Our People

Undaunted by the pitfalls presented by a perilously steep slope, this Christchurch couple forged ahead anyway, seeing potential in the site — and that view.

She has the brains; he has the vision. Together, this couple has developed an extraordinary and surprising garden.

Louise Storey’s role at Rowing New Zealand is to help the country's rowing elite cope with the pressure-cooker environment of high-performance sport.

A brother, his hard-working sister and their partners created a forest on a hillside above the Pacific Ocean.

Bayden Barber’s path to a significant tribal leadership role was inevitable, given the influence of his elders on his upbringing.

Nutrition from the Sea – United Fisheries

Sitting across the table from Kypros Kotzikas it is hard not to get caught up in the passion and vibrancy he has for life. At 79 years of age he is far from slowing down; in fact his retirement projects are bigger than some people’s careers!

The man often referred to as the godfather of Central Otago wine is still chasing the perfect pinot well into his 80s.

Bruce Topp’s British rogue is the perfect fit

The Jensen Interceptor was the dream of someone who wanted something a bit different. Bruce Topp is that someone.

The New Zealand Samoan actor credits high school teachers for allowing him to see acting was more than just a hobby

With Taranaki Maunga physically at her back and spiritually guiding her, Paula Carr is contributing to her Ngāruahine iwi with innovative ideas and by connecting people.

Antonia and Mike Radon farm pāua, sheep and cattle, grow pearls, host visitors and sell jewellery to tourists in Whekenui Bay, Marlborough Sounds.

Canoe slalom is not a sport for the faint-hearted. Paddlers must beat the clock, their opponents and, most challenging of all, turbulent water. One teenager is up for the run.

Even as a pre-teen, this parenting expert knew what she’d do when she had children. And now she shares her knowledge with many others

Retro Revamp

Lisa and Toby Morse have transformed their 1970s Merivale townhouse into a chic new home, infused with playful personality and style .

The sedate setting of a lawn bowls rink is a world away from rugby grounds.

A way with words has coloured the career of this Wellington polyglot.

The colourful and ordered home of a university librarian belies the chaos of her insatiable curiosity and the challenge of discovering her tikanga.

With Ngāti Kurī and Swiss whakapapa, Henri Jacques Burkhardt, aka Harry, has come into his tribal leadership role occupying “grey spaces”.

Seven generations of one family have loved Lavericks Bay life, and now visitors can also enjoy the many charms of this secluded sheep farm.

Kristine Kerr became the first female member in the history of the Australian Society of Golf Course Architects when inducted in 2010.

He is good at building things; she is clever in the garden. The home and life they’ve built together are outward-focused, expansive and rewarding.

A house so leak-free it might pop if air were pumped into it delights its owners-designers, who smile every day at its light and effective footprint.

Young mother Renee Cadigan is developing a self-sufficient life and teaching her boys valuable life skills at the same time.

Diving is a study in time and motion, breath-taking synchronicity of mind and body. The aim, as always, is perfection.

Many hours of hard work have driven a designing couple to great career heights. It helps that they like each other — a lot.

Leaving Auckland for a bare Taupō block prompted a young couple to build an unfussy life from total scratch, savouring every moment.

A strong public service background has given Sonya Rimene the experience, networks and relationships required to help influence Crown decision-makers to advance and support the aspirations of iwi/Māori.

More is more when it comes to handbags, hot sauce and living life to the max.

Around Nelson, off-road female friendships are born from a need for speed.

Despite managing a rare — and sometimes debilitating — illness, Natalie Robinson-Tantin is an active participant in a world she’s designed with living colour.

A Dunedin designer’s beautiful bespoke garments incorporate wild pest fur. No wonder Central Otago’s plentiful rabbits steer well clear of Jane Avery’s tiny Earnscleugh holiday cabin.

His gallery is a Gypsy Caravan, he is possibly a gypsy himself, but Blair Somerville is far from lost in the world of fantastical art.

All the limes grown by this Gisborne family have prickly personalities but that doesn’t stop them from being in great demand.

Life in Aotearoa is celebrated in a bach and matching tiny house on the Horowhenua coast.