About

Essence Architectural Design

Our Mission

Designing for life

Since 2004, Essence Design creates unique, custom designed, healthier, comfortable homes and commercial interiors. We're based in Ōhau, Levin, in the Horowhenua, and routinely take on projects throughout the Kāpiti Coast and the Wellington Region. We have clients all over New Zealand, and even Australia, seeking our specialist services.

Aiming for Excellence

Essence Design is an award-winning Architectural Design studio. We are passionate and driven, but not at any cost. We will never turn down a project because it will never be an award winner. Instead we get great satisfaction of working closely with our clients, to make their dreams a reality.

The Studio

Meet the team

Robyn De La Haye

Licensed Architectural Designer

Robyn specialises in alterations, additions, new houses and commercial interiors. She loves breathing life into old buildings and has real passion for creating a mix of traditional and contemporary designs. With a degree in Bachelor of Design, Robyn has a creative approach for commercial buildings or residential home interior layouts to minimise costly extensions. Creating well thought out spaces designed for modern living, Robyn thinks laterally as part of her design methods for resaleability and the ever-growing family. She loves creating flexible spaces and minimising hallways with a passion to produce concepts that challenge and surpass a client's expectations. One of Robyn's specialities is working with classic character homes and finding the right balance between traditional and contemporary design.

Rick Hook

Licensed Architectural Designer

Rick is a Licensed Architectural Designer and the newest member of our team who comes with a wealth of knowledge on how buildings go together and ensuring they stay up. His optimistic personality and low-key humour serve him well on sites with council inspectors, builders and clients across any level of organisation including government and corporate clients. Rick has been in NZ for over 26 years and was a licensed/registered Architect in America. He currently teaches at Victoria University developing and delivering structural design courses in the School of Architecture and the Building Science program, so has the natural ability to translate complicated technical topics to non-technical audiences.

About