Tennent Brown Architects

Tennent Brown Architects Founded in 1990, Tennent Brown Architects is an award-winning practice based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, New Zealand.

Principals Hugh Tennent and Ewan Brown enjoy the challenge of creating appropriate and innovative solutions by working closely with clients be they individual, corporate or community groups. We seek a personalised, interactive process, developing an appreciation of the environmental, social, commercial and architectural facets of each project in its context. This synthesis, founded on strong desig

n, characterises the practice. We regard design innovation and excellence as essential aspect in selecting an architect. Many Tennent + Brown projects have received design award recognition and are consistently recognised for their strength in design. The care in achieving the objectives of brief, budget and building function are overlaid with the parallel goal of creating innovative and delightful architecture. Tennent + Brown are leaders in the understanding of the principles and issues surrounding sustainability in the built environment, together with the application of these principles in architecture. The directors have undertaken training with the Australian Green Building Rating system and are foundation members of the NZ Green Building Council. Principles of sustainability are incorporated into all Tennent + Brown projects. Tennent + Brown Architects has been an advocate for, and is recognised as an innovator on ESD (environmentally sustainable design). Ewan Brown is on the NZIA expert panel for ESD training of Architects. Hugh Tennent has been NZIA National Awards Convenor 2011 – 2012.

It’s official - Pā Reo is a certified Living Building Challenge® Full Living project!Designed by Tennent Brown Architect...
29/04/2026

It’s official - Pā Reo is a certified Living Building Challenge® Full Living project!

Designed by Tennent Brown Architects and part of Te Wānanga o Ruakawa campus in Ōtaki, Pā Reo has passed the certification process to become a sustainable, self-sufficient building under the ultra-strict and world-leading Living Building Challenge® Full Living certification using Living Building Challenge® v.4.0 through Living Future, meeting all 7 Petals and 20 Imperatives.

Pā Reo is part of a very small global club - one of just 38 buildings in the world, and only the second commercial building in Aotearoa, to achieve this qualification. It's been a real team effort, with learning curves galore and years of careful graft to finally get here. We don’t usually like to blow our own trumpet, but it's safe to say we’re absolutely thrilled!

When they call it a challenge they aren’t wrong… it means these extra special buildings have their own on-site water collection and waste treatment plant, generates all its own power, is built solely from meticulously-tested, low-chemical materials to support carbon neutrality, and so much more.

Together with Rawiri Richmond and all the incredible people at Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Architects' Ewan Brown, Hugh Tennent and the Tennent Brown team have been dedicated to the vision at every step. With the wellbeing of people and the environment at its heart, Pā Reo is a beacon and a blueprint for the future of sustainable design. Thank you to everyone who has joined us on the journey!

Check out more on Pā Reo and Living Building Challenge® at:
https://tennentbrown.co.nz/news/its-official-pa-reo-is-a-certified-living-building

We're delighted that Parenga House has been shortlisted for the NZIA Wellington Architecture awards and look forward to ...
19/03/2026

We're delighted that Parenga House has been shortlisted for the NZIA Wellington Architecture awards and look forward to sharing the special place with the jury.

'A river side house for a couple, and for friends and family. Perhaps a last resting place, embedded in kohekohe, beech and garden. For retreating and expanding, for changing seasons, for receiving sun and rain and the shade of trees.'


NZIA - Wellington Branch

We’re proud to share that Tennent Brown Architects has been recertified as a B Corp in 2025, with a score of 112.2—a sig...
15/09/2025

We’re proud to share that Tennent Brown Architects has been recertified as a B Corp in 2025, with a score of 112.2—a significant jump from our original 93. This milestone reflects our ongoing commitment to using architecture as a force for good.

Since becoming New Zealand’s first B Corp certified architecture firm in 2022, the framework has helped shape our culture, governance, and design approach. It’s influenced and been influenced by how we support our team, engage with mana whenua, and embed sustainability into every project.

The recertification process was rigorous—two interviews and a deep dive into our systems—but also affirming. It validated our efforts and highlighted areas for growth. We’ve aligned our work with the Living Building Challenge and JUST certifications, and continue to advocate for regenerative design across the industry.

As we celebrate this achievement, we’re reminded of why we started this journey. In the words of B Lab:

“Being a B Corp is not about being perfect. It’s about being better—for workers, communities, and the planet.”

Ngā mihi to our team, collaborators, and community.



Image of Pā Reo by Andy Spain

We’re proud to share Ngā Mokopuna has made the shortlist for the Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZ Institute of Architects 2025 Nati...
03/08/2025

We’re proud to share Ngā Mokopuna has made the shortlist for the Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZ Institute of Architects 2025 National Architecture Awards.

Thank you to the Institute Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZ Institute of Architects, our clients Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington and collaborators.

We're looking forward to sharing the special kaupapa of this project with the national jury panel.

