Jacinda Rogers (JR): Is there anything in your experience that has set a trajectory for how you view architecture?

Saskia Simpson (SS): Absolutely. In my last year at university, I took the opportunity to combine two interests/passions and spent the year learning about human psychology and behaviour, along with the Christchurch urban environment.

The title of my thesis was: Housing Human Needs: Addressing the Psychological Needs of Occupants Through Medium-Density Housing.

I used Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a base and came up with a design framework for housing that supports people’s higher-level psychological needs (i.e social, esteem, and self-actualisation). I chose a site to test the framework, which was right in between Christchurch’s CBD and a residential zone to the east. I looked at creating mixed-use housing, and had a go at master planning — making broad brush strokes in urban planning — as well as finer details such the stairwells between apartment units, all with the idea of supporting people with their higher psychological and social needs.

Looking back, this research project moulded my perspective on architecture. It encouraged me to approach design decisions with a critical eye towards their potential social and well-being implications. As a result, I often refer back to things I learned during that year, to help me to understand the social dimension through the design challenges that come up along the way.

JR: In terms of your learning process, what have you found to be particularly valueable?

SS: I took a break after studying and worked for a tiny house builder as a hammerhand for six months. In this time I learned to wrap a building, insulate a house, flash windows, do a bit of framing, plaster and paint, and fix holes in walls made by clumsy electricians! I have always had a love and curiosity for how things physically work, so it was deeply satisfying learning to build houses.

This was a great way to experience real-life construction, and I got to see the construction process from beginning to end a number of times.

JR: Tell me about your work with Ignite Wellington and now Ignite’s Christchurch office.

SS: During my thesis year at university I worked part-time for Ignite in their Wellington studio, then after six months of building tiny homes in Canterbury, I started in Ignite’s Christchurch studio.

For the last two years, I’ve worked on a broad range of projects, including interior fit-outs, civic buildings and master planning.

I enjoy the finer, quieter details of interior work and it is very satisfying seeing a vision become a reality so quickly. Projects don’t always make it through to completion, and even when they do, this can be years. But with interiors, they come alive so quickly!

JR: Can you tell me about some of the projects you have in the works currently?

SS: At the moment we’re working on Christchurch South Library and Service Centre – Te Kete Wānanga o wai Mōkihi, for Christchurch City Council. It’s a community building with many functions inside, and I’m loving the new challenge of working at a civic building scale.

The project involves a rebuild and expansion of the existing South Library and Service Centre which was damaged in the 2010/2011 earthquakes. Ignite is currently in the early conceptual stages of the design, so I will be part of the process right from the beginning stages which is exciting.

Compared to other projects I have worked on, this building differs a lot. While I have worked on some interior fit-outs, town centre master plans, and large-scale residential projects in the past, the scale of the library and service centre falls somewhere in between.

It is more complex than just an interior fit-out, but much closer to the human scale than town centres. Additionally, the current facility is incredibly well-loved, so there have been many workshops and consultations with the staff, Council, and the community to ensure that the design meets their expectations.

JR: What is one of the hidden gems of the profession that you’ve uncovered while in practice?

SS: I love learning about people’s lives and customs, so naturally one of the things I love the most about architecture is meeting a vast range of people, hearing their stories, and crafting spaces to facilitate their habits and activities. My own life is all the richer having learned about how different professions work — from dental practices, to libraries.

For instance, last year, we worked on a fit-out for a new dental practice. One of the first things we considered was how anxious people typically feel when visiting the dentist. Therefore, our concept aimed to create a calming environment.

To achieve this we used natural timber finishes, a high ceiling (to alleviate claustrophobia), and detailed wall finishes to give nervous patients something to focus on while in the waiting room.

JR: Do you have any hobbies that inform or re-energise you creatively outside of work?

SS: I’m a big advocate for physical craft in the design world and am delighted at the creations people make with their hands and physical tools.

I always prefer to pick up a pen over a mouse, and over the last year or so, I’ve been drawing people, particularly faces. I’m a people person through and through, and I enjoy drawing little characters; either from life, a photo or from my imagination.

I have also picked up the hobby of carving. I have whittled spoons for friends, as well as a set of meditation beads (japa mala) from a rod of hazelwood.

JR: What style of buildings or the built environment do you find a source of inspiration in?

SS: Late last year I went on a pilgrimage through a few holy places in India. I have been practicing bhakti yoga/Krishna consciousness for the last 6–7 years, so it was wonderful to finally visit some Krishna temples in their homeland.

Vastu is the ancient Indian system of architecture and city planning that has been around for thousands of years. Many mandira (temples) are based upon principles of vastu. It takes a holistic look at a site and its context, as well as implements sacred geometry to inform layout and form. It certainly has many differences to the way architecture is approached in the West, and it is an area of knowledge that I would love to learn more about.

JR: Lastly, what inspired your mood board colour selection?

SS: I drew inspiration for this mood board from the autumn season and the traditional practice of olive harvesting. For the past few years, my fiancé and I have enjoyed foraging for olives and curing them as a hobby. I find the process of transforming these bitter little fruits into something delicious to be fun and rewarding.

In terms of colour, I am drawn to the rich, earthy tones of the olives themselves, the warm hues of the olive oil, and the fresh greens and whites of the leaves. Together, they evoke a sense of grounding, calmness, and simplicity. This mood board includes a jar of olives that we harvested and cured last year, as well as leaves and fresh fruits from local olive trees.

I used the colours Resene Double Spanish White, Resene Stinger, Resene Saratoga, Resene Ivanhoe, Resene Yuma and Resene Seaweed for this mood board. Some colours were chosen to match the hues of the leaves, oil and fruits, and others to compliment the composition.

See more from the On The Rise series here.