Best Architects in Wellington
We assessed 45 architects in Wellington and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The businesses listed below hold 188 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 30 September 2026. How we rank →
Before you hire
Only NZRAB-registered architects can legally use the title Architect; architectural designers are unregulated and often cheaper for standard residential work. Hire a registered architect for complex sites, multi-storey work, heritage, or commercial projects. Ask for a written fee proposal broken down by design stage, and request to see comparable recent projects.
Top 5 Architects in Wellington
The top 5 architects in Wellington are #1 GO Architecture, #2 Devani Architecture, #3 Makers of Architecture, #4 Intelligent Design, and #5 Modal Architecture, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you hire.
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1
GO architecture ltd
★ 5.0 27 reviews Top5 Score 1435★ 26 4★ 1GO Architecture takes on residential renovation plans, house extensions, new builds, and recladding projects, guiding clients through design concepts and council building consent from start to finish. Paula, Sarah, and Kerren are noted for presenting multiple layout options that clients hadn't considered, and for keeping communication clear at every stage of the process.
location_on Unit 5/408 Hutt Road, Alicetown, Lower Hutt
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2
Devani Architecture
★ 4.9 31 reviews Top5 Score 1425★ 30 1★ 1Devani Architecture works across bathroom and laundry renovations, residential subdivisions, second dwellings, and commercial fitouts, taking projects from concept drawings through to council consent and sign-off. Hardik is noted for arriving on site quickly, sketching feasibility live in front of clients, and pointing out options such as subdivision potential that clients had not considered before picking up the phone.
location_on 17 Trinity Avenue, Epuni, Lower Hutt
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3
Makers of Architecture
★ 4.9 20 reviews +1 Top5 Score 138 +25★ 19 3★ 1Makers of Architecture designs custom family homes, navigating resource consent, building consent, and site monitoring through to completion on difficult sections. Clients on steep or constrained sites note that Beth, Jae, and their team read how light, wind, and views will work on the land before a line is drawn, translating that into homes people describe as genuinely hard to leave.
location_on Level 1/16 Jessie Street, Te Aro, Wellington
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4
Intelligent Design
★ 4.8 24 reviews Top5 Score 1365★ 22 4★ 1 1★ 1Intelligent Design covers home extensions, kitchen and bathroom renovations, new builds, and investment property designs, with Aaron known for coming back to clients with layouts they had not imagined themselves. When council changes arise mid-consent, Aaron coordinates directly with surveyors and planners to turn around amendments quickly, keeping projects on track without the client having to manage those relationships.
location_on 31 Railway Avenue, Alicetown, Lower Hutt
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5
Modal Architecture
↑ 1★ 5.0 15 reviews +1 Top5 Score 136 +25★ 15Modal Architecture guides clients through residential renovations, home extensions, and holiday home reconfigurations, covering concept design, detailed drawings, and council consent from first brief to approval. Sam, Lindsay, and Ollie are noted for staying accessible to builders during construction and for visiting finished projects, keeping the relationship intact well past the design stage.
location_on Level 1/43 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Before you hire an architect in Wellington
Drawn from 157 customer reviews collected for this page. The first answer is what it costs.
What do architects and architectural designers typically charge in New Zealand? expand_more
Registered architects in New Zealand charge between $150 and $300 per hour, depending on experience level. For full residential projects, fees run from 8% to 15% of total construction cost.
On a $500,000 build, budget roughly $40,000 to $75,000 for full service from concept through to completion. Architectural designers charge $100 to $200 per hour, or 6% to 12% of construction cost, with narrower scope.
Do I need a registered architect or will an architectural designer do? expand_more
Only people registered with the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB) can legally use the title 'architect' in New Zealand, and that registration requires a recognised degree, supervised experience, and a formal competency assessment. For most residential renovations and new builds, the Building Act 2004 does not require you to use a registered architect, so an architectural designer can legally prepare and submit consent documents.
For complex sites, heritage buildings, commercial work, or multi-storey projects, the accountability framework that comes with NZRAB registration matters more, including access to a formal disciplinary process and professional indemnity insurance. If you go with a designer, look for membership of the Architectural Designers New Zealand (ADNZ) industry body as a baseline quality signal.
Who actually does the design work, the principal or a junior? expand_more
In practices with more than one or two staff, the principal often leads the concept stage but hands detailed design and documentation to graduates or technicians, which is standard practice but worth understanding upfront. Reviews here show that projects run most smoothly when a named senior person stays involved across all stages, not just at the start. Before signing anything, ask directly who will attend site meetings, who drafts the consent documents, and who reviews the work before it goes to council.
What are the warning signs of an architect you shouldn't hire? expand_more
- –A fee proposal that lists a lump sum without breaking down what is included at each stage, making it hard to know what you are actually paying for.
- –No clear answer when you ask whether site observation during construction is included, as this is where design intent is most likely to be lost.
- –Reluctance to share contact details for two or three recent clients with projects of similar scale and budget.
- –Slow or vague responses to council queries during the consent process, which can add weeks or months to your timeline.
- –No current NZRAB registration if they are calling themselves an architect, which you can verify directly on the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB) public register.
