A gentle architecture of care - where familiarity, warmth, and clarity are woven into a home that nurtures independence and wellbeing.
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Planning prioritises clarity and familiarity, supporting intuitive movement and day-to-day independence. Warm materials, gentle contrasts, and references to past environments create a setting that feels both comforting and legible, reinforcing wellbeing through design.
Matipo Tea House is a warm, human-centred home designed to support the independence, comfort, and wellbeing of a client's mother returning to New Zealand following a dementia diagnosis. Developed in collaboration with Ethan Hunter Architect, the accessible residential design provides a private, nurturing retreat at the rear of the family property — two bedrooms accommodating both the returning family member and a live-in carer, with accessible bathrooms and adaptable features ensuring long-term comfort. Rather than a clinical environment, the brief prioritised warmth and familiarity. Wide verandas, red posts, and timber detailing draw on memories of her former home in Australia, while a lush garden, wandering paths, and framed sight-lines connect inside and out through considered indoor outdoor flow. Research into dementia design informed every decision — revealing a wider truth that clarity, comfort, and intuitive spatial design benefits everyone. The result is a considered accessible home that nurtures dignity, independence, and joy.
Created for the client's mother living with dementia, the home provides a private, nurturing retreat at the rear of the family property - supporting her independence while maintaining a close connection to family.
Creative Director: Kate Pilot
Created during KANAT in collaboration with Ethan Hunter Architects
