Jacinda Rogers (JR): I get a sense with your work that interior details matter just as much to you as the architectural components of a building.

Georgia Peacocke (GP): Yes, in my view, the collaboration between interior architecture and interior design is vital in achieving a holistic approach.

For our clients, there’s a huge benefit to being able to do both architecture and interior design in-house. By combining our efforts, it creates continuity in our work from early in the design process.

When you aim to deliver all the interior details — down to specifying the furniture — it removes any distinction between the architectural and interior elements creating a seamlessness to the final composition.

JR: Do you think attitudes towards interior design and other related design disciplines have changed within the field of architecture?

GP: One future I see for architecture is a blending across more design disciplines and the importance of collaboration. We are not only architects but designers.

I am more interested in creating a collaborative environment where people from different design fields have a mutual aspiration and work together towards a singular design intent. I don’t think we should be afraid to ask questions and create a feedback loop with practioners that have specialties and skill sets outside of what is considered architecture.

Historically, it is not unusual for an architect to be a combination of master craftsman, engineer and artist. Working alongside engineers (for example), towards the same end goal makes our projects better and enriches both disciplines.

Living in Copenhagen I developed an appreciation for the many architects taking this one step further and designing custom pieces of furniture inspired by, and for, the building. A furniture brand may then manufacture and pick this piece up, adding it to their collection.

JR: Tell me about some of the projects that you’ve found to be the most rewarding?

GP: Some of the most creative or fun experiences I’ve had are from the projects with the most constraints or limitations.

I find that leveraging-off and referencing existing components can prompt a more creative act. In some ways can get qualities of space you would never be able to afford if you were starting from scratch.

Conversely, when presented with a blank slate design can become more formulaic.

Whether physical or less tangible, there is real value in teasing out these contextual threads which will ultimately lend themselves to a richer outcome for the client.

The EWA studio in Hamilton is an existing fabric transformed into a bright and spacious workplace. Custom designs include everything down from table furniture items to light fittings and dividing screens, embracing that holistic approach to interior and architecture.

Or more recently ‘The Garden Room,’ a glasshouse addition to a 1920s-era heritage home, a contemporary designed glasshouse that ties into the existing fabric and extends the functionality of the home while contributing to well-being by providing a comfortable and versatile living environment that embraces the classic Kiwi outdoor lifestyle.

JR: You are now a Registered Architect. How was the journey to becoming registered?

GP: I became a Registered Architect near the end of 2022 — a huge year after designing, detailing, and building a house with my sisters. And then to continue onto complete registration all outside of a full-time working week.

JR: And on top of working full-time you managed to build your own house?

GP: The experience of diving headfirst into the deep end and building a house was an incredible opportunity (and certainly challenging!) The best way to learn by doing.

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to build a home with my sisters in my family’s subdivision in Raglan. To make this happen I dedicated evenings and weekends to designing. With help of my colleague’s feedback this allowed me to experiment and get into the mindset of not only the architect, but also the client. The consideration of costs and affordability is now more relevant than ever.

Taking into consideration the budget and the requirements for a relatively economical floor area, the design aims to respond to the surrounding landscape, down to the feathering of the front façade mimicking the kanuka branches framing the views of the harbour beyond. Gentle unassuming natural tones with inherent roughness and variation of the interior, bring texture from the landscape inward. It became an exercise in designing efficient, considered spaces that still feel generous and responsive and a sense of calm.

JR: What lead to Edwards Whites Architects and what does your role involve?

GP: I have been at Edwards White Architects full-time for five years, and part-time over my university summer break prior to this. Over this time, I have been given some incredible opportunities within the office and am grateful for the trust the company puts in me.

I currently lead project teams and ensure project milestones are met and architectural outcomes are of a consistently high quality. As Interiors Lead my aim is to integrate the interior architecture into the architectural design and ensure a holistic outcome for our clients.

My love for communication and working with people/clients has allowed me to tailor our design process around client needs and re-think the briefing process. In my role as an associate I enjoy promoting the EWA team and thinking strategically about where we are going and how we can improve.

JR: Currently, what projects do you have in the pipeline at Edwards Whites Architects that you can talk about?

GP: We are currently working on an exciting new residential project, in which the landscape becomes a pivotal part of the design. We have begun conversations with a landscape designer at these very early stages of concept design, fostering that collaborative environment between design disciplines early on and curating the landscape, architecture and interior in equal parts encouraging a holistic approach to the mutual design intent.

JR: Is there anything outside of your professional practive that inspires you creatively or feeds into your work?

GP: Travelling has opened my mind to what other architects are doing around the world. My eye is drawn to beautiful details such as balustrades and quirky window shrouds in Berlin, or the tiles and textures of Mexico — I’m constantly in awe of the world’s cities and built environments.

My love for photography grew while travelling, composing these slices of architectural randomness into moments of beauty.

I’m also inspired by the power of landscape in architecture. I have vivid memory of walking through the Medina in Marrakesh, and stumbling across Le Jardin Secret — an oasis amongst the hustle and bustle. A true moment of reprieve from a rather hectic environment and its impact on me in that moment has been lasting.

See more from the On the Rise series here.