- –No mention of professional indemnity insurance, which leaves you exposed if errors in the drawings cause costly problems during construction.
What should you ask before engaging an architect? expand_more
- –Ask for written confirmation of current registration on the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB) register if the practitioner uses the title architect.
- –Request a written fee proposal broken down by stage: concept, developed design, consent documentation, and construction observation.
- –Ask who specifically will do the day-to-day design work and who reviews it before anything goes to council or your builder.
- –Request contact details for two recent clients whose projects were similar in scope and budget to yours, then actually call them.
- –Ask what happens if the design comes back over budget after costing, and whether redesign is included in the fee or charged separately.
- –Confirm whether site visits during construction are included, how many are budgeted, and what happens if the builder raises a question the drawings do not resolve.
Also recommended architects in Wellington
Ranked 6 to 10 on the same public review record.
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6
Lovell & O'Connell Architects
↓ 2★ 5.0 16 reviews Top5 Score 1365★ 16Lovell & O'Connell Architects handles new home design, villa renovations, and beach house projects, with Tim and Ana known for listening closely to how a family actually lives before shaping the spaces around them. Post-build support, flagged by more than one client, means the relationship carries on past handover rather than stopping at practical completion.
location_on 11B Tory Street, Te Aro, Wellington
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7
Upoko Architects
↓ 5★ 5.0 14 reviews Top5 Score 136 -25★ 14Upoko Architects works across residential renovations, home extensions, new builds, and studio conversions, with James known for translating a client's brief into a first-draft design that lands close to the mark. On-site presence at critical construction stages means the finer design details, whether a cedar bifold, a corridor skylight, or tile and lighting placement, actually get built as drawn.
location_on 11b Tory Street, Te Aro, Wellington
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8
Mac Architecture
★ 5.0 15 reviews Top5 Score 1355★ 15Mac Architecture produces concept design, detailed documentation, and building consent for new builds, minor dwellings, and renovations with a clear focus on passive solar and high-performance thermal design. Jason and the team are noted for visiting sites before the brief is set, working within tight budgets, and producing drawings detailed enough that builders work off them without confusion.
location_on 364b The Parade, Island Bay, Wellington
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9
Arête Architects Ltd.
↓ 4★ 5.0 14 reviews Top5 Score 1345★ 14Arete Architects covers residential new builds, home renovations, and commercial fitouts, with Sam and Jonny stepping in at design, consenting, and construction contract stages rather than stepping back once drawings are signed off. Clients on technically demanding projects, including steep sites and late-stage renovation rescues, point to their ability to surface cost-effective solutions on the fly without compromising the design intent.
location_on 50/70 Kingsford Smith Street, Lyall Bay, Wellington
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10
Designgroup Stapleton Elliott
↓ 3★ 4.9 12 reviews Top5 Score 132 +15★ 11 4★ 1Designgroup Stapleton Elliott is recognised as a creative architectural practice, with reviewers pointing to skilled design thinking and a goal-driven approach to projects. Their studio environment, fitted with bespoke furniture, reflects the same design attention they bring to client work.
location_on Level 1/318 Lambton Quay, Wellington Central, Wellington
About this ranking
What the 10 architects listed above hold, at the 30 September 2026 check.
We first assessed architects in Wellington in May 2026 and have rechecked the ranking three times since. Two different businesses have held first place; GO Architecture has held it since August 2026. Makers of Architecture has been in the top 5 at every check. Across the 12 locations we assess architects in, the 115 businesses listed have a median rating of 5.0, and one-star reviews are 2.5% of their total.
What has changed since May 2026? expand_more
- Sep 2026
Scoring method updated. Devani Architecture entered the top 5 at #2. Intelligent Design entered the top 5 at #4. Modal Architecture returned to the top 5, up from #6. Upoko Architects left the top 5, down to #7. Lovell & O'Connell Architects left the top 5, down to #6. Arete Architects left the top 5, down to #9. Mac Architecture entered the list at #8.
- Aug 2026
New first place: GO Architecture. GO Architecture entered the top 5 at #1. Modal Architecture left the top 5, down to #6.
- Jul 2026
- May 2026
First check. Makers of Architecture #1.
How are the top architects in Wellington chosen? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for architects in Wellington. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out, and a business whose main Google category is a different trade is held back until a person has checked what it does. A business whose website no longer resolves and that has had no Google review for six months is treated as dormant and left off the page until either changes. Every category and city is rechecked on a rolling cycle, about every two to three months. A location with a subscribing business is rechecked every month, and the whole page updates with it. See how we rank for the full method.
What does a business subscription offer? expand_more
No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Claiming and verifying a listing is free. It adds a phone number to the card and a small trust bonus (+3 points) to its score, for confirming a real operator stands behind the listing. The owner also gets a dashboard showing how their score is made up. A paid subscription provides an enhanced card with more ways to reach the business, including a website link and a detailed profile page. It also refreshes this page monthly and adds ranking history and competitor analysis to the owner's dashboard. The subscription adds nothing to the score. Claim your listing or see what a subscription includes.
Why isn't my business listed? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for architects in Wellington. The usual reasons for missing out are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. Sometimes we miss a business that should be here. Check where you rank first. If you are not there and think you should be, get in touch.