Chow:Hill Architects celebrates 30 years
Waipapa Christchurch Hospital, a 62,000sqm healthcare facility completed in 2020.
Union Square in Hamilton, an experimental new business precinct currently in development.
HB Williams Memorial Library, Gisborne. The project involved an renovation and extension to the existing library.
St Andrew’s Village in Auckland. An award-wining retirement village with coastal views and a focus on care and community.
Waikato Regional Council. A 7000sqm headquarters in Hamilton’s CBD.
The multi-disciplinary practice was founded in 1992 by architects, Chien Chow and Richard Hill, and today is one of New Zealand’s leading architectural and design firms, with studios in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, Hamilton/Kirikiriroa, and Christchurch/Ōtautahi.
The award-winning practice is renowned for its work in health design, learning environments, retirement living, commercial architecture, interiors, urban design and landscape architecture.
Significant projects of note include:
- Waipapa Christchurch Hospital: New Zealand’s largest ever public hospital project
- Union Square: A commerce environment in Hamilton’s CBD
- HB Williams Memorial Library: Designed in collaboration with Sir Derek Lardelli
- St Andrew’s Village: an award-winning retirement complex in Auckland
- Waikato Regional Council: A 7000m2+ agile and flexible workspace
Brian Squair, Senior Principal of Chow:Hill says the practice’s growth and success is down to its commitment to, and respect for, investing in people and adhering to holistically sustainable design practices. “Our design comes from a ‘first principle’s perspective,” explains Brian. “That means we focus on future-fit project deliverables. We enjoy longevity of relationships with many of our clients, some of whom span more than 20 years, and we make the development of our own people a priority.”
“We shape the design industry with every project we embark on, and we shape the careers of our people concurrently. That collaborative nature of our design ethos has enabled us to achieve design success across a range of sectors and with both peers and partners in the industry.”
Chow:Hill’s legacy stems from the practice’s early days when its founders secured key commercial, health, and educational projects, including Hamilton’s Downtown Plaza Shopping Centre, Waikato Tainui’s Hopuhopu-based Endowed College for Research and Development, Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital, and the Bay of Plenty Polytech’s (now Toi Ohomai’s) Windermere Campus.
Richard Hill says he and business partner, Chien, always had a strong entrepreneurial spirit. “We took some risks, we ensured we were fairly agile, and we invested in people and technology,” he recalls. “That ethos of giving rather than taking is still evident today in the company’s commitment to collaborative co-design with clients, and the professional training and mentorship of its staff.”
Chow:Hill believes that a commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable design has also become part and parcel of their success. Senior Principal Maurice Kiely says as a practice Chow:Hill strives to develop healthy relationships between the natural and built environments, where individuals and communities thrive through a sense of personal and public wellbeing.
For more information on Chow:Hill, visit: chowhill.co.nz
