202609-KIHIKIHI ART RETREAT

The transformation of the historic Alpha Hotel site begins not with a gallery, but with the artists themselves. This first stage reimagines an existing accommodation building into three premium artist residences, each carefully designed to provide a place to live, reflect, and create. Spacious private studios open eastward onto a generous shared deck beneath a continuous verandah, encouraging both quiet contemplation and creative exchange. While the existing structure has been respectfully retained, a sculptural veil of curved vertical timber blades wraps the building, softening its original form and signalling a new identity—one that speaks of creativity in residence rather than accommodation alone. New landscape planting further connects the building to its setting and establishes a calm environment for artistic practice. This project represents the first chapter of a much larger vision. Over time, the Alpha Hotel will evolve into a destination arts precinct, where the historic hotel becomes a series of gallery spaces showcasing significant works, future Māori cultural facilities provide opportunities for carving, education, and creative expression, and the site grows into a place where art, architecture, history, and community converge. Rather than simply preserving the past, the masterplan seeks to create a living cultural campus that celebrates both heritage and the continual creation of new work. Explore our design process to see how ideas develop from an initial brief into a considered architectural response.

Click here for PDF drawings of this DRAFT proposal.