Houses: Did you want to be an architect when you were growing up?

Charlotte Stewart: Yes – when I was a kid I would fill scrapbooks with images of houses from magazines and draw different floor plans for them. I grew up around renovations, and then when I was at school my mum retrained as an architect. I think seeing her go through the course confirmed that it was what I wanted to do.

H: Can you describe your architecture career thus far?

CS: After finishing my masters at Victoria University, I started working at Tennent + Brown Architects, and during my time there I have worked on a wide range of projects. We have recently moved into a new space in the Hope Gibbons Building – my first project was the office fit out, quite a big responsibility knowing we were all going to be working there. I work a lot with Hugh Tennent on the concept design stages of various projects – including a couple of houses and a studio in Nelson, a visitors centre at Lake Waikaremoana for Ngai Tuhoe, master planning for a school in Otaki and some housing for the nuns at the Home of Compassion in Island Bay.

I have also been involved in the documentation and observation stages for various university fit outs and two medical centres – one fit out and one new build. So I guess even though I am only at the start of my career, I have been lucky to have the opportunity to work across a lot of projects. Tennent + Brown Architects is a great company to work for – the office has a really positive team environment – a few weekends back we went up to Whanganui to try glass blowing!

H: What are you working on at the moment?

CS: I have just started working on the construction documentation for the Home of Compassion Housing. The project is six housing units of brick construction featuring slanted roofs and lantern windows. I am finishing up the observation stage at the Onslow Medical Centre – I co-ordinated and drew the interior fit out for this project – you would be surprised how much joinery goes into a medical centre! Also, my parents have recently bought an old villa in Auckland, so they are hoping I will draw up some plans for that as well… maybe it will be a mother-daughter collaboration.

H: What do you enjoy most about working in architecture?

CS: I really enjoy all the people you interact with in the world of architecture. You work with a huge range of people throughout a project and I have found it really satisfying establishing relationships with clients, contractors and suppliers. I am lucky to be surrounded by so many talented people at work; they have been amazing mentors. I also find the outcome of a project - watching it being used and enjoyed by people - one of the most rewarding aspects of architecture. Hugh always designs with a strong focus on people, and I think this is having an influence on me.

H: If you could design a house anywhere in New Zealand, where would it be?

CS: Probably somewhere where the environment is harsh and wild – perhaps the west coast of the South Island.