Design-Led Transformation of New Zealand’s Public Housing Portfolio

A national design quality improvement programme initiated for Kāinga Ora–Homes andCommunities totransform the quality of New Zealand’s public housing portfolio. Theprogramme focused on optimising site capacity, increasing asset value, and delivering world-class, mixed-tenure communities that reduced the stigma associated with state housing andenhanced social outcomes. Key innovations included an integrated design quality toolkitcomprising:The Simple Guide to Design–a user-friendly framework for design guidance; theDesign Quality Assessment Tool–enabling evidence-based evaluation and qualitymonitoring across Kāinga Ora’s national development programme; and theDesign QualityTraining Programme–equipping both Kāinga Ora staff and external design and developmentpartners to actively contribute to improved design outcomes.

Client
Kainga OraHomes & Communities

Location
National Programme–New Zealand

Awards
NZIA & Property Council Project Awards 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Note: Anthony Flannery of Re-Imagine was appointed Special Adviser to Kāinga Ora’s Construction and Innovation Group,with responsibility for developing the organisation’s Design Guide, leading the Design Quality Assessment of morethan 270 projects, and delivering the national Design Quality Training Programme.