MAV is a New Zealand architecture studio built for real people, real sites, and real budgets.
We started MAV because too many Kiwis were either priced out of good design or left frustrated by architects who made the process harder than it needed to be. We thought there was a better way.
We specialise in residential design, renovations, and pre-designed homes and granny flats. That includes people who just want a better backyard, and people who want a design they can put on a site, earn from it, and repeat somewhere else.
Our clients are homeowners and property owners who want clear advice, practical outcomes, and designs that actually make it through council and into construction. Not concepts that look good on paper and fall over in reality.
A studio model built for flexibility
The way we work is deliberately different. MAV is a senior-led studio backed by a trusted network of builders, consultants, and trades across New Zealand.
That means we can work in different regions, bring in the right local expertise, and hand you something that's ready to price and build. You can use your own builder, or tap into ours.
How we work
Good architecture is not just about how something looks on paper. It needs to work financially, functionally, and practically in the real world too.
From the beginning, we think about planning constraints, buildability, budget alignment, and how the space will actually be lived in or used. That means clearer advice early, fewer compromises later, and a smoother path from concept through to construction.
The People Behind MAV
MAV was shaped by a simple frustration: too much architecture felt removed from real life. Beautiful on paper, but too expensive, too complicated, or too disconnected from how people actually live, build, and make decisions.
We believe good design should do more than look impressive. It should make everyday life easier, use space intelligently, respond to the site, respect the budget, and move clearly from idea to consent and construction.
As a husband-and-wife team, we bring design, communication, and practical thinking together. We care about the full experience, not just the final drawings.
Our philosophy is simple: design should be thoughtful, buildable, honest, and useful.
Homes should feel good to live in, make sense to build, and hold their value over time.
