiors through to landscape and outdoor spaces - ensuring each project is thoughtful, connected, and complete.
Our practice works across new homes, renovations, and carefully considered additions. We believe the best outcomes come from close collaboration, allowing ideas to develop naturally and result in architecture that feels personal, functional, and refined.
Functionality and architectural clarity are held in balance throughout every project. We take care at every scale - from the overall form to the finer details - ensuring each design responds thoughtfully to its brief, its context, and the people who inhabit it. We value the process as much as the outcome, and enjoy working with people who share a respect for quality and care.
Bassett-Smith Architecture is a founder-led design practice, with Lloyd closely involved throughout each project. Based in Mount Maunganui and working throughout New Zealand, the practice draws on a trusted network of specialist consultants and collaborators as required.
With over 20 years of architectural experience and a strong background in construction, Lloyd brings a grounded understanding of how buildings are designed, detailed, and built.
As a member of Architectural Designers New Zealand, the New Zealand Green Building Council, and a certified Homestar Designer and Assessor, he remains committed to advancing sustainable, well-crafted architecture that stands the test of time.
Ethos
Our ethos reflects what matters most to us — people, place, the environment, and the quality of what we create.
Affinity
We value close, collaborative relationships with our clients. Our approach is measured and attentive, working alongside people who appreciate thoughtful design and a process shaped by trust. The result is architecture that feels resolved, personal, and built to last.
Respect
We design with care and intent, responding thoughtfully to each site and its context. Every project is shaped by an understanding of place - honouring landscape, climate, and the unique qualities each location brings.
Nurture
We recognise that building has an environmental impact. Sustainability is therefore considered throughout every project - from passive design principles and material choices to long-term performance and durability. Our aim is to reduce impact by designing buildings that are efficient, responsible, and made to endure.
Intent
We believe the buildings and places around us should be more considered - shaped with care, humanity, and beauty. Architecture has the ability to uplift how we live, connect, and feel, and to do so in ways that endure over time. This intent sits at the heart of everything we do.
process
Close, ongoing contact with our clients is fundamental to how we work. We believe good architecture comes from collaboration, clarity, and shared understanding — maintained at every stage of a project.
Every project begins with a conversation — an opportunity to listen, understand the brief and site, and explore what matters most to you.
From there, our design work follows the Architectural Designers New Zealand (ADNZ) framework, providing a clear and proven structure from initial briefing through to construction.
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DESIGN STAGES
B1 PROJECT ESTABLISHMENT
Briefing with site visit and cost management.
B2 CONCEPT DESIGN
Transfer of brief and site information into design options and ideas.
B3 PRELIMINARY DESIGN
Refinement of the preferred concept, including spatial planning, material direction, and early consideration of interior and landscape relationships.
Design Stages
B1 PROJECT ESTABLISHMENT
Briefing with site visit and cost management.
B2 CONCEPT DESIGN
Transfer of brief and site information into design options and ideas.
B3 PRELIMINARY DESIGN
Refinement of the preferred concept, including spatial planning, material direction, and early consideration of interior and landscape relationships.
Documentation Stages
B4 DEVELOPED DESIGN
Development of coordinated architectural, interior, and landscape design, including site planning, floor plans, elevations, and visualisation.
B5 DETAILED DESIGN & DOCUMENTATION
For building consent application.
Construction Stages
B6 PROJECT TENDER
Project tender and preparation of documents for contractors to price.
B7 CONTRACT ADMINSTRATION
In tandem with construction progress.
B8 SITE OBSERVATION
To ensure works are in accordance with design.
Budget & Timeline Integration
Cost management is an integral part of our design process. Budgets are established early and monitored throughout each stage, using a structured and transparent approach. As the design develops, costs are regularly tested and refined, with informed adjustments made where required. This ensures the project remains aligned with the agreed budget while protecting the quality, intent, and long-term value of the design.
Design Stages
B1 PROJECT ESTABLISHMENT
Briefing with site visit and cost management.
B2 CONCEPT DESIGN
Transfer of brief and site information into design options and ideas.
B3 PRELIMINARY DESIGN
Refinement of the preferred concept, including spatial planning, material direction, and early consideration of interior and landscape relationships.
Documentation Stages
B4 DEVELOPED DESIGN
Development of coordinated architectural, interior, and landscape design, including site planning, floor plans, elevations, and visualisation.
B5 DETAILED DESIGN & DOCUMENTATION
For building consent application.
Construction Stages
B6 PROJECT TENDER
Project tender and preparation of documents for contractors to price.
B7 CONTRACT ADMINSTRATION
In tandem with construction progress.
B8 SITE OBSERVATION
To ensure works are in accordance with design.
Budget & Timeline Integration
Cost management is an integral part of our design process. Budgets are established early and monitored throughout each stage, using a structured and transparent approach. As the design develops, costs are regularly tested and refined, with informed adjustments made where required. This ensures the project remains aligned with the agreed budget while protecting the quality, intent, and long-term value of the design.
frequently asked questions
What do you do?
We design thoughtful, well-resolved buildings.
Our work is less defined by type or scale than by a commitment to quality, clarity and doing things properly. Whether the project is small or more complex, the aim is the same: to create something beautiful, sustainable and enduring.
What about sustainability?
Our philosophy is to leave the planet in better shape for generations to come.
This begins with getting the fundamentals right: orientation, natural light, ventilation, shading, material choices, durability and the performance of the building envelope. From there, we can refine performance through improved insulation, high-performance glazing, efficient heating and cooling, solar technology and other systems.
For projects seeking a recognised sustainability benchmark, Homestar provides a framework for measuring and improving the overall performance of the home.
What makes Bassett-Smith Architecture different?
It comes back to the level of care we bring to every part of the project - the design, the people, the process and the way it is ultimately built.
