director
ANDRE DE GRAAF
Contact
[email protected]
Isthmus
43 Sale Street
Freemans Bay
PO Box 90 366
Auckland
+64 9 309 9442
Skills & Experience
Much of Andre’s professional career has been focused on precinct‐based projects. This was
a deliberate direction he sought early on, largely inspired by his latter academic curriculum
focusing on settlement geography and town planning. As such, a desire for understanding the
greater context and the challenging art of making places special has always featured strongly in
Andre’s design approach – no matter what the project type or scale. In the past 7 years Andre has
participated in extensive stakeholder and external party consultation in bringing good urban design
and innovative architecture to reality. He has formulated design guidelines, been a member of
design review panels and written evidence on, and acted as expert witness for, urban design in the
environment court.
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Qualifications
Bachelor of Architecture (University of
Natal, Durban) 1993
Registered Architect, A.N.Z.I.A
Architect Member – New Zealand
Institute of Architects (NZIA)
Career History
2013 ‐ present Director ‐ Isthmus Group
2008 – 2013 Principal ‐ Construkt
Architects Ltd, Auckland NZ
2003 ‐ 2008 Associate ‐ Construkt
Architects Ltd (formerly Deighton Gibbs
Architects)
Associated Professional
Activities
Member of the Urban Design Review
Panel for Auckland City (appointed
February 2010)
Member of Auckland Council’s Steering
Group developing a new city‐wide Urban
Design Manual
Member of Urban Design Forum (UDF).
21 years experience in architecture and urban design
Broad base of commercial, hotel and residential projects
Experience in community based projects
Experience in United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand
Architect and Urban Designer
Significant Recent Projects
Long Bay, for Todd Property Group 2007-2013
176ha residential development ranging from standalone houses to
apartments and village centre, North Shore, Auckland.
Developed Masterplan + Development Controls to inform Structure.
Planning and Plan Change, Detailed Precinct Planning for all 3 precincts,
Integrated Housing Studies to accompany Subdivision Consent
applications, Design Guidelines.
Addison Balance Land 2012-2013
Takanini, South Auckland for McConnell Property Ltd. 29.3ha residential
development ranging from standalone to terrace housing (the balance
portion of Addison, an 80ha, 1,200 lot residential development)
Masterplan + Urban Design.
Hobsonville Point 2007-ongoing
Auckland for Hobsonville Land Company. 167ha residential and mixed
use development comprising of approximately 3000 dwellings ranging
from standalone houses to apartments. Collaborated with Isthmus Group
on Concept Masterplan, Comprehensive Development Plans including
Detailed Precinct Planning, Development Controls and Design Guidelines
for Buckley + Sunderland precincts.
Longhurst 2009-2011
Halswell West, Christchurch for Fulton Hogan. 117ha residential
development, 1,400 new dwellings ranging from standalone to terrace
housing Masterplan + Urban Design, Development Controls, Private
Plan change support, Architectural design for village centre + adjacent
residential block (concept design).
Anselmi Ridge 2006-2008
A residential masterplanning project for McConnell Property Group’s
unique site, located on the fringe of Pukekohe, south of Auckland. Prior
to 2006 Oculus prepared an overall masterplan with architectural input
from Construkt, including design guidelines, to ensure a high quality
development by controlling urban, landscape and architectural design.
Pine Harbour Marina 2008-2011
Beachlands, Auckland for Pine Harbour Holdings. 9.6ha mixed use transit
oriented development Masterplan + Urban Design, including detailed
Precinct Planning and Development Controls, Plan Change application
support, architectural design of commercial buuilding (Ranger house) as
part of the first stage of the masterplan.
Omaha House 2011-2012
This site offered great views to both the sea and inland landforms but
required the spaces to be manipulated through a variety of volumes to
fully exploit this opportunity. The “journey” between rooms thus offers
a rich visual experience – both externally and internally. The plan form
is further “pushed and pulled” to ensure, no matter what the climatic
conditions, the opportunities for connecting with the outside all year
round are never compromised.