DKO’s Auckland studio has announced the appointment of a new New Zealand Studio Director, Scott Jury, and role elevations within the DKO New Zealand team.

This comes as the studio announces important new projects in the South Island, Cardrona, and Shotover Country.

DKO is working on a boutique mixed-use project in the well-known town of Cardrona, nestled amongst the spectacular landscape the region is known for. With food and beverage at the forefront of the new design, the mixed-use development offers a boutique retail offering and a market shop, alongside new apartments and townhomes.

Also on the drawing board is a new townhouse project — a collection of homes that embrace the alpine landscape in Shotover Country near Queenstown.

Founding Principal Koos de Keijzer is a New Zealander himself and sees the New Zealand business as key to the DKO brand throughout the Asia Pacific. The Auckland studio currently employs a team of nine, with plans for this to grow to over 20 in the coming 12 months.

DKO’s Auckland studio has seen significant expansion in recent months with a focus on high-end residential, mixed-use, hotel and commercial projects throughout the country. A big focus for the practice currently is hotel work as the tourism sector is on the rise again.

Scott Jury, DKO NZ Studio Director, new appointment

Scott Jury joins the DKO team with over 20 years’ experience in construction and architecture.

After graduating from The University of Auckland with a 1st Class Honours degree, Scott founded Jurado Architects in 2006. Since then, he has worked through comprehensive multi-residential and commercial projects. Scott brings a collaborative approach to the design process and works closely with clients on their purposeful objectives to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes, says DKO. He is a Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors, as well as an accredited member of New Zealand Institute of Building.

According to DKO, Jury has a personal interest in IT and software technology and hopes to develop and implement more technology within the construction space.

Jury says, “It is an honour to take the helm of DKO’s New Zealand studio. The practice has an impeccable reputation and some important projects coming up that the team has been excited to take on. We plan on growing the DKO business two-fold in the coming year.”

Abbey van Rooyen, Associate, promotion

Abbey van Rooyen joined DKO Auckland in 2019 having previously worked abroad in Sydney and London on a wide variety of projects. Van Rooyen’s ability to navigate complex briefs while fostering a strong client/architect relationship is a testament to her negotiation and communication skills says DKO.

Van Rooyen’s promotion to Associate, according to the practice, reflects her fastidious approach to tackling complex tasks with a positive attitude.

Rupert Reed, Design Associate, secondment

Rupert Reed will be on secondment and join the New Zealand team as Design Associate from the Melbourne studio. Reed has demonstrated high levels of diligence and thoughtfulness in his design approach since joining the practice in 2016, says DKO. Reed has a high level of professionalism and ingenuity when nurturing new business leads and shows passion for multi-disciplinary design, the practice says.

For more information on DKO head to their website.