AR+TS Architectural Design wins 2026 TIDA New Zealand Designer Renovation of the Year

How do you update a typical 1920s New Zealand bungalow for modern living without erasing its original, desirable qualities?

The response here was a skilful strategy of retention, transition and transformation.

The original weatherboard character and intimate scale of the front rooms remain intact, preserving the identity and memory of the existing house.

From there, a sequence of softened thresholds and arches gradually shifts the experience of the home – from enclosed, familiar rooms at the front toward a more contemporary, light-filled pavilion at the back.

The pavilion’s expressed open gable introduces greater volume and daylight, while a palette of marble, brass and pale timber complements the existing home without imitating it.

The recurring arches act as a linking element between old and new, giving continuity to spaces of distinctly different character and scale.

At the rear, the architecture opens fully to a generous deck with outdoor fireplace, and down to the garden.

This transition from house to landscape becomes part of the daily experience of the home, replacing the bungalow’s original separation between interior and backyard with a more fluid connection.

For the TIDA judges, this renovation is a thoughtful exercise in adaptation rather than replacement, demonstrating how a classic New Zealand housing style can be sensitively reframed for future generations.

Congratulations to AR+TS Architectural Design – winner of the 2026 TIDA New Zealand Designer Renovation of the Year.

Designed by: Terence Yang, AR+TS Architectural Design

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Regan Cornelius