From Havelock North to New York City; an unexpected move for most, but that’s exactly what architect David Howell did some years ago. Howell, 54, is the architect behind a New York City loft, to be featured in Urbis issue 85  (April-May 2015). We spoke to the architect about designing buildings in The Big Apple. 

Urbis: How did you come to settle in New York City?

David Howell: After working for Lane Priest Architects for five years straight out of architecture school, I went on an international three-month trip to study the collaboration between artists and architects – partially sponsored by a QEII Arts Council grant. After returning to New Zealand I decided to move to New York City and work there for an unknown period of time. I found New York mesmerizing and the architecture very intriguing.

U: Why architecture?

DH: I loved drawing and building stuff when I was a kid – typical kiwi kid stuff because we built what we wanted to play with.

When I was 14 I had the opportunity to work (let’s say visit) the offices of Hoogerbrug and Magdalinos Architects in Hastings for two weeks. Paris Magdalinos was very gracious and inspiring. I remember that very fondly and from that time on I was hooked and never considered any other career.

U: Tell us about your firm, DHD Architecture and Interior Design.

DH: It’s a 25-person firm (including five kiwis), founded in 1995. We do architecture and interior design – my wife Steffani heads our interiors team. We have a full time project manager and structural engineer on staff.

Most of our work is residential and most is in Manhattan (lofts apartments and townhouses), but we also have projects in California and Utah. We are also designing five ground-up residential buildings in Manhattan and Brooklyn. DHD belongs to an archery club run by furniture makers BDDW and we have a practice archery range in our office for Friday nights.

 U: How do you maintain ties to New Zealand?

DH: I always seem to have one project on the go in New Zealand and I travel back to see my family twice a year. I try and keep up with New Zealand artists, I read the New Zealand papers and follow our great sports teams. With the new J1 Visa programme, I also get a number of New Zealand graduates looking for direction or help finding employment in New York City.

U: What are you working on at the moment?

DH: Right now I am working on my business. This year I am restructuring and planning the next five-10 years, so my project is actually DHD and that’s really inspiring.

U: Tell us about your most prized project to date.

DH: It has to be a ski house in Alta because of all its technical challenges and site conditions (it’s in its third and final year of construction). The site is at 2,750 metres above sea level – alpine terrain – and the building season is only six months due to the heavy snowfall.

U: What’s your own home like?

DH: It’s in a ground-up building in Gramercy East, Lower Manhattan, that we designed. It has much coveted outdoor space and a wood-burning fireplace , as well as a car park.

U:  You designed an apartment to be featured in Urbis issue 85 (April-May 2015). Is this space typical of your own design aesthetic?

DH: As much as anything is. We like to respond to each unique set of conditions when designing anything. This apartment was designed and built for a couple who come to New York for about three months a year. They are art collectors and so we were able to collaborate with local artisans on the project – namely Lindsey Adelman and FACE Studios who did the architectural metal.