Photo: Andy Spain Photography

Te Raekura Redcliffs School is located by the sea in the east of Ōtautahi Christchurch. Nestled within a vibrant communi...
12/06/2025

Te Raekura Redcliffs School is located by the sea in the east of Ōtautahi Christchurch. Nestled within a vibrant community, the school has an especially clear vision, character, and flavour that needed to be reflected in the design. Following the earthquake, it was especially important to not only rebuild the school, but it's connections to the community it had been apart from for so long, as the school finally moved back home.

📸 Andy Spain

11/06/2025

⏳ LAST CHANCE ⏳

Don't miss your opportunity to experience the Gold Medal Public Lecture Series!

After embarking on a nationwide tour, Gold Medal recipients Hugh Tennent and Ewan Brown (Tennent Brown Architects) are winding up their time on the road with one date to discuss their design ethos and award-winning approach to architecture.

📍 Queenstown — Friday 13 June | Rendezvous Heritage Hotel

Book now: https://bit.ly/3ZYirK8

Congratulations to Pā Reo Campus, winners of the Urban and Community Scale Category in the 2025 Living Future Institute ...
03/06/2025

Congratulations to Pā Reo Campus, winners of the Urban and Community Scale Category in the 2025 Living Future Institute of Australia's Biophilic Design Awards!

Designed by Tennent Brown Architects Ltd, the project was recognised for its powerful cultural narrative and ecological integration. The jury noted:

“Pā Reo is a beautifully layered project that rebalances natural and cultural landscapes. It embraces climate-responsive design, honours Indigenous ecologies and brings people into meaningful connection with nature, place and community.”

This is the first year the Biophilic Awards accepted New Zealand entries. Notably, one in four entries were from New Zealand, and two of the three winning projects are from here.

Aotearoa is punching well above its weight in the global Living Building Challenge and Living Future Certification Programme movement, with 15% of the world’s Declare labels. We also lead in certified projects per capita, with four certified Living Buildings (one fully certified, three in progress) and three additional Petal Certifications.

Living Future Zero Carbon certification is also the world’s fastest growing - Reposted from Te Mātārere The Bulletin (Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZIA)

Find out more about Pā Reo at: https://tennentbrown.co.nz/projects/maori/pa-reo-campus

Our clients, two French brothers living in Singapore and Shanghai, were struck by the outlook and drama of Turn Point.Th...
03/06/2025

Our clients, two French brothers living in Singapore and Shanghai, were struck by the outlook and drama of Turn Point.

The challenge of Turn Point was the accessibility. The site was 20m below a precipitous narrow forestry road, 2km to the nearest barge landing, and some 50m above the sound. So, the strategy of heli-lifting nearly pre-finished buildings and subfloor frames was adopted to minimise on-site labour.

The brief called for each brother to have his own bedroom, study and bathrooms and then a shared central living, and kitchen space. A great deal of attention was given to the spaces between the buildings with terraces and decking, and the retention of existing trees.

Electricity for Turn Point is made on demand by a remote diesel generator and photovoltaics, and gas is used for water heating and cooking to minimise electricity loads. Solar hot water was not as suitable because of the intermittent use, and separate buildings. A biolytix septic tank suited the long periods of no use and rain water is collected from the roofs. All of these factors culminate in an environmentally conscious, truly breathtaking, slice of heaven.

📸 Paul McCredie

Tennent Brown is located on Level 6 of the recently strengthened Hope Gibbons Building (check out our previous post!) Th...
20/05/2025

Tennent Brown is located on Level 6 of the recently strengthened Hope Gibbons Building (check out our previous post!) The office was extended to be located in the north-east corner of the building, creating a large, square space with views down Courtenay Place to Mount Victoria and out into Aro Park on Dixon Street.

The entry space has an open plan birch ply kitchenette, and mid-20th century designed furniture, providing a break out seating area for staff and visitors.

The meeting room offers a pleasant contrast to the light-filled work space, with acoustic panels, an embedded light fitting, and built-in plywood joinery. There are various other informal meeting spaces throughout the office, and stools that allow people to congregate around desks or the long leaner bench in the centre of the workspace.

📸 Thomas Seear-Budd

The Hope Gibbons building is a heritage building, built in 1927, and home to the Tennent Brown offices . The nine-storey...
14/05/2025

The Hope Gibbons building is a heritage building, built in 1927, and home to the Tennent Brown offices . The nine-storey concrete building needed significant work to bring it up to seismic standards. Weak beam and column connections posed a challenge for Tennent Brown. The solution was to strip it back, removing the concrete and exposing the steel framing, before then adding in a modern steel cage, and reinforcing and sheathing the steel in concrete again.

To make things more difficult, Tennent Brown needed to make sure the building was operational for as long as possible to accomodate a bar on the ground floor.

Seismic work is never easy, but the work and problem solving from Tennent Brown that went into preserving the heritage of the building within budget constraints while also making it safe and a sought after tenancy, has made this project a real success.

📸Thomas Seear-Budd

Address

Level 6, Hope Gibbons Building, 7-11 Dixon Street, PO Box 9816
Wellington
6141

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Tennent Brown Architects posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Tennent Brown Architects:

Shortcuts

Share