First Light Studio Ltd
We believe in its enduring power to enhance our wellbeing, and its ability to work with nature, not against it. But for too long great living has been defined by the wrong thinking, resulting in buildings that are unhealthy, expensive and unsustainable. We are speaking up for a fresh direction. Our purpose is to redesign our living future. To create living environments that flex with the rhythms o
23/06/2026
Unbuilt: A compact home in Mangawhai, hugged by native bush and overlooking a favourite surf break.
17/06/2026
Our Whare Our Fale
It was a privilege to be part of the team behind this project, and we're stoked to see it recognised with a Regional Architecture Award in the Multi-Unit category at the Wellington Architecture Awards.
Client / Design Lead:
Builder:
Images:
The brief was to deliver 18 affordable, intergenerational homes that embody Pasefika identity, nurture wellbeing and restore dignity through community-led housing, challenging conventional housing models by centering cultural narratives as the foundation of place. First Light Studio worked alongside CPC to translate this vision into an affordable, buildable and high-performing architectural outcome, providing technical and environmental sustainability expertise throughout the design process. The homes were delivered through local Pasefika builders, creating employment opportunities across the region, with high-quality construction led by South Coast Construction.
•
15/06/2026
Thrilled to share that Our Whare Our Fale took home a regional architecture award in the housing - multi-unit category at the Wellington Architecture Awards! A quick look back at some early iterations of the typologies.
This project is now live on our website, you can read more about it there or through the Central Pacific Collective website.
Built: 2025
Client / Design Lead:
Builder:
Renders: .studio.co
Our Whare Our Fale is the vision of reimagining the Pacific village in Aotearoa, transforming the life outcomes of the Pasefika community in Wellington through design that is by Pacific, for Pacific. The cultural force at the heart of the design makes it different to anything seen before. The central malae and common fale, express the principle of anoafale – it is not so much about the house, but the people living in the house and the relationships between them.
Big congratulations to everyone involved in this project.
This project is now live on our website, you can read more about it there or through the Central Pacific Collective website, congratulations to all other winners!
04/06/2026
Rongopai Reno Concept
Rongopai Reno received a local architecture award at the Western Architecture Awards!
Learn more about this project on our website under 'Projects: Renovations & Extensions'
Like many villas, the original home had a series of separated rooms, limited connection between spaces, and uneven access to light. The design addresses these typical constraints while respecting the proportions and character that give the house its identity.
Original features are retained where possible and paired with contemporary additions and carefully detailed joinery. This allows old and new to sit comfortably together, creating a cohesive architectural language rather than a contrast between eras.
Palmerston North
Completed: 2025
Built by: John Kitto Construction Limited
Photography by:
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Category
Contact the business
Address
1/1 Ghuznee Street, Te Aro
Wellington
6011
Opening Hours
| Monday | 8am - 5pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 5pm |
| Friday | 8am - 5pm |
