Proudly locally owned, Stephenson and Turner are the custodians of a century-old architectural legacy. Stephenson & Turner began as an architectural practice imbued with the spirit of International Modernism, promoted and fostered by its founder Sir Arthur Stephenson. The firm has been providing leadership in New Zealand architecture ever since, specialising in elegantly designed and detailed large commercial and health service buildings, alongside other civic and social infrastructure such as schools, delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of New Zealand’s built environment as we have done for over 100 years.

In April 2022, our four regional offices — Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch — became independent entities under the S&T Group, continuing to honour the brand’s legacy whilst focusing on each. studio’s core strengths and regional expertise. The central company, Stephenson & Turner New Zealand Ltd, continues to oversee shared services, providing a local service with national coverage, seamless collaboration, and consistent excellence across the group.

At S&T Wellington, we take a confident, collaborative, and holistic approach to every project, blending architecture, engineering, and building performance expertise for outstanding results. We design with intent and stay true to our firm's integrity. By immersing ourselves in our clients' goals and objectives, we create strong, lasting relationships that guide each project from inception to completion.

Our culture is one that celebrates honesty, diversity and thoughtfulness. Everyone on the team, no matter their role, is treated with respect and given the tools to be their best. Our people are the ones who bring our work to life – so when the spirit of the team is thriving, it shows in our work. We also honour the unique perspectives of iwi Māori, acknowledging how Te Ao Māori influences and enriches our design practice.

We're excited to see these designs support communities and deliver environmentally sustainable responsive spaces that benefit all.

Creating sustainable, future-ready environments starts with our own actions. At Stephenson & Turner, we recognise that our day-to-day operations – from design and engineering to project delivery – have an environmental footprint.

That’s why we continually measure and monitor our energy use, waste streams, staff commuting habits, and work-related travel. Our carbon inventory is independently audited each year, and we go beyond compliance – offsetting 120% of our emissions by investing in local and community-based carbon offset initiatives.

With the built environment responsible for around 20% of Aotearoa’s carbon emissions, our industry has a vital role to play in addressing the impacts of climate change. As a firm specialising in low-carbon building design, energy-efficient architecture, and sustainable engineering solutions, we’re committed to helping New Zealand meet its emissions reduction target of 30% by 2030 – in line with the Paris Agreement.

Together with our clients, we’re designing a lower-carbon future – one resilient, high-performance building at a time.

Hiranga 

We strive for excellence in all we do. We have the right people with the right skills and we deliver results that meet or exceed client expectations

Mahi Totika

We work with integrity. We do the right things the right way, we consider the wider picture, we demonstrate our expertise and deliver on our word.

Whanaungatanga & Manaakitanga

We care for our work, our team and our culture. We listen to our clients, we value relationships based on trust and we treat everyone with respect.

Whakatupu

We make good decisions to promote our own growth and development. We make financially sound decisions and use effective and efficient technology solutions to ensure a stable and successful practice.

Successful projects begin with understanding – of the whenua, the kaupapa, and the people who will use the space. At Stephenson & Turner, we begin by exploring the cultural, environmental, and contextual identity of each site. This deep foundation allows us to help refine the project brief and shape a strategic, sustainable design response that aligns with both purpose and place.

From there, we create a compelling concept design, then develop and refine it across all disciplines – architecture, engineering, lighting, and building performance – right through to building consent, procurement and construction. At each step, our teams engage collaboratively with clients to support clear, confident decision-making.

Our design methodology follows these stages:

Huranga / Discovery – understanding site, people, and purpose

Aroro / Concept – exploring ideas and form

Whakaahua / Developed Design – detailing and integration

Hanga / Build – supporting delivery and construction

We place a strong focus on community architecture and delight in building a sense of place – creating environments that not only perform well but feel right for those who use them.