INTERSTICES 14

Athfield Architects 

by Julia Gatley 
Review by Marshall Cook

The precious history of architecture in New Zealand is rarely explored as compre-
hensively as in architectural historian Julia Gatley's book on Athfield Architects. It 
is both a catalogue of design projects and a portal to the authors of the works. But 
essentially, it is about the prime protagonist Ian Athfield. Although broken down 
into four progressive parts from “formative student” and “early practice” to “boom 
times” and “public works”, it really is about Athfield the architect and then Athfield  
the assemblage.

His architectural beginnings are clear, blunt and seemingly counter-cultural. 
Illustrations of his student work that expose the raw nerve ends of a devoted de-
signer are signed off as I. Charles Athfield or simply Ath. His early unbuilt works 
that remain as designs on paper carry the full illusion of reality. Influences of the 
Christchurch masters Beaven and Warren appear, disappear and re-appear but 
within a unique palette of materials used in original ways. Sometimes stressed to 
their limits the buildings under construction form the inverse case to ruins. The 
ad hoc nature of the construction process, the light and shadows of framing, the 
laying of scaffolding, the smell of newly-sawn wood, and that incomplete state of 
construction which gives hope and anticipation is the apparent driving force be-
hind Athfield in the early years. It is an architecture that stands against or at the 
very least in contrast to a cultural trend to continually re-invent its history. Early 
encounters with adaptive re-use of heritage buildings explored both the financial 
and social values of the existing fabric of the city: “heritage starts with a good idea 

Julia Gatley,  Athfield Architects / Julia Gatley. Auckland, N.Z. : Auckland 
University Press, 2012. ISBN: 9781869405915 (hbk.)



125

tomorrow”. As comfortable as Athfield is with the new and the old he was equally 
at home with pubs, churches and the odd brothel.

“My thinking has always been comprehensive and inclusive not focused and 
exclusive.”

The most significant work, a regrettably unbuilt housing project in the Philippines 
in 1975, was a turning point for architecture. International interest in the design 
principles and the technical advances made it a benchmark for social housing in 
developing countries.

Other competition-winning entries such as School of the Future, also unbuilt, were 
equally significant designs that would have changed the learning environment of 
the 1990s. Also illustrated are a few unbuilt buildings that would have challenged 
the contemporary city. It was also the period when Athfield was an active partner 
in a number of development projects.

It is in the final section of the book that the work of Athfield Architects displays 
the firm’s depth of design skills. Given the volume of work passing through the 
practice it would be easy to adapt standards to suit work load. It would appear that 
the opposite happened. As the office has evolved so have the skills of the design 
managers. As much as it is obvious that Wellington is Athfield’s city, the firm has 
a strong design-led foothold in Auckland and Christchurch. It also produced the 
brilliant war memorial in London’s Hyde Park.

There are a number of projects produced in collaboration with other practices 
that are clearly acknowledged and brief introductions to future projects show the 
possibilities and hopes of the staff. Although presented as a democratic working 
family there have been financial hard times when the cards had to be shuffled. In 
all work it is easy to experience the sense of ownership and the aspirations of the 
designers. But the ringmaster is always present, especially in public spaces where 
he does not dictate how to use them but provides the tools to enable the possibili-
ties of encounter.