We take the time to really understand the brief, explore a wide range of ideas and talk through the possibilities before settling on a direction. We don’t stop at the first workable answer. If we think there is a better one, we keep looking.
Sustainability, practicality, budget and construction knowledge are considered as part of the design from the beginning. From there, that same level of care carries through the project. We model the design accurately, use realistic visualisation throughout the process, coordinate closely with consultants and prepare detailed documentation so important decisions are thought through before they reach site.
For us, a successful project is not only a beautiful building. It is also a client who feels informed, confident in the decisions being made and enjoys the process of getting there. That thoroughness brings greater clarity and certainty and helps reduce avoidable problems later.
What’s the process?
Our process starts with a conversation. We want to understand how you live, what you like, what frustrates you, what matters most and what you want the project to achieve.
From there, we develop the brief and scope before progressing through a clear series of design stages. There is plenty of room to explore ideas along the way. Each stage allows us to test, refine and coordinate the project before moving forward.
Do you do renovations?
We do. Renovations are often some of the most rewarding projects. We enjoy the constraints and opportunities that come with reworking an existing building, understanding what is worth keeping, what should change, and how the two can come together in a considered way.
How much do I need to know before we start?
You don’t need to arrive with everything figured out. Some clients come to us with a very clear idea; others simply know that something needs to change.
The early stages are there to develop the brief together, understand what you need, explore the possibilities and test them against the site, budget and other project requirements.
Are you residential or commercial?
We work across both residential and commercial projects. Residential makes up much of our work, but we also take on commercial projects where thoughtful design, functionality and attention to detail are valued.
Do you offer interior and landscape design?
Yes. We consider architecture, interiors and landscape design together from the beginning so they develop as part of one coherent design.
Depending on the project, this may be undertaken directly by us or in collaboration with specialist interior and landscape designers. Either way, these elements are considered alongside the architecture so materials, spaces, budget and overall design intent remain aligned.
How do you balance design and budget?
We consider the budget alongside the brief from the beginning. Early in the project we establish a strategy for how the two can work together - where it is worth investing, where we can simplify, and where there is flexibility if adjustments are needed.
We then test that strategy as the design develops, involving quantity surveyors, builders or specialist input where useful. The aim is to make informed decisions early, spend in the right places and protect the qualities that matter most to the project.
Every project begins with a conversation
If you have a project in mind, tell us about it. Whether it is a renovation, new home, commercial project or something a little different, we can talk through the ideas, what matters to you and where it could go from here.
What do you do?
We design thoughtful, well-resolved buildings.
Our work is less defined by type or scale than by a commitment to quality, clarity and doing things properly. Whether the project is small or more complex, the aim is the same: to create something beautiful, sustainable and enduring.
What about sustainability?
Our philosophy is to leave the planet in better shape for generations to come.
This begins with getting the fundamentals right: orientation, natural light, ventilation, shading, material choices, durability and the performance of the building envelope. From there, we can refine performance through improved insulation, high-performance glazing, efficient heating and cooling, solar technology and other systems.
For projects seeking a recognised sustainability benchmark, Homestar provides a framework for measuring and improving the overall performance of the home.
What makes Bassett-Smith Architecture different?
It comes back to the level of care we bring to every part of the project - the design, the people, the process and the way it is ultimately built.
We take the time to really understand the brief, explore a wide range of ideas and talk through the possibilities before settling on a direction. We don’t stop at the first workable answer. If we think there is a better one, we keep looking.
Sustainability, practicality, budget and construction knowledge are considered as part of the design from the beginning. From there, that same level of care carries through the project. We model the design accurately, use realistic visualisation throughout the process, coordinate closely with consultants and prepare detailed documentation so important decisions are thought through before they reach site.
For us, a successful project is not only a beautiful building. It is also a client who feels informed, confident in the decisions being made and enjoys the process of getting there. That thoroughness brings greater clarity and certainty and helps reduce avoidable problems later.
What’s the process?
Our process starts with a conversation. We want to understand how you live, what you like, what frustrates you, what matters most and what you want the project to achieve.
From there, we develop the brief and scope before progressing through a clear series of design stages. There is plenty of room to explore ideas along the way. Each stage allows us to test, refine and coordinate the project before moving forward.
Do you do renovations?
We do. Renovations are often some of the most rewarding projects. We enjoy the constraints and opportunities that come with reworking an existing building, understanding what is worth keeping, what should change, and how the two can come together in a considered way.
How much do I need to know before we start?
You don’t need to arrive with everything figured out. Some clients come to us with a very clear idea; others simply know that something needs to change.
The early stages are there to develop the brief together, understand what you need, explore the possibilities and test them against the site, budget and other project requirements.
Are you residential or commercial?
We work across both residential and commercial projects. Residential makes up much of our work, but we also take on commercial projects where thoughtful design, functionality and attention to detail are valued.
Do you offer interior and landscape design?
Yes. We consider architecture, interiors and landscape design together from the beginning so they develop as part of one coherent design.
Depending on the project, this may be undertaken directly by us or in collaboration with specialist interior and landscape designers. Either way, these elements are considered alongside the architecture so materials, spaces, budget and overall design intent remain aligned.
How do you balance design and budget?
We consider the budget alongside the brief from the beginning. Early in the project we establish a strategy for how the two can work together - where it is worth investing, where we can simplify, and where there is flexibility if adjustments are needed.
We then test that strategy as the design develops, involving quantity surveyors, builders or specialist input where useful. The aim is to make informed decisions early, spend in the right places and protect the qualities that matter most to the project.
Every project begins with a conversation
If you have a project in mind, tell us about it. Whether it is a renovation, new home, commercial project or something a little different, we can talk through the ideas, what matters to you and where it could go